1

Manifest Destiny• The term "manifest destiny" was first used by

journalist John O'Sullivan in the New York Democratic Review in 1845. O'Sullivan wrote in favor of the U.S. annexing Texas.

• Opponents to annexation, he argued, were trying to stop "the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions"

2

“American Progress” John Gast, 1873

Transportation: Canals• The Erie Canal:

• Hudson River to Buffalo, NY

• Connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean

• LocksThe Erie Canal

Transportation: Railroads• Made canals less important• Major wave of construction

from 1830s through 1860s• Transcontinental railroad

completed in 1869• Government support was

important for success of the canals and railroads

An early railroad engine from the 1830s

The Telegraph “WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT” Morse sends first telegraph on May 24,

1844 from Washington D.C. to Baltimore Morse's early system produced a paper

copy with raised dots and dashes, which were translated later by an operator

23,000 miles of telegraph wire by 1854 (p: 277)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8f9A4xIlWk

Agricultural Revolution Midwest farming production growth

Cyrus McCormick and the horse drawn grain reaper

John Deere and the steel plow; farmers now had a surplus of goods to sell

Connection to Eastern markets Canals, turnpikes, rail As agricultural output grows,

manufacturing grows, infrastructure expands and the population increases

Cumberland Road Linked Cumberland, MD to Vandalia,

Ill Under construction from 1811-1837

The Market Revolution: 1793 Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin 1797 Whitney invents interchangeable parts for

firearms 1807 Robert Fulton invents the steamboat 1823 Lowell Mills opens in Massachusetts 1825 Erie Canal is completed 1828 First U.S. railroad appears 1834 Cyrus McCormick invents the mechanical

mower-reaper 1835* Samuel F. B. Morse invents the telegraph 1837 Cumberland road (National Road) is

completed 1838 John Deere invents the steel plow

Effect of the Market Revolution Political consequences: reinforced

east-west ties at the expense of north-south relationships

The canal systems (ex: Erie) and railroads encouraged Midwesterners to do business with the northeast as opposed to the south

Exacerbates sectional tensions building to the Civil War; the sectional gap grows

Mexico Gained independence from Spain in 1821 Encouraged Americans to settle the

under-populated territory of Texas Low Tejano population

Tejano (Mexican and Spanish ancestry)

Native American threat: Comanche and Apache

Land offered at 10 cents/acre ($1.25 in U.S.)

Watch the first 6:30 minutes of the crash course on YouTube.

Mexico - 1821

Americans Welcome Moses Austin and other empresarios

organized the settlement 1822-1830 “G.T.T.” – Gone to Texas

Moses’ son, Stephen Austin helped lead roughly 300 families to Texas Land grants

Mexican government’s guidelines: 1) Adopt Roman Catholicism 2) Obey Mexican law (no slaves)

Americans Unwelcome Mexico begins to feel threatened by the

surge of American settlement in Texas and their blatant refusal to follow the guidelines

In 1830 new laws are instituted: 1) No more Americans can immigrate

to Mexico 2) Re-emphasize constitutional ban on

slavery 3) Stephen Austin is arrested and

jailed*

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

Santa Anna becomes president Assumes dictatorial powers Americans in Texas rebel Texas Revolution begins (1833)

The Alamo Geography

San Antonio, TX Battle

First the Texans take control of the mission, then Santa Anna’s 4,000 man army marches into Texas

Key Figures Santa Anna Davey Crocket James Bowie Colonel William B. Travis

Outcome All 187 Texans are killed (women & children spared) “Remember the Alamo” will serve as the Texas

battle cry

Texas Revolution

General Sam Houston will lead Texas to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto

Santa Anna is captured and forced to sign the Treaty of Velasco, formally recognizing Texas’ independence from Mexico

Sept. 1836 – Sam Houston became the first, last and only President of Texas – The Lone Star Republic

Texas Annexation 1838 – Houston requests annexation

Presidents Van Buren, Harrison and Tyler were reluctant to incite a sectional conflict over slavery

President Polk campaigns as an expansionist and welcomes Texas as the 28th state in 1845

Mexico responds to annexation by recalling its ambassador from Washington D.C.

THE MEXICAN - AMERICAN WAR

•Origins•War•Mexican Cession•California

Causes John Slidell is dispatched to

Mexico to peacefully acquire CA and NMHe is denied access to Mexican

officials Disputed Zone: Rio Grande v.

Nueces River Polk dispatches U.S. troops led by

General Zachary Taylor to the Disputed Zone

Polk: “American blood has been shed on American soil”

Kearney’s March (1846)800 miles, KA-NMTakes New Mexico without a shot

Mexico defeated at Veracruz (3/1847)Amphibious landing

General Scott marches to Mexico City (9/1847)

Wilmot ProvisoPA Congressman proposes banning

slavery in territories acquired from Mexico

Passes the House but Calhoun kills it in the Senate “Property rights”

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) Settled the boundary between Mexico

and Texas at the Rio Grande Gave the U.S. territory known as Mexican

Cession in exchange for $15 million Modern day: CA, NV, NM, UT, AZ*, CO*, WY*

U.S. guarantees it will respect the property rights of Mexican inhabitants (it won’t)

The Gadsden Purchase (1853) $10 million South of the Gila River (AZ, NM) Transcontinental railroad

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) Settled the boundary between Mexico

and Texas at the Rio Grande Gave the U.S. territory known as Mexican

Cession in exchange for $15 million Modern day: CA, NV, NM, UT, AZ*, CO*, WY*

U.S. guarantees it will respect the property rights of Mexican inhabitants (it won’t)

The Gadsden Purchase (1853) $10 million South of the Gila River (AZ, NM) Transcontinental railroad

California