History Lecture 11 7 2013 Go West Key Terms Manifest Destiny Henry David Thoreau Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Changes in America 1810 1840 expansion of transportation network Re emergence of a two party system o Democrats Whigs Increase in federal power Rise of Scientific Racism Second Great Awakening o Church membership increases Social Reforms Market Revolution a series of widespread economic changes factories industrial revolution o People who opposed him referred to him as King Andrew since he used to veto more and amassed more power than any president before him o Temperance and abolition movements and women s rights Further westward expansion Historical Context of the Texas Revolution The US renounced its claims in the Adams On s Treat of 1819 Mexico wins independence from Spain The independent Mexico continued the empresario program o To populate is to govern o A deal for colonists to provide tracts of land if they brought other settlers with them Anti Slavery Sentiments in Mexico In 1823 the Mexican government began limiting slavery Very gradual emancipation 1829 slavery is officially abolished As a result a great deal of anxiety was created among leaders in Texas o People moving in to Texas were coming from the south and brought slaves They feared Texas would become far less attractive Texas Revolution Mexico passes the Law of April 6 1830 o To maintain Mexican integrity o No more American immigration into Texas Santa Anna led a rebellion in Mexico in 1832 o Overthrows Mexican president o He amasses much control and dissolves many documents constitution et cetera Tensions between Texas and Mexico escalate Revolution begins in October 1835 Battle of the Alamo The siege lasted for 13 days February 23 March 6 1836 Individuals defending the Alamo were vastly outnumbered o Santa Anna s army was between 1500 4000 men o Around 180 men defended the Alamo Inflated stories of the Battle of the Alamo began to appear almost immediately throughout the country End of the Revolution Aftermath of the Revolution Remember the Alamo became a rallying cry for General Houston s troops Santa Anna s army was defeated in April 1836 and the Republic of Texas is born Texas constitution allowed slavery o Hell it was a driving force behind the revolution Rapid migration from the US South into Texas Conditions rapidly deteriorated for Tejanos Continued disputes with Mexico over the boundaries of the Republic of Texas Presidential Election of 1844 Dem candidate James K Polk Whig candidate Henry Clay Manifest Destiny First coined by newspaper editor John O Sullivan in 1845 It is God s desire that the US expands from ocean to ocean Peaceful uninterrupted westward movement Overland migration to the west Between 1840 and 1860 more than 250 000 people made the trek westward Oregon Territory War with Mexico 1846 1848 After the War of 1812 the US and Britain agreed to jointly occupy the Oregon territory Polk s campaign slogan 54o 40 or fight In 1846 Britain accepts the 49th parallel as the border Polk desired the disputed territory as well as California and New Mexico all territory to the Pacific o Half of Mexico Mexico refuses to negotiate war broke out o Southerners supported war for more slave land Who opposed the war Whig Party Abolitionists Pacifists Henry David Thoreau o Feared self government would not work over a large geographic area o Oppose the war because they feared the expansion of slavery o Opposed the militarization of the US Author and leading transcendentalist Becomes an abolitionist Also opposed the Mexican American war Due to his opposition to the war he refused to pay taxes He was jailed Well no shit o Though in jail he begins to write Gave lectures on his opposition which would later be published as Civil Disobedience Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 Treaty that ended the Mexican American War The US acquired half of Mexico Promised citizenship to all male residents Significant because many tens of thousands of Native Americans lived in this region as Mexican citizens Male Native Americans would retain citizenship o This went unenforced o Non whites in the region lost a tremendous amount of land Discovery of Gold In January of 1848 gold is discovered in California A sign from God that manifest destiny is true and a reward for the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo In December of 1848 Polk is forced to address the issue o He writes that it is indeed true and gold fever sweeps the nation 90 000 gold seekers rush to California in 1849 o At least a quarter came from abroad Devastating impact on Native Americans 1846 an estimated 100 000 Indians lived in modern day California Within 15 years the number was reduced to 31 000 o About 60 of those who died as a result of introduced diseases to the area o The remaining 40 because of encounters with white settlers o 1851 the California state government paid 1 million collectively for Native American Native American children were sold to white settlers as slaves or servants scalps Conclusion Contrary to the notion of manifest destiny the westward expansion of the US did not unfold naturally or peacefully