Chapter 13

Immigration, Expansion, and Sectional Conflict 1840-1848

Newcomers and NativesImmigration Statistics

1840-1860 = 4.2 million1845-1854 = 3 millionLargest influx in US

history (pop. proportion)Mainly Irish, German

¾ Irish or German

Reasons for ExpectationsReligious freedom

Mormons, QuakersEconomic opportunity

American “Utopia”

RealityEmbarkation

Process difficultExpensiveswindlers

Farming problemsLacked capitalDifferent that

European FarmingReality

Lived in citiesWorked in factories

PatternsIrish

Boarded at Liverpool“Coffin” ships

No $ for farmingPhysically weak

Clustered in NE, NY, PA, NJ2 surges

1815s – War of 18121845-1850s – Potato Famine

Bottom of workforceMainly factoriesDomestic servants

ConflictFree blacksWhites

NorwegiansWisconsinfarmers

GermansCotton trade in New

OrleansSettled Upper Miss., Ohio

River ValleyDidn’t support slaveryWide range of social

classes/occupationsSkilled tradesmenEasily found jobs25% farmers

CultureCommon languageGerman unityLots of voluntary

associationsDiversity promoted

solidarityEconomically self-sufficient

ResentmentEconomic successclannishness

Unrest in America

Anti-CatholicismIrish immigration

revived anti-catholic sentiments

NativismSocieties

American RepublicansUnited Order of AmericansOrder of Star Spangled

Banner (know-nothings)Fed on fear and

discontentScared of “popery”Threats to protestant jobsIrish were hard-drinking

and half-civilized

Labor ProtestGeorge Henry Evans

National Reform Association

“Vote yourself a farm”neo-JeffersonianAnswer to “wage-

slavery”Appealed only to artisans

Labor UnionsIrish supported them

Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)Mass. Supreme courtsTrade unions not illegal

TensionsEthnic and religious

issues

Immigrant Politics

Immigrants starting to become politically active

Supported DemocratsFeared for jobsMore sympathetic to

working classValues of Whigs

threatened immigrantsImportance of National

issues

The West and BeyondThe Far West

Adams-Onis Treaty 1819Oregon still vague

Western TradeTrading centers on west

coast1790s-1820s – exchange of

goods1820s- Hudson Bay CompanyBeaver Trade- Colorado, Utah

Santa Fe TrailTrade with Mexico from St.

LouisPanic of 1837- needed silver

Growing tensionsLand/religion

American Settlement of Texas to 18351820- US settlements in

Eastern TexasWelcoming

Mexico encouraged settlement

Protection against IndiansMission had failedEmpresarios- Stephen

AustinReversal

Closed Texas and forbid slavery

More white farmers than Mexicans

ConcernsSanta Anna

Remember the AlamoTexas Revolution

1836Stephen AustinSanta Anna invades 18351836- San Antonio

The Alamo187 die

Sam Houston“Remember the Alamo”Lone Star Republic established

1836

American Settlement in Cali, New Mexico, and OregonIncreased immigrationAmerican culture, not

native

MormonsMovement westwardPersecutionDeath of Joseph Smith in MissouriBrigham Young leads Mormons to desert

Little persecutionNot really inhabitedBy 1846: 12,000 in UtahDeveloped irrigation systemAnnexed to US: 1850Mormon War:1857

Politics of Expansion

Should US annex Texas?

1840-42: main issue still economy

Whig AscendencyWilliam Henry Harrison

1840Controlled House and

SenateHenry Clay’s American

SystemRepealed Independent

TreasuryProtective tariffs

Tyler dashes hopes of WhigsDisaster for WhigsVetoed:

National bank- 1841Banking billPostponing of tariff

reduction

Expansion

Maine1842Daniel WebsterWebster-Ashburton

Treaty

TexasIssue of Slavery1843

Propaganda campaign for annexation of Texas

1844President Tyler, John C.

