Unit 4: Continentalism

Land Grants

In 1821,1823, and again in 1824, Mexico offered enormous land grants to agents. The agents, in turn, attracted American settlers, who eagerly bought cheap land in return for a pledge to obey Mexican laws and observe the official religion of Roman Catholicism.

Texas Revolution

After Santa Anna revoked local powers in Texas and other Mexican states, several rebellions erupted, including what would eventually be known as the Texas Revolutionn

The War Begins

After violating Mexico's territorial rights, yet again, the Mexican government had had enough. Mexico responded to the invasion by sending troops across the Rio Grande. Polk immediately sent a war message to Congress, declaring war.

Mexican President

Antonio López de Santa Anna

Tensions in Texas

As Texas's Anglo population surged, tension grew with Mexico over cultural differences, as well as slavery. The overwhelmingly Protestant stylers spoke English rather than Spanish, Many of the settlers were Southern farmers that had brought their slaves with them. Mexico, which had abolished slavery in 1824, insisted in vain that the Texans free their slaves.

Midwest Farming

As the Northeast began to industrialize, many people moved to farm the fertile soil of the Midwest. First, however they had to work very hard to make the land fit to cultivate. Armed with plows and reapers, farmers could shift from subsistence farming to growing cash crops. Meanwhile, rapid changes encouraged Southerners as well as Northerners to seek land in the seemingly limitless West

Austin's petition

Austin had traveled to Mexico City in 1833 to present petitions for greater self-government for Texas to the Mexican president. While Austin was on his way home, Santa Anna suspended the 1824 Mexican constitution and had Austin imprisoned for inciting revolution.

The Mission System

Before Mexico won it's independence in 1821, Spain's systems of Roman Catholic missions in California, New Mexico, and Texas tried to convert Native Americans to Catholicism and to settle them on mission lands. To protect the missions, Spanish soldiers manned nearby forts

Polk urges war

Believed that war with Mexico would bring not only Texas but also New Mexico and California into the Union.

Independence for Texas

Believing that Mexico had deprived them of their fundamental rights, the Texas rebels had likened themselves to the American colonists who had chafed under British rule 60 years earlier. Texas ratified a constitution based on that of the United States

Impact on Transportation

Better and faster transportation became essential to the expansion of agriculture and industry. Farmers and manufactures sought more direct ways to ship their goods to the market.

Oregon Territory

Britain and the U.S. merely continued "joint occupation" of the Oregon Territory. In 1844, the president called for annexation of the entire Oregon Territory. In 1846, the two countries agreed to extend the mainland boundary with Canada along, establishing the current U.S. boundary.

U.S Market Expands

By midcentury, the U.S. became more industrialized, especially in the Northeast with the rise of textile mills and the factory system.

Market Revolution

Caused by internal develops --> people began to buy and sell goods rather than making them for their own use. Goods and services multiplied and incomes rose.

Emergence of Railroads

Emerged rapidly in the 1860s and offered the advantage of speed, could operate in winter, and they brought goods to people who lived inland

Specialization

Farmers began to shift from self-sufficiency to specialization, raising one or two cash crops that they could sell at home or abroad.

Northerners opinion on Annexation

Feared that annexation of more slave territory would tip the uneasy balance in the Senate in favor of the slave states- and prompt war with Mexico.

The War in Mexico

For American troops in Mexico, one military victory followed another. The war enlarged U.S. territory by approximately one-third

Northeast Shipping and Manufacturing

Heavy investment in canals and railroads transformed the Northeast into the center of American commerce.

Polk's reaction to Slidell's rejection

Hoping for Mexican aggression that would unify American behind a war, Polk then issued orders for General Zachary Taylor to march to the Rio Grande and blockade the river. Mexicans viewed this action as a violation of their rights,

Tensions between Mexico and U.S.

Hostitlies between the U.S. and Mexico, which had flared during the Texas Revolution in 1836, reignited over the American annexation of Texas in 1845.

