Chapter 17

Canadian insurrection

In 1837 supported by a small minority of Canadians and hundreds of american hoping to fight for freedom and volunteered for service, Washington tried to hold up its neutrality agreements but could not enforce this unpopular law.

Webster-Ashburton Treaty

In 1842 established final boundary between the countries, giving most of the disputed area to Maine and a militarily vital connection between Canadian provinces to Britain. Though there was no conflict between military forces, occasionally civilian lumberjacks became violent if they spotted people on the wrong side of the border.

Resolution

In government, a formal statement of policy or judgment by a legislature, but requiring no legal statute. Many Whigs feared that Texas in the Union would help the "slave power" and aware of their opposition, Tyler despaired of securing the needed two-thirds vote for a treaty in the Senate; he there arranged for annexation by a joint resolution. The solution required only a simple majority in both houses of Congress and the resolution was passed early in 1845 and Texas was invited to become the 28th state.

dark horse (political term)

In politics, a candidate with little apparent support who unexpectedly wins a nomination or election. Dark Horse Polk beat Henry Clay 170 to 105 votes in Electoral College.

Mandate

In politics, the belief that an official has been issued a clear charge by the electorate to pursue some particular policy goal. The anti-Texas Liberty party, by spoiling Clay's chances and helping the ensure the election of pro-Texas Polk, hastened the annexation of Texas; land-hungry Democrats flushed with victory proclaimed that they had received a mandate to take Texas. However, it was not a clear-cut mandate but this unclear "mandate" was interpreted by President Tyler as a crystal-clear charge to annex Texas (signed joint resolution three days before leaving the White House after he had completed his term.

Royalties

A sum of money paid to a patentee for the use of a patent. American journals struck back with "you're another" arguments, thus touching off the "Third War with England"; fortunately this British-American was fought with paper broadsides, and only ink was spilled; British authors entered the fray for they were being denied rich royalties by the absence of an American copyright law.

Caroline

American ship that gave the Canadian rebels Food and supplies. This was attacked and seized by the British when it was sailing across the St. Lawrence river. The Lurid American illustrators showed the flaming ship plummeting over Niagara Falls but in fact the craft in fact sank short of the plunge, and only one American was killed. This unlawful invasion of American soil a counter violation of neutrality. It had alarmed aftermaths; Washington officials lodged vigorous but ineffective protests.

John Fremont

An explorer who was available to help America with the Mexican American War collaborating with naval officers.

Caucus

An unofficial organization or consultation of like-minded people to plan a political course or advance their cause, often within some larger body.

William H. Harrison

At the beginning of Henry Harrison's presidency, Daniel Webster (secretary of state) and Henry Clay (leader of Whigs in the Senate) expected to control the Presidency because Harrison was not a very commanding figure. Only 4 weeks into Harrison's presidency, though, Harrison died. This disrupted the plans of Webster and Clay. John Tyler: Vice President to Henry Harrison; successor as President following Harrison's death; "Tyler too"; a Democrat at heart and contradicted many of the Whig Party's ideas.

Clayites

Chastened Clayites redrafted their tariff bill; they chopped out the offensive dollar-distribution scheme and pushed down the rates to about the moderately protective level of 1832, roughly 32 percent on dutiable goods; Tyler had no fondness for a protective tariff, but realizing the need for additional revenue, he reluctantly signed the law of 1842. One of Polk's goals was a lowered tariff; his secretary of the Treasury, Robert J. Walker, devised a tariff-for-revenue bill that reduced the average rates of the Tariff of 1842 from about 32% to 25%; with strong support of low-tariff southern people, Walker lobbied the measure through Congress, not without complaints from Clayites.

Manifest Destiny

Many Americans felt that God had destined them to spread their democratic institutions over the entire continent and over South America as well. Democrats strongly supported the idea of Manifest Destiny.

Santa Anna

Mexican dictator who failed to stop humiliating American invasion of his country.