Calhoun send treaty to congress for

annexationo Defeated in Senateo 1845 Congress

approves joint resolution to admit Texas as a state

Election of 1844Nominees

DemocratsMartin Van Buren

Opposed slaveryWhigs

Henry ClayProslavery, proannexation

The “Dark Horse”James K. Polk, Tennessee“fifty-four forty or fight!”Appealed to westerners

and southernersResults

Polk wins electoralVERY close popular voteQuickly confirms

expansionism with inaugural address

Manifest DestinyJohn O’ Sullivan

Invoked God, divine missionSuperiority of white cultureCalled on Americans to resist

foreign powers limiting out destiny

Pushed by:NationalismPopulation increaseRapid economic developmentTechnological advancesReform ideals

SolutionsTo agricultural issuesPreserve identity, valuesAnti-factoriesJefferson’s worries void

Polk and OregonUS claimed based on:

Discovery of Columbia River

Lewis and Clark expeditionFur trade established by

AstorOregon Fever

ThreatsBritish

Claim- Sir Francis Drake 1579

“All or nothing”49th parallel

NegotiationsCome discontent

Ratification1846, SenatePushed by war in Mexico

Oregon TrailOverland Trails

-4 month journey -Difficult travel-Donner party, 1846 -Increased cooperation-1841 wagon trains begin -1843 over 1,000

Mexican- American War

OriginsFailure of Mexico to pay

$2 million in debtAnimosityMexican fears of US

domination1845

Senate ratifies AnnexationPolk’s actions

Supports Texans claims to Rio Grande River

Moved Troops to Corpus Christi, under Zachary Taylor

Wants California

WarNegotiations

John SlidellGovernment too weakSanta Anna troops attack

Polk declares warOpposition

John C. Calhoun, WhigsWar of 1812, “patriots”

ExpectationsMexico would winArmy 4X larger than US

armyUS didn’t expect

Mexicans to fight

Mexican-American War

LeadersZachary “old rough and

ready” TaylorBuena Vista victory, 1847

Col. Stephen KearnyNew Mexico, California

Gen. Winfield ScottTook over for TaylorVera Cruz, Mexico City

victories, 1847John D. Sloat

New Mexico, CaliforniaJohn C. Fremont

California rebellionBear-flag Republic, 1846

SuccessMexico City 1847

Led by ScottHeroes:

Robert E. LeeUlysses S. Grant

AdvantagesSanta Anna’s mistakesSuperior artillery,

military organizationTreaty of Guadalupe-

Hidalgo1848Mexico paid $15 millionRatified 1848, senate

Opposition: Whigs, Democrats

Problems on the horizon

Sectional conflictPolk restored Independent

TreasuryJacksonian policies

Tariff of 1846Slashes dutiesVetoes Rivers and Harbors Bill

1846Slavery debate

Wilmot Proviso1847No slavery in new

territoriesDefeated in senate

(passed house 2X)

Proviso’s ProblemsBrings up discussion

of slavery againFree-Labor party

emergesCalhoun questions

constitutionality of prohibiting slavery in new territories

Northerners defend by quoting Land Ordinance of 1787 and Missouri Compromise

Manifest Destiny to the SouthOstend Manifesto

Polk offered to buy Cuba from Spain for $100 million dollars

Spain refused1852- secret treaty to buy

SpainToo much anger in US,

Northerners think “pro-slavery”

Walker ExpeditionWilliam Walker led group into

Baja California in 1853unsuccessful

Tried to take Nicaragua 1855Recognized by US

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty 1850Ambition to build canal in

Central AmericaTreaty b/w Great Britain

and U.S. Neither nation would take

exclusive control of canal and route in Central America

Gadsden Purchase1853Southwest

Arizona, New Mexico borderLand for railroad$10 million dollars

Election of 1848Problems for the Whigs:

Polk’s Policies successfulIndependent treasuryLow tarrifs

Problem’s for DemocratsWilmot Proviso

NomineesDemocrats

Lewis Cass“Squatter Sovereignty”

WhigsZachary TaylorWar hero with no platformSouthern slaveholder

Major IssueSlavery

Barnburners- NY“Conscience” Whigs

Free Soil PartyFree trade, free labor,

free speech, free menNominate Martin Van

BurenOutcome

Taylor victoriousFree Soil party has

strong grass-roots showingSends message to

Democrats and Whigs

Gold Rush1848

John Marshall discovers Gold in Sierra Nevada mts.

9 days before Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Technological DevelopmentsHydraulic mining operations

ConsequencesPopulation of California

1848: 15,0001852: 250,000

Culture clashDiverse mix of cultures, peopleChinese discrimination

SlaveryShould California allow it?

ViolenceCommittees of vigilanceCrowding, disease, fire,

rowdiness

Gold Rush 1849