Wilmot Proviso

a proposed amendment to a military appropriations bill of 1846, which prohibited slavery in lands that might be gained from Mexico. This attack on slavery solidified Southern support for war by transforming the debate on war into a debate on slavery

Sectional Attitudes toward War

-Abolitionists considers war a national crime committed in behoof of slavery -Many southerners, however, saw it as an opportunity to extend slavery and increase Southern Power in Congress. -Northerners/ Antislavery Whigs opposed war and saw it as a plot to expand slavery and ensure Southern domination in the union

Americans Headed West to...

-Escape religious persecution -find new markets for commerce -claim land for farming, ranching, and mining, -locate harbors on the Pacific -seek employment & avoid creditors after the Panic of 1837 -Spread virtues of democracy

Black Hawk War

-In early 1830's, white settlers placed great pressure on the Natives to move west of the Mississippi River -So, the Native Tribes visited Chief Black Hawk of Sauk tribe and one told of a prophet who had a vision of future events regarding a black hawk. -The story convinced Black Hawk to lead a rebellion against the U.S. The war started in IL and spread to WI -War ended in 1832. The Sauk and Fox tribes were forcibly removed to the areas west of the Mississippi.

Attitudes towards Frontier

-Many settlers moved because of personal economic problems and thought they would be better off attempting a fresh start in the West -The abundance of land in the West, whether for farming or speculation, land ownerships was important towards gaining prosperity -Merchants sought new markets -Transportation rev. increased opportunities for trade. Several harbors in the Oregon Territory helped expand trade with China and Japan

Impact of Mexican Independence

-Trade opportunities between Mexico's northern provinces and the United States multiplied. Tejano livestock and other commercial goods to trade. -Newly free, Mexico sought to improve its economy so they made trade with the U.S. more attractive and loosened ties with the northern provinces.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

1848- Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande border for Texas and ceded New Mexico and California to the United States. The United States agreed to pay $15 Million for the Mexican cession, which included present-day California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The treaty guaranteed Mexican living in these territories freedom of religions, protection of property, bilingual elections, and open borders.

Fort Laramie Treaty

1851- Provided Natives control of the Central Plains, land east of the Rocky Mountains. In turn, these Natives promised not to attack settlers and to allow the construction of government forts and roads. The government pledged to honor the agreed upon boundaries and to make annual payments to the Natives.

Gadsden Purchase

5 years later, in 1853, President Pierce authorized his emissary to pay Mexico an addition $1o million for another piece of territory south of the Gila river. Along with the settlement of Oregon and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, this purchase established the current borders of the lower 48 states

"Come To Texas"

In 1830, Mexico sealed its borders and slapped a heavy tax on the importation of American goods. Mexico, however lacked sufficient troops to police its borders well. Despite restrictions the Anglo population of Texas double between 1830 and 1844.

Sam Houston

In 1836, Houston became president to the Republic of Texas. The new "Lone Star Republic" set up an army and a navy and proudly few its new silk flag with the lone gold star

Texas Joins the Union

In 1838, Sam Houston invited the U.S. to annex the Tex republic into the U.S. Most people within Texas hoped this would happen. Then, in 1845, Texas became the 28th state of the Union. The recently elected president, James K. Polk was a slaveholder and firmly believed in the annexation of Texas

Slidell's rejection

In 1845, Polk sent a spanish-speaking emissary, John Slidell, to Mexico to purchase CA and NM and to gain approval of the Rio Grande as the Texas border. When Slidell arrived, Mexican officials refused to receive him.

New inventions

Inventor-entrepeneurs began to develop goods to make life more comfortable

Entrepreneurs

Investors

Manifest Density

It was the U.S.'s destiny to expand tot he Pacific Ocean and into Mexican territory. They believed that this destiny was manifest, or obvious

"Remember the Alamo"

Late in 1835, the Texans attacked. They drove down the Mexican forces from the Alamo, an abandoned mission used as a fort, In response, Santa Anna swept northward and stormed and destroyed the small American garrison in the Alamo. All 187 soldiers died and only a few women and children were spared.