David Wilmot

Representative David Wilmot of Pennsylvania, fearful of the southern "slavocracy" introduced an amendment which stipulated that slavery should never exist in any of territory to be wrested from Mexico (amendment twice passed in House not Senate).

joint occupation

Scattered American and British pioneers in Oregon continued to live peacefully side by side; at the time of negotiating the Treaty of 1818, the United States had sought to divide the vast domain at the forty-ninth parallel; British unwilling to give up Columbia River; a scheme for peaceful "joint occupation" was thereupon adopted, pending future settlement.

parallel (geography term)

Scattered American and British pioneers in Oregon continued to live peacefully side by side; at the time of negotiating the Treaty of 1818, the United States had sought to divide the vast domain at the forty-ninth parallel; British unwilling to give up Columbia River; a scheme for peaceful "joint occupation" was thereupon adopted, pending future settlement. Only a relatively small segment of the Oregon Country was in actual controversy by 1845; the area in dispute consisted of the rough quadrangle between the Columbia River on the south and east, the forty-ninth parallel on the north, and the Pacific Ocean on west. Britain had repeatedly offered the line of the Columbia; America had repeated offered the forty-ninth parallel; the issue was now tossed into the presidential election of 1844, where it was largely overshadowed by the question of annexing Texas or not.

Robert J. Walker

Secretary of Treasury to James Polk; devised the Walker Tariff of 1846, a tariff-for-revenue bill that reduced the tariff from 32% to 25%.

Bear Flag Republic

Short-lived west Coast republic proclaimed by American rebels against Mexican rule just before the arrival of U.S. troops in the province.

Wilmot Proviso

Stated that slavery should not exist in any of the Mexican cessions. It passed House, but not Senate. It opened old wounds of slavery and lead to the Civil War. The "blank" eventually endorsed by the legislatures of all but one of the free states soon came to symbolize the burning issue of slavery in the territories.

John Slidell

The golden prize of California continued to cause Polk much anxiety; disquieting rumors were circulating that Britain was about to buy or seize California—a grab that Americans could not tolerate under the Monroe Doctrine (Polk dispatched blank to Mexico City as minister late in 1845 and was instructed to offer a maximum of $25 million for California and territory to the east but the proud Mexican people didn't even accept him.

Oregon Trail

The handful of Americans in the Willamette Valley when "Oregon fever" seized hundreds of restless pioneers; in increasing numbers, their creaking covered wages jolted over the two-thousand mile Oregon Trail as the human rivulet widened into a stream.The average rate of progress in covered wagons was one to two miles an hour and this amounted to about 100 miles a week or about five months for the entire journey. Thousands of humans, horses, and oxen died en route and there is one estimate that for every mile there were seventeen deaths for men, women, and children. By 1846, about five thousand Americans had settled south of the Columbia River, some of them tough "border ruffians," expert with bowie knife and "revolving pistol". Influenced by Manifest Destiny.

"Old Fuss and Feathers":

The nickname for Winfield Scott.

"Santa Anna's revenge"

The opening shots of the Mexican War were effectively the opening shot of the Civil War. President Polk left the nation the splendid physical heritage of California and the Southwest but also the ugly moral heritage of an embittered slavery dispute. Mexicans could later take some satisfaction in knowing that the territory had proved to be a venomous apple of discord that could well be called Santa Anna's revenge.

Protectorate

The relation of a strong nation to a weak one under its control and protection. The Texans were forced to maintain a costly military establishment; vastly outnumbered by their Mexican foe, they could not tell when he would strike again; Mexico actually did make two half-hearted raids that, through ineffectual, foreshadowed more fearsome efforts; confronted with such perils, Texas was driven to open negotiations with Britain and France in search of a protectorate.

Slavocracy

The war re-aroused the slavery issues; abolitionists assailed the Mexican conflict as one provoked by the southern "slavocracy" for its evil purposes; bulk of American volunteers were admittedly from the South and the Southwest. Representative David Wilmot of Pennsylvania, fearful of the southern "slavocracy" introduced an amendment which stipulated that slavery should never exist in any of territory to be wrested from Mexico (amendment twice passed in House not Senate).

Deadlock

To completely block or stop action as a consequence of the mutual pressure of equal and opposed forces. Deadlock with Mexico over Texas was further tightened by a question of boundaries. The Democrats, meeting in Baltimore later, seemed hopelessly deadlocked; expansionists, dominated by pro-Texas southerners, nominated James K. Polk of Tennessee, America's first "dark-horse" or "surprise" presidential candidate.

