The United States Expands West1820s – 1860s

President Martin van Buren - #8 Democrat (VP for Jackson’s 2nd term)

In office 1837-1841

Promised to continue many of Jackson’s policies

Firmly opposed the American System(same as Jackson) and the rising popularity of the Whig Party

Supported a multi-party political system in the US by claiming that political parties were necessary to check governmental abuse of power

Shortly after he took office the Depression of 1837 set in:

Started by Jackson’s order to pay for federal lands with only silver and gold thereby causing state banks to collapse

Widespread monetary and job losses in the US

The Texas Revolution – 1835-1836 Weary of political in-fighting many Americans

began to move West and took up residence in Texas (controlled my Mexico)

With a growing American population many new Texans began to push for independence

Former US senator Sam Houston organizes a volunteer army of Texans to fight for independence from Mexico

Many Texans join the cause – William Travis, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett

Mexican Army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

Battle of the Alamo

At the height of the Texas Revolution, Santa Anna’s army dealt the Texans a crushing defeat

Battle of San Jacinto

Texan forces finally defeated Santa Anna’s army

The Republic of Texas becomes its own country

Houston Santa Anna

Travis Bowie Crockett

President William H. Harrison - #9 Nicknamed “Old Tippecanoe” for his actions at

the battle that defeated the Shawnee in 1811

Campaign slogan – “Tippecanoe and Tyler too”

First candidate of the Whig Party

Party formed specifically to oppose Andrew Jackson’s growth of governmental power

Elected 1841

Shortest serving president and first president to die in office (served for 1 month)

Gave his inauguration speech (the longest in presidential history) on a very cold day in March and refused to wear a coat. In turn he caught pneumonia

Succeeded by Vice-President John Tyler

Looked to open trade and political relations with the new Republic of Texas

MANIFEST DESTINY

The idea that God has willed the United States to span the continent of North America from coast to coast(“from sea to shining sea”)

Legitimatized American expansion to the West

The Road to the Missouri Compromise

Northwest Ordinance

Northwest territories - land acquired from the British after their defeat in the Revolutionary War.

Strictly forbade slavery in these new territories

Louisiana Purchase

Doubled the size of the US

Question remained how would this new land be divided up politically?

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 To keep the balance of

power (representation) between slave states and free states in Congress, the Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820.

Missouri entered as slave state.

Maine entered as free state.

Slavery was outlawed in Louisiana Territorynorth of the 36/30 line of latitude.

President James K. Polk - #11

Democrat, 1845-1849

Promised to continue Jacksonian Democracy

4 Presidential goals:

Reestablish independent treasury system

Lower the national tariff

Settle dispute with Britain over Oregon territory

Acquire California

Led the push for manifest destiny and the annexation of Texas

Texas officially annexed in 1845

Mexican American War,1846-1848

Polk wanted to expand the United States to the Pacific Ocean.

Planned to buy California from Mexico but Mexico would not sell.

Mexico upset over border dispute with United States Mexico claimed the boarder was at the Nueces

River

US claimed the boarder was at the Rio Grande

Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to the disputed area to enforce the US border.

Thornton Affair

US Army Captain Seth Thronton’s patrol was ambushed by a group of Mexican soldiers under Anatasio Torrejon

This incident caused the US to declare war on Mexico

Taylor Santa Anna

Mexican American War• After war was declared, Polk orders a 3

prong attack on Mexican territory

• Zachary Taylor will invade from the north

• Winfield Scott will attack from the east

• Stephen Kearny will push into California

• General Santa Anna was recalled back into service to command the Mexican Army

• US and Mexican forces engage in several pitched battles leading toward Mexico City

• Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterrey, Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Chapultapec

• Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican American War in 1848 (US victory)

• US gained California and much of the Southwest and Rocky Mountains

Taylor Scott Kearny

The War’s Aftermath: The Wilmot Proviso Wilmot Proviso - Introduced an

amendment to the Treaty of Guadelupe-Hidalgo to forbid slavery in newly acquired territory David Wilmot, Representative from Pennsylvania

The amendment did not pass the Senate & never became law

In some sense, the Mexican War became the opening shots of the Civil War Issues left unanswered by the Mexican War would fuel

the beginnings of the American Civil War

Many of the military officers during the Mexican War became key figures in the American Civil War

Robert E. Lee Thomas Jackson Jefferson Davis Ulysses S. Grant William T. Sherman

Gold Discovered in California 1849 - Discovery of

gold in California Gold discovered at

Sutter’s Mill Gold Rush

Many Americans flock to California to get rich (“Forty Niners”)

California residents petitioned Congress to grant statehood as a free state in 1849 California’s proposed

constitution forbade slavery

Compromise of 1850

Free states were beginning to outnumber slave states (representation in Congress was thrown off balance).

Many Southerners started to see their representation being taken away (the question was what would be next)

In order to appease the two sides, Henry Clay proposed the Compromise of 1850.

A. California would be admitted as free

B. Utah and New Mexico Territories open to popular vote on slavery

C. Slave trade abolished in D.C.

D. Enforcement of Fugitive Slave Law

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Proposed in 1854 by Senator Stephen Douglas

Said that Nebraska and Kansas would enter the Union under the principles of popular sovereignty

Popular sovereignty

States decide for themselves, BY VOTE, whether they wanted to be free or they wanted to hold slaves.

Act nullified the Missouri Compromiseby allowing slavery in the “forever free” territories of the LA Purchase

The States’ Rights issue was revitalized

“Bleeding Kansas”

1854 - Settlers from Northern states and Southern states flocked to Kansas; each side wanting to outnumber the other

Violence erupted over the issue of popular sovereignty

Popular sovereignty was not working.

John Brown Famous abolitionist who got his start in

Bleeding Kansas

Fiery abolitionist supporter

Led anti-slavery forces in the wars in Bleeding Kansas

Battle of Black Jack

Brown led a surprise attack on a pro-slavery camp in Kansas and killed or captured all their forces (Brown began to be noted for his brutality)

Battle of Osawatomie

Brown’s men failed to defend the town of Osawatomie against a raid by pro-slavery forces

The aftermath of this battle caused Brown’s fury to grow even more against slavery and would ultimately lead to his plans to begin a slave uprising in the US

Pottawatomie Massacre

1856 – Brown led his men into a large pro-slavery area of Kansas and captured and killed several people execution style

Brown continued to attack numerous pro-slavery held areas in Kansas in a reign of terror that included the execution of men, women, and even some children

Election of 1860 –Contention in the US Abraham

Lincoln

John Breckinridge

JohnBell

Stephen Douglas

South Carolina Secedes Upon hearing of the news

of Lincoln’s election, South Carolina seceded from the Union.

“secede”- to break away or leave

10 other states would follow South Carolina and create a new country in America known as the Confederate States of America (CSA)

Ticket Out the Door: Explain, in detail, how 4 of the following people contributed to the growing

sectionalism emerging in the United States between 1820 and 1860. Four paragraphs total (1 for each person, 4-5 sentences each). Use additional/outside research if necessary.

Martin van Buren

William H. Harrison

James Polk

David Wilmot

Henry Clay

Stephen Douglas

John Brown

Abraham Lincoln