The Lone Star Republic

Later in 1836, Santa Anna's troops excited 200 rebels at Goliad. Six weeks after the defeat of the Alamo, the Texans struck back. Led by Sam Houston, they defeated Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto. The victorious Texans set Santa Anna free after he signed the Treaty of Velasco, which granted independence to Texas.

1803

Louisiana purchase, which doubled the nation's size. For a quarter century after the war of 1812, Americans explored this huge territory. Then in the 1840's expansion fever gripped the country. Americans began to believe that their movement westward and southward was destined and ordained by god.

The Santa Fe Trail

One of the busiest and most well-known avenues of trade, which led 780 miles from Missouri to New Mexico. Traders charged off on their own as they each tried to be the first to enter the Mexican province of New Mexico and after a few days of trading they headed back to the U.S. These traders established the first visible American presence in New Mexico and in the Mexican providence of Arizona

Southern Agriculture

Remained agricultural and relied on such crops as cotton, tobacco, and rice. Southerners looked with disfavor on industrialization.

Southerners opinion on Annexation

Sought to extend slavery, already established in Texas

The Oregon Trail

Started in Missouri and ended in Oregon. Their letters east praising the fertile soil and abundant rainfall attracted hundreds of other American to the Oregon trail. By 1844, about 5000 American settlers had arrived in Oregon and are farming its green and fertile Willamette Valley.

Effects of the Treaty

Still the movement of settlers increased. Traditional Natives hunting lands were trampled and depleted of buffalo and elk. The U.S. government repeatedly violated the terms of the treaty. Subsequent treaties demanded that Natives abandon their lands and move to reservations

Settlers and Natives

The U.S. settlers moving west affect N.A. communities. Most natives tried to maintain strong cultural traditions, even if forced to move from ancestral lands. Some began to assimilate in the white culture. Still others, fought hard to keep whites away from their homes

The Mission System Declines

The mission system declined during the 1820's and 30's after Mexico had won its independence. After stopping the missions from Spanish control, the Mexican government offered the surrounding lands to government officials and ranchers. While some Native Americans were forced to remain as unpaid laborers, many others fled the missions, returning to traditional ways.

Stephen Austin

The most successful empresario, he established a colony between the Bravos and Colorado rivers where "no drunkard, no gambler, no profane swearer, and no idler" would be allowed. By 1825, Austin had issued 297 lands grants.

Middle Ground

The place that neither Natives nor settlers dominated. By the 1840's it was well west of MS b/c of Indian Removal treaties that pushed natives off their eastern lands to make room for settlers

Disputes over the Texas-Mexico Border

The president supported Texas's claims in disputes with Mexico over the Texas-Mexico border. While Texas insisted that its southern border extended to the Rio Grande, Mexico in sited that Texas's border stopped at the Nueces River, 100 miles northeast of the Rio Grande

Problems in Mexico

They owned a vast territory, but had trouble controlling it. Native American groups continued to threaten the thinly scattered Mexican settlements in New Mexico and Texas. So, the Mexican government began to look for ways to strengthen ties between Mexico City and the northern provinces.

Mexico Invites U.S. Settlers

To prevent border violations by horse thieves and to protect the territory from Native American attacks, the Mexican government encouraged American farmers to settle in Texas.

Capitalism

U.S. economy depended on capitalism, the economic system in which private businesses and individuals control means of production

Texas's reputation grows

Word about Texas spread throughout the U.S.. Confident that Texas eventually would yield great wealth, Americans increasingly discussed extending the U.S. boundaries to the river they called the Rio Grande. President John Quincy Adams had offered to buy Texas, along with Jackson. However, Mexico refused to sell Texas and began to regret its hospitality to Anglo immigrants

Impact on Household Economy

Workers in industrial cities needed food. To meet this demand, American farmers began to use mechanized farm equipment made in factories.

Thomas Jefferson's opinion on Expansion

dreamed that the U.S. would become an "empire for liberty" by expanding across the continent