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
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