The War with Mexico 04 09 2014 John Tyler had been expelled from the Whig party Tyler wanted to bring Texas into the Union Tyler agreed to back out upon annexation Hickory James Polk prodigy of Jackson Known as Young Hickory to Jackson s Old Southern Democrats were OK with boundary in Louisiana Territory because possibility of more free states Different story on southwest territory Polk offers Mexican government between 40 45 million dollars 1 billion in today s money for Mexico Such a popular negative reaction by Mexican population that Mexican government backs out Poe realizes that a little intimidation could go a long way United States saw southern border of Mexico as the Rio Grande o Mexico saw it as the Oasis Troops from both sides enter into territory of Texas Polk asks Congress for a declaration of war against Mexico which he gets Whigs tried to mitigate this declaration by proposing an amendment Amendment stated that it would not be a war for territory Just to propel evasion Manifest Destiny Coined by John Sullivan Notion that God wanted the United States from sea to shining sea Anyone who got in their way were not using the land in the right way needed to be moved out of the way With the Industrial and Transportation Revolution space and time became more consolidated Easier access to everything These factors drove the United States to expansion steam boats rail roads Northern Whigs did not support this bill But voted yes for money to troops in fear that if they seemed unsupportive they would be wiped out like the Federalists War is successful War was very divisive Longer than expected Polk was having difficulty finding a Mexican government that would surrender to him o This is because Mexico was undergoing fighting within Sends delegation to negotiate treaty with Mexican government Mexican troops outnumbered US soldiers in all battles o However they were fighting amongst each other and Americans had better equipment 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 40 of Mexican territory above Rio Grande river would be America s Acknowledged annexation of Texas California United States agreed to pay 18 million for that territory o Cost the Unites States 100 million to fund the war however Lost 12 000 American about 24 000 Mexicans Could have taken all of Mexico but decided not to because Mexico was anti slavery Southern Democrats did not wan tot had millions of anti slavery Mexicans to the United States Roman Catholic abolitionists Not what Polk and Southern Democrats wanted Polk shocked people when he announced he would be a one term president Political suicide Got away with this because no one believed him While President he made it clear that if he caught anyone campaigning for presidency while he was still president he would Polk is the first sitting president to have his photo taken punish them The Aftermath The Aftermath If you pay for something and someone takes the money it ll be really hard for him or her to ask get it backs Wilmot Proviso Tried to attach to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Defeated in the Senate Martin van Buren is against slavery Nominated by Free Soil party Anti slavery party 1833 Gag rule Right of Americans to petition congress Abolitionist had been sending petitions 1830s to congress to take up legislation that would abolish slavery in the district of Columbia Banned the reading of any of these petitions Zachary Taylor Louisiana planter Mexican War hero slaveholder career soldier o Hundreds of slaves on many plantations Nominated by Whig party Taylor is popular nationally Becomes president o Did not want to bring bank back o He was a nationalist California crisis o Has a population to become a state o Taylor encouraged California to apply for state process and skip territory o Would come in as a free state House passed But Senate did not want them to come in as a free state o Henry clay becomes up with the Grand Compromise Calls for the organization of new Mexico and Utah as territories Popular sovereignty they could decide if they wanted slavery or not Offers to strengthen the fugitive slave law Between 1810 and 1860 around 30 000 slaves escaped through the Underground Railroad Clay says they would force northerners to obey the law instead of helping slaves Heavy fines for violating fugitive slave law Abolish slave trade not actual slavery just the trade in o Clay cannot get the compromise past senate and he thinks its Washington D C because of Taylor People in the south begin talking about succession peacefully separate if they cant get their way July 4 1850 Taylor attends party and comes down with bad bellyache 5 days later Taylor dies Fillmore becomes president People were suspicious of Taylor s death Suggested he had been poisoned in favor of the compromise 1991 historian convinced Taylor s family to unbury him to determine this He was not poisoned 04 09 2014 04 09 2014