Manifest Destiny

Unit Four

Economic Growth and Westward Expansion

The Industrial Revolution

In the late 18th and early 19th century, the western world experienced the Industrial Revolution.

This is a time when advances in technology led to massive economic changes.

Factories relied on mechanization to transform manufacturing and to replace manual labor.

It began in Great Britain and spread throughout the world.

Eli Whitney

1793, He invented the cotton gin, which allowed people to process harvested cotton much faster and made the South a “cotton kingdom”

Cotton was the south’s most profitable crop and the basis of the South’s economy during the 1800s

Eli Whitney

While the cotton gin transformed the south, the north’s economy was transformed by his idea of interchangeable parts.

Each musket (gun) was broken down into parts and each part was produced with precision so that any part could fit any musket.

This idea spread to other industries and became a key principle behind industrial development.

Impact of Technology

Samuel Slater introduced the idea of using machine manufacturing to produce more goods in less time.

Robert Fulton developed the steam boat to transport goods

Samuel Morse invented the telegraph John Deere developed the steel plow Cyrus McCormick developed the

mechancial reaper

Impact of Technology

The Industrial revolution had an unforeseen circumstance: sectionalism

Sectionalism is the economic, social, cultural, and political differences that exist between different regions of a country.

These differences caused by new technology created bitter differences.

Industrial Revolution helped to set the nation on a course that led to westward expansion and the Civil War.

Manifest Destiny

As the United States approached the middle of the 19th century, many leaders and citizens believed it was God’s sovereign will for the U.S. to expand and possess territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

They considered it the nation’s sacred duty to conquer the West and labeled the ideology Manifest Destiny

Texas: Independence and Annexation

1821, Mexico achieved independence from Spain and control over Texas.

1834, General Antonio Santa Anna assumed power and tightened control over Texas where a large number of Americans were now living.

Texans under the leadership of Sam Houston launched a rebellion.

Texans took their stand against Santa Anna at the Alamo- an old mission

The Texans perished or were executed, including Davey Crockett of Tennessee.

Texas: Independence and Annexation

Texans defeat Santa Anna in other battles and take him hostage,

He recognized Texas when he is released in exchange for his freedom.

Texas asked to be annexed as part of the United States.

Texas remained independent until 1845 because the Northern states were opposed to annexation.

Annexation of Texas

This was a critical issue in the election of 1844; James K. Polk and the democratic party wanted to annex Texas and the Oregon Territory.

Polk defeats Henry Clay for the presidency and his predecessor, John Tyler urges Congress to pass a resolution admitting Texas to the Union as a slave state in 1845

Oregon

Polk turned his attention to acquiring Oregon; 1827, the U.S. and Great Britain reaffirmed their agreement to occupy the territory jointly.

The U.S. and Britain agreed upon splitting the territory along the 49th parallel as the official boundary.

1846, Oregon became a U.S. territory.

War with Mexico

Mexico was angry over the annexation of Texas.

Pres. Polk sent troops to the area between the Neuces and Rio Grande Rivers – an area of dispute

John Slidell was sent to Mexico to negotiate a settlement about the border and to purchase the area between Texas and California.

Mexico refused to meet with him, so Polk order troops into the disputed area

War with Mexico

Mexico responded by sending its troops; Polk asked for a declaration of war in 1846.

A series of U.S victories led to General Winfield Scott marching into Mexico City.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 finally ended the war

It required Mexico to surrender the New Mexico and California territories to the U.S. for financial compensation

Gadsden Purchase

1855,boundary disputes still remained with Mexico; Pres. Pierce sent James Gadsden to settle the problem and to purchase land for a southern transcontinental railroad.

The Gadsden Purchase gave the U.S. present –day New Mexico and Arizona in exchange for $10 million.

This acquisition completed the continental expansion called for in the Manifest Destiny

California

In 1848, settlers discovered gold north of Sacramento, California.

Gold seekers from all over the world took part in the Gold Rush of 1849

These people were known as “49ers” and they rapidly increased California’s population.

California bypassed the territory phase and applied for statehood

The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as a free state.

Jacksonian Democracy

One great supporter of Manifest Destiny was Andrew Jackson; a hero of the War of 1812 and for forcing concessions from Spain over Florida.

He was a ‘common man’; not born into the rich, upper class

He was popular with western settlers and common folk.

1824 He ran for president and won.

A Corrupt Bargain

Presidential election of 1824 was evidence of the sectional differences in the U.S.

New England backed John Quincy Adams; South backed William Crawford of Georgia; Western candidates were Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson

Election came down to Adams and Jackson and was so close that the House of Representatives had to decided the election.

Clay backed Adams, so Adams became Pres. When Adams made Clay his secretary of State, Jackson

denounced it as a “corrupt bargain” made to give Adams the presidency

Four Years later, Jackson defeats Adams to become the President

Universal (white male) Suffrage

Jackson’s brand of politics and the changes he inspired came to be called Jacksonian Democracy.

He believed in western expansion and the rights of white, frontier settlers.

He believed that the government passed too many laws that favored the wealthy over small landowners.

Jackson favored universal suffrage – all white men should be allowed to vote not just white property owners.

Spoils System

The Spoils System was a policy of rewarding political supporters with government positions.

Jackson believed that this was a great way to encourage common people to become politically active and ensure that the wealthy would not dominate the government.

Ultimately led to corruption and a call for reform in later administrations.

Laissez-Faire Economics

The believe that the government should not regulate business or pass policies to help US businessmen

Jackson believed that these measures tended to favor the wealthy easterners while hurting southern farmers and western frontiersman.

Strict Interpretation

Jackson pushed the bounds of presidential authority and was even accused by some as acting like a King.

Jackson believed that the government should be restricted to only those powers the Constitution specifically gave it.

As a result, he closed the Second National Bank during his second term in office – which contributed to a economic depression in 1837

Indian Removal

Jackson viewed the Native Americans as an obstacle to be removed to fulfill Manifest Destiny.

He supported Indian Removal: forcing Native Americans off lands it wanted for white settlement.

Jackson supported Georgia in its efforts to remove the Cherokee in north Georgia in 1838

This led to the Trail of Tears as they were marched west to Oklahoma – many died along the way.

Social Reforms

A number of social reform movements began in the 1800s.

These movements aimed to transform society in beneficial ways and were inspired by the Second Great Awakening.

Preachers called for people to impact society through good works; as a result religion motivated people to become social reformers.

Education Reform

Horace Mann - Influential American educator who advocated education reform.

He wanted men and women to have access to public education and he believed that education was the key to the success of a democracy.

Temperance Movement

Members of this movement wanted to moderate the use of alcohol.

Later, they advocated total abstinence from alcohol and succeed in prohibiting the sale of alcohol in some states (eventually nationwide too)

Much of its success to the efforts of women and church leaders.

The Abolitionist Movement

In the 1830s, the abolitionist movement gained momentum despite being seen as a movement of fanatics.

Slavery was a hot topic in the nation and northerners wanted the practice stopped.

Most abolitionist were middle class, well educated, and church people.

Women’s Rights Movement

Women in the temperance and abolitionist movement faced discrimination from the men with whom they served.

This led to the birth of the Women’s Rights Movement led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

She organized the Seneca Falls Convention which marked the beginning of the movement –demanding the right to vote

Susan B. Anthony was also a key figure in the Women’s Rights , as well as, the temperance and abolitionist movements.