Chapter 17p. 378 - 383

A Mandate (?) for Manifest Destiny• In 1844, the two major candidates for the presidency were Henry Clay,

the popular Whig and consistent loser of presidential elections, and James K. Polk, the Democratic dark horse who’d been chosen as a compromise.

• Polk was a former Speaker of the House (like Clay) and Governor of Tennessee. Nicknamed “Young Hickory”, Polk was endorsed by former president Andrew Jackson.

Left: Henry Clay (1777-1852)

Right: James K. Polk (1795-1849)

• The Democratic platform advocated “Manifest Destiny”, a concept that stated that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent.

Before red and blue states.

On the issue of Texas, Clay tried to say two things at once. It cost him. He lost the election by 5000 votes in New York.

Vote Polk-Dallas in ’44!

Polk the Purposeful• As president, Polk laid out a four-point mission for himself and

the nation. He would achieve all four points in his one term.

– Lower the tariff

– Restore the independent treasury

– Clear up the Oregon border issue

– Obtain California

• Polk’s secretary of the treasury, Robert J. Walker, lowered the tariff from 32% to 25% despite complaints by industrialists. The new tariff was followed by good times.

• Polk restored the independent treasury in 1846.

Robert J. Walker (1801-1869)

• Under Polk, the Oregon border issue was resolved.

• During the campaign of 1844, the Democrats had supported acquiring all of Oregon. Following the annexation of Texas, the Southern Democrats stopped caring.

• The U.S. and England had been in a dispute concerning the northern boundary of Oregon. England’s first claim was 42 degrees latitude, then they claimed the Columbia River. The U.S. first answered 54 degree 40’ latitude, then said 49 degrees latitude.

• England realized that there were many more Americans than Brits in Oregon.

Back when England had international leverage.

• The British proposed a treaty that would separate British and American claims at the 49th parallel, excluding Vancouver. Polk threw it to the Senate, where it was promptly accepted.

• The United States got the better end of the deal for two reasons:– The British second-choice was rejected while the

American second-choice was accepted– As with the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, the U.S. got

more land than the British.

• Those upset by the deal cried: “Why all of Texas but not all of Oregon?” The truth was that Mexico was

weak and England was strong.

Without Oregon, there’d be no Nike shoes!

Misunderstandings with Mexico• Polk wanted California, but this was difficult due to strained U.S.-

Mexican relations.– After the annexation of Texas, Mexico recalled its foreign minister, and

before, it had been forced to default on its payments of $3 million to the U.S.

– Also, when Texas claimed it southern boundary to be the Rio Grande, not the Nueces River, Polk felt that he had to defend Texas and did so.

• In his quest for California, President Polk first advocated buying the area from Mexico.

• Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City as an envoy to buy California for $25 million, but once there, the Mexican government completely snubbed him.

John Slidell (1793-1871)

American Blood on American (?) Soil

• President Polk forced a showdown, and on January 13, 1846, he ordered 4,000 men under future president Zachary Taylor to march from the Nueces to the Rio Grande, provocatively near Mexican troops.

Old Rough and Ready (1784-1850)

I wonder what ‘Nueces’ means…

• On April 25, 1846, news of Mexican troops crossing the Rio Grande and killing 16 Americans reached Washington. President Polk pushed for war, claiming that, “American blood had been shed on American soil!”

• A pressured Congress eventually

declared war.

• A group of skeptical politicians wanted to know the exact location of the fighting that had led to committing to war. Among them was a first-term congressman from Illinois who drew up a “Spot Resolution” that demanded to be revealed the exact spot upon which American blood had been spilt.

The congressman in question? Why that “Spotty” Lincoln,

himself!

The Mastering of Mexico• When the war with Mexico began, President Polk

hoped to fight a limited war, ending with the conquest of California.

• The recently dethroned Santa Anna told the U.S. that if he could be returned to Mexico, he would take over the government, end the war, and give California to the U.S. He proved untrustworthy.

• In the Southwest, U.S. operations led by Stephen W. Kearny (who led 1,700 troops from Leavenworth to Santa Fe) and John C. Fremont (leader of the Bear Flag Revolt in California) were successful.

Stephen Kearny (1794-1848)

Later on, Fremont (1813-1890) would become the first Republican to run in a presidential election.

• Zachary Taylor earned fame by repelling 20,000 Mexican troops at Buena Vista with only 5,000 men.

• General Winfield Scott would go on to lead American troops into Mexico City.

Gen. Winfield Scott “Old Fuss and Feathers) (1786-1866)

Scott’s Entry into Mexico City