1. Manifest Destiny and War
 Matt López
 With six slides from Susan Pojer

2. First coined by newspaper editor,
John O’Sullivan in 1845.
 ".... the right of our manifest destiny to over
spread and to possess the whole of the continent
which Providence has given us for the
development of the great experiment of liberty
and federaltive development of self-government
entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree
to the space of air and the earth suitable for the
full expansion of its principle and destiny of
growth."

3. Missouri Compromise
Missouri Compromise
 Tried to keep a balance
between the number of
slave and free states.
 Why?

4. JOHN GAST' - "AMERICAN PROGRESS," (1872)

5. Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842

6. Trails Westward

7. The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869

8. The Donner Party
Clip http://www.history.com/shows/america-the-story-of- April, 1846 – April, 1847
us/videos/playlists/exclusive-video#the-donner-party

9. The Bear Flag Republic
•1845 John C. Frémont US mapmaker
goes to CA, causes trouble, leaves for
Oregon
•1846 Group arrests Gov
Vallejo, proclaims the “Bear
Flag Republic”
•Later US takes over

10. U.S. Mexican War

11. The Republic of Texas
 Texas and Mexico
argued over the
border since 1836
 Mexico – “It’s the
Nueces River”
 Texas – “It’s the Rio
Grande”

12. 1845
 Texas decides to join the
slave
U.S. as a _______ state
 This angers abolitionists
and pleases supporters of
slavery

13.  President Polk sent John Slidell to settle the border
issue and try to purchase New Mexico for $5
million and California for any price ($15m)
 Mexico kicked him out

14. Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to move to the northern
shore of the Rio Grande with troops

15. Mexico sends its own troops and crosses the Rio
Grande. Battle soon begins.

16. Opposition to Mexican War
 Henry Clay and Daniel Webster criticized the
war as a cover for stealing land and
unnecessary and offensive aggression.

17. Opposition to Mexican War
 Representative Abraham Lincoln asked
Polk to prove that the disputed
territory actually belonged to the
United States.
 He also voted in favor of a resolution
that declared the war with Mexico
“was unnecessarily and
unconstitutionally commenced by the
President.”
http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/teachers/lesson6-background.html

18. Opposition to Mexican War
 Thoreau – CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE refused to
pay income taxes which might be used to
fund the war
 Abolitionists – afraid new territory would
become slave territory and upset the
balance of slave / free states

19. Wilmot Proviso, 1846
Provided, territory from that, as an
express and fundamental condition to
the acquisition of any the Republic of
Mexico by the United States, by virtue
of any treaty which may be negotiated
between them, and to the use by the
Executive of the moneys herein
appropriated, neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude shall ever exist
in any part of said territory, except for Congr. David
crime, whereof the party shall first be Wilmot
duly convicted. (D-PA)

21. End of the War
 1847 - Americans conquered Mexico City
“General Scott’s entrance into Mexico City”
http://www.dmwv.org/mexwar/images/prints/scott3.jpg

22. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – Mexican
Cession 1848
 Ends the War
 U.S. “Purchases”
New Mexico and
California for $15 m
 TX border Rio
Grande
 U.S. promises to
recognize land
rights of Mexican
now living in U.S.

23. Effects of War
 1 million new acres of land (including TX)
 US almost thirty percent larger
 Mexico loses 1/3 of land
 Slavery becomes an issue…
…again

24. Gadsden Purchase
 We bought land from Mexico for $10
million
 Southern portion of AZ & NM
 Set continental boundaries for US