Manifest Destiny Day 2 The Mexican Cession American

Manifest Destiny Day 2 The Mexican Cession American History I SRMHS Mr. Hensley

War is Inevitable • Polk campaigned on Manifest Destiny; tries to buy Mexican territory (they refuse) • In 1846, border tensions between Mexico and Texas (US) increase • Polk sends US army under Zachary Taylor to Rio Grande River • Also sends troops to CA

Mexican-American War • War goes from May of 1846 until 1848 • U. S. invades Mexico, occupies California and New Mexico and eventually captures Mexico City (“The Halls of Montezuma”) • Mexicans fail to win any significant battle

U. S. Advantages • U. S. soldiers have rifles while the Mexicans have muskets • U. S. officers have West Point training • Mexican soldiers are conscripts • U. S. soldiers are either veterans or volunteers

War Stories • “Saint Patrick’s Brigade” were several hundred U. S. soldiers (all Irish, all Catholics) who deserted to the Mexican Army • Los Ninos Heroes were six Mexican boys (cadets) who fought the Americans and killed themselves rather than surrender

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo • This is the formal treaty to end the war (1848) • Mexico gives up (cedes) California, New Mexico to U. S. and recognizes Rio Grande as Texas border for $15 million • Wilmot Proviso would make slavery illegal in any of the Cession

Mexican Cession

Manifest Destiny • America’s obvious future is to keep expanding westward • American exceptionalism – we are meant for greatness • American technology – railroad and telegraph bring county closer • American greed

The Question of Slavery • Missouri Compromise says slave states have to be balanced by free states • Wilmot Proviso is defeated in the Senate • How will the Mexican Cession come in – as slave or free? • Free Soil Party is formed – no more slave states

The Other Side of the World • California is months away from rest of country by sea or land • New England merchants have been trading with CA for years (hides and tallow) • Classic book “Two Years Before the Mast” by Richard Dana (1840)

Bear Flag Republic • During the War, California was briefly its own independent Republic • After the Treaty, California becomes a territory of the U. S. • Area has small population – only about 15, 000 people in 1845 • California becomes a state (1850)

Gold Rush • In early 1848, gold is discovered near the port of San Francisco • Mass migration of fortune seekers (“ 49 ers”) begins • Population grows to 250, 000 by 1850 • Most don’t get rich • Levi Strauss does get rich – why?

Chinese Immigration • Gold Rush attracts people from all over the world – including China • Chinese face racism and discrimination • Chinese miners pay a special extra tax • Chinese are restricted to certain areas of the city – “Chinatowns”

California Statehood • Bringing in California as a free state throws off the balance • Henry Clay creates one last compromise • CA comes in free • South gets stronger Fugitive Slave laws • New territories will decide slavery by popular sovereignty

Oregon Trail Map

Oregon Trail • Trail connects Missouri to Oregon and crosses Rocky Mountains • Beginning in 1830’s, roughly 50, 000 make the trip over the next 40 years • Trip took 6 months and about one in ten would die en route (usually disease or accidents)

“Fifty-four Forty or Fight!” • British and Americans cannot agree on Oregon territory (1846) • Some Democrats want war with Britain but we are already at war with Mexico • Polk negotiates a compromise at the 49 th Parallel of latitude

Polk Decides to Retire • Whigs said he had been “plucked from welldeserved obscurity” • Health was in decline in 1848 (lost weight) • Polk decides not to run • He represents a compromise between Northern and Southern factions of Democrats

Election of 1848 • Whigs were anti-war but nominate war hero Zachary Taylor • Democrats lose votes to a third party (Free Soil Party) led by Van Buren • Taylor wins a close election… and dies after a year in office! • VP Millard Fillmore will take over

Review: The Mexican Cession BIG QUESTIONS: How did the United States gain all the Mexican territory in the west? What were the long-term impacts of this acquisition? When they could not buy Mexican territory, Polk provoked a war with Mexico that resulted in the U. S. taking all Mexican lands north of the Rio Grande. The Mexican Cession would increase tensions between pro and anti-slavery factions in Congress as the question of bringing these territories in as free or slave states was hotly debated. While the Cession fulfilled the promise of Manifest Destiny, it moved the naion closer to civil war.