The Impending

CrisisChapter 13

Westward Expansion complicated the issue of slavery

Missouri Compromise Line drawn across

the Louisiana Purchase. North of the line was ant-slavery, South of the line had slavery

The compromise failed to answer the questions of the West

Missouri Compromise

Many factors contributed to American’s desire to

move West1. New, fertile lands2. Economic opportunities—gold, minerals, agriculture,

ranching3. Manifest Destiny—nationalism4. Racial Justification—”American Race” was superior to

Indians

Henry Clay and others felt that western expansion would divide the country on the issue of slavery—the Civil War was NO surprise!

Drive to go West

Mexico controlled Texas until 1830’s US tried to buy Texas Mexico encouraged Americans to

immigrate to Texas 1826 Texas tries to secede from

Mexico forming their own country called Fredonia

Mexico bans American immigration but by 1835, 30,000 American’s live in Texas

Americans in Texas

The Fredonian Flag

Americans in Texas wanted to legalize slavery

(Mexico had outlawed slavery years earlier) 1830 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

takes control of the Mexican government and begins to push Americans out of Texas

Battle of the Alamo—Santa Anna uses force to push Americans out.

Sam Houston, at the battle of San Jacinto defeated Mexican Army and captures Santa Anna

Mexico sings treaty granted Texas independence

Texans want to be ANNEXED by the US but Northerners don’t want another slave state and many feared Texas would split the Union

Texas is its own country for a while

Tensions Between US and Mexico

Territory includes Oregon, Washington,

Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming US and Britain fight over sovereignty of

the territory Protestant Evangelists move to the

territory to spread Christianity to the Native Americans and fight French Catholic expansion into the territory from Canada

Thousands of white settlers head out on the Oregon Trail

They bring with them measles which devastates the Indian population

Oregon

The Oregon Trail

Democratic Party selects James K. Polk as their

nominee for president because he supports the annexation of Texas

Polk wins the election due to his support of allow Texas (slave) and the Oregon Territory (Free) into the Union

President Tyler, before leaving office believes Polk’s election a mandate from the people and pushes through Congress a bill making Texas a state in 1845

The boundary of America and Canada is set at the 49th parallel in a treaty with Britain.

Expansion and War

When Texas was admitted into the Union Mexico

broke diplomatic ties with the US Texas and Mexico argued over their borders. Polk sends a small army commanded by Zachery

Taylor to Texas to defend its border from Mexico Control of Texas meant control of the area that would

be one day New Mexico and California Lots of public interest in these lands, so Polk did

everything in his power to take them from Mexico Polk sent order to Naval commanders in the region to

seize California ports if they declared war

The Southwest and California

Diplomatic talks broke down and Polk ordered American troops to

move towards the disputed lands May 13, 1846 the US declares war on Mexico Many Whigs argued that Polk had deliberately orchestrated war to

gain lands in the region War was fought in Texas, Mexico, and parts of California Polk feared that Taylor was too hesitant to carry out his plan to take

Mexico city and could become a powerful political opponent, so he ordered General Winfield Scott to march towards Mexico City

Scott was so successful that the Mexican government was overthrown before he could get to the City and negotiations began.

On February 1, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed giving the US control of California and New Mexico and set the Rio Grande River as the boundary between Mexico and Texas

The Mexican War

The Wilmot Proviso—a bill argued in

Congress in years that forbade slavery in any territories gained from Mexico. Congress could not agree on the

slavery issue Democrats and Whigs try to avoid the

slavery issue in the election of 1848 Polk bows out of the race due to poor

health, the Democrats nominate Lewis Cass of Michigan, but Zachary Taylor (Whig) of Louisiana wins the White House.

Abolitionists, unsatisfied with either choice, form the Free Soil Party—and anti-slavery party that includes both Democrats and Whigs

Slavery and the Territories