1. MANIFEST DESTINY
Chapter 14

2. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON
9th President
First President to die in office
John Tyler: Vice President
Virginia planter and slave-owner
Jeffersonian Democrat
strict construction
opposed economic nationalism
broke with Jackson over nullification
added to Whig ticket to obtain votes in South with no expectation of
political power

3. JOHN TYLER
Following death of Harrison a Constitutional crisis over
succession
Tyler immediately moved into White House
Took oath of office
assumed Presidential powers
Tyler opposed Whig platform
most of Harrison’s cabinet resigned
Dubbed “His Accidency”
Kicked out of Whig Party

4. JAMES K. POLK
President from 1844-1849
Threatened war with Britain over territory in
Canada
Mexican War
Secured passage of Walker tariff (low rate
pleased South)
Polk’s treasury system lasted till 1913

5. NATIONALISM
 NATIONALISM AND WESTWARD EXPANSION: DOMINANT ISSUES IN THE
1840’S.
 Boundaries with Canada: finally settled
 Mexican War and Westward Expansion
 California
 Originally settled by Spanish in 1769 to thwart invasion threat by Russians who
established trading post off the coast of Oregon
 Catholic Missionaries and Missions
 Franciscans
 Mission building served as Church, fortress and barracks for Spanish soldiers
 Native Americans forced labor
 http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/View/772399/Clip/56
830

6. WESTWARD MIGRATION
 God ordained the West to be a part of the United States
 Portrayed as an empty land even though populated by Native
Americans and Latinos
 Oregon fever
 Promise of cheap, empty, fertile land
 Overland trails
 Physical hardships
http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/View/772399/Clip/
12398

8. WESTWARD MIGRATION
 Texas Republic
 http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/View/772399/Clip/56828
 1821 Mexico gains independence from Spain
 Southern Migration to Texas
 Grow cotton and rice in Texas
 Took slaves with them
 Avoid Bankruptcy
 Mexican government
 Opposed slavery
 Forbade further migration in 1836
 American immigrants
 Declared Texas Independence in 1836
 http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/View/772399/Clip/56829

9. WESTWARD MIGRATION
 Remember the Alamo
 Texas Independence became a popular cause after the Alamo
 Battle of San Jacinto: Mexican government recognized Texas
Independence
 Texans clamored for annexation
 Northern Abolitionists opposed adding another slave state to union
 Texas was independent for almost a decade

10. WESTWARD MIGRATION
 Mexican War
 Joint resolution of Congress in 1845 annexed Texas to United States
 James K. Polk sought to acquire California, New Mexico and Texas
through negotiations
 Stand off along Rio Grande
 American Army insulted Mexican soldiers
 Mexican Army crossed Rio Grande and U.S declared war

11. WESTWARD MIGRATION
 Results of Mexican War
 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
 Mexico ceded California, New Mexico to U.S. and gave up claims to all
land North of Rio Grande
 Vast new territory incited fierce debate over slavery in the new territories
 Legacy of Westward Expansion
 http://ahiv.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/View/772399/Cli
p/56832