Default

To fail to pay a loan or interest due.The When the panic of 1837 broke and several states defaulted on their bonds or repudiated them openly, honest Englishmen assailed Yankee trickery.

Repudiate

To refuse to accept responsibility for paying a bill or debt.The When the panic of 1837 broke and several states defaulted on their bonds or repudiated them openly, honest Englishmen assailed Yankee trickery.

fifty-four fortyism

A slogan describing America's want to gain all of Oregon back from Britain, this would be the land all the way to 54 40 Latitude and Longitude.

Willamette Valley

1842 - Many Eastern and Midwestern farmers and city dwellers were dissatisfied with their lives and began moving up the Oregon trail to the Willamette Valley. This free land was widely publicized.

Creole

A group of 130 rebelling Virginia slaves captured the American ship "Creole" and were given asylum, or a place offering safety and refuge, by British soldiers in the Bahamas. As a result, the incident raised fears among Southern planters that the British West Indies would become a Canada-like safe haven for runaway slaves.The event also created further tension between Britain and the United States.

"Old Rough and Ready":

General Zachary Taylor had been spearheading the main thrust; known as "Old Rough and Ready" because of his iron constitution and incredibly unsolder-like appearance, he fought his way across the Rio Grande into Mexico.

John Tyler

Got elected as Vice President to get the south on the government's side. He became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died 1841-1845. President responsible for annexation of Mexico after receiving mandate from Polk. Opposed many parts of the Whig program for economic recovery. He was officially kicked out of being a whig and this is a result of the 2 laws they created that he vetoed. The democrats hated him because they considered him a traitor after he quit as a congress member under Andrew Jackson, a democratic president. The Whigs didn't like him b/c he went against everything the Whigs wanted to do- he was pro bank, pro tariff, and pro internal improvements. He did not have a political party and many time was called a democrat dressed in Whig's clothing. The Whigs introduced many policy changes when the party won the presidency with Harrison (and then Tyler). The first change was financial reform. The independent treasury system was ended. A bill for a "Fiscal Bank," which would establish a new Bank of the United States went through Congress, but President Tyler vetoed it. The Whigs presented a "Fiscal Corporation," but Tyler again vetoed it. President Tyler was rejected by his former Whig Party. Tyler reluctantly signed the Tariff of 1842 because he recognized the government's need for revenue. President Tyler took that as a sign to acquire Texas before he left the presidency. He signed a resolution in 1845 that invited Texas to become the 28th state in America.

James K. Polk

He became president of the US beating Clay in the election of 1884. He was a Democrat and was known as young Hickory because he was Jackson's apprentice. He said he would protect Texas, and he avoided the issue of slavery. In the 1840s and 1850s, the idea of Manifest Destiny spread across America. Many Americans felt that God had destined them to spread their democratic institutions over the entire continent and over South America as well. Democrats strongly supported the idea of Manifest Destiny. Polk had four main goals for his presidency: 1) A lower tariff; 2) Restore the independent treasury, which the Whigs dropped in 1841 because the Whigs won the presidency; 3-4) The acquisition of California and the settlement of the Oregon Country dispute without violence. The independent treasury was restored in 1846. Britain presented Polk with the Oregon Country up to the 49th parallel. This offer was approved without a shot fired. The population of California in 1845 consisted of Spanish-Mexicans and Indians. Polk wanted to buy California (The Bear Flag Republic) from Mexico but relations with Mexico were poor due to the annexation of Texas. John Slidell sent by Polk to Mexico City in 1845 to buy California for $25 million; the offer was rejected. There was arguments over Texas border between Mexico and the US. Mexico thought is was Nueces river while America thought it was the RIo Grande. On January 13, 1846, Polk ordered 4,000 men under General Zachary Taylor to the Rio Grande. On May 9, 1846, Polk asked Congress to declare war on Mexico of the basis of unpaid claims and Slidell's rejection of the purchasing of California. Prior to this request, Mexican troops had already attacked American troops. War was subsequently declared.Many people in Congress accused Polk of provoking war. Mexico was not willing to sell California and war seemed to be the only way that America could California.Polk wanted California, not war. He hoped that America could pull out of the war with California

Abraham Lincoln

He did not support Manfest Destiny. In his message to Congress, Polk was making history; a Whig congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, requested information as to the precise "spot" on American soil where American blood had been shed—it could have been considered Mexican soil .

Stephen Kearny

He was a general in the Mexican-American war who in 1846 General blank led a detachment of seventeen hundred troops over the Santa Fe Trail from Fort Leavenworth and captured Santa Fe.

"Great Compromiser"

Henry Clay was a leading American statesman from 1810 to 1852; he served as a member of Congress, Speaker of the House, senator, and secretary of state and made three unsuccessful presidential bids. He was known as the Great Compromiser for his role in the compromises of 1820, 1833, and 1850.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo:

It was the treaty negotiated between Mexico and the United States during the Mexican War and signed on February 2, 1848. In an attempt to secure territorial gains by the end of the war, President James Polk sent chief clerk of the State Department, Nicholas P. Trist, to negotiate a treaty with Mexican dictator Santa Anna. The terms of this treaty confirmed the American title to Texas and yielded the enormous area stretching westward to Oregon and the Pacific Ocean (this area was called the Mexican Cession, a territory that included the coveted California). This treaty had Mexico to cede about half of its land to the United States, but America agreed to pay $15 million for the territory and to assume the claims of its citizens against Mexico for $3.25 million. This area was about half of Mexico. The antislavery Whigs in Congress ("Conscience Whigs") opposed the treaty because they had originally opposed the war. Expansionists also opposed the treaty because they wanted all of Mexico, not just part of it.

"Colossus of the North"

Opposing armies emerged with increased respect for each other as the Mexicans, though poorly led, fought heroically—Mexicans have never forgotten that their northern enemy tore away about half of their country; they had been paid something for the land. The war also marked an ugly turning in the relations between the United States and Latin America as a whole; he was increasingly feared as the "Colossus of the North".

Nueces River/Rio Grande:

Mexico thought the border of Texas was the Nueces River while Texas thought it's border was the Rio Grande. This disagreement is what largely led to the Mexican-American War.

Winfield Scott

Most distinguished general between revolution and civil war fought in both the War of 1812 and Mexican American War, Successfully lead troops to Mexico City in 1847 overcoming many challenges. Succeeded in battling his way to Mexico City by September 1847; became President Abraham Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union army in the Civil War.

Lone Star Republic

Nickname for Texas after it won independence from Mexico in 1836 (the only star on their flag), was a sovereign nation in North America between the United States and Mexico that existed from 1836 to 1846. Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the nation claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S. state of Texas, as well as parts of present-day New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming based upon the Treaties of Velasco between the newly created Texas republic and Mexico. The eastern boundary with the United States was defined by the Adams-Onís Treaty between the United States and Spain, in 1819. Its southern and western-most boundary with Mexico was under dispute throughout the existence of the Republic, with Texas claiming that the boundary was the Rio Grande, and Mexico claiming the Nueces River as the boundary. This dispute would later become a trigger for the Mexican-American War, after the annexation of Texas.

"Mexican Whigs"

Polk submitted the treaty to the Senate and Trist had succeeded—speed was imperative. The antislavery Whigs ("Mexican Whigs") in Congress were denouncing this "damnable war" with increasing heat; having secure control of the House in 1847, they were even threatening to vote down supplies for the armies in the field. They had done so, Scott would have been forced to retreat. A swelling group of expansionists, intoxicated by Manifest Destiny, was clamoring for all of Mexico; if America had seized it the nation would have been saddled with an expensive and vexatious policing problem—South should not be too greedy. The treaty was finally approved by the Senate, 38 to 14 and it was condemned both by those opponents who wanted all of Mexico and by opponents who wanted none.

Nicholas Trist

Polk was anxious to end shooting after securing his territorial goals; he sent along with Scott's invading army the chief clerk of the State Department, Nicholas P. Trist. Trist and Scott arranged for an armistice with Santa Anna, at a cost of $10,000; the wily dictator pocketed the bribe and then used the time to bolster his defenses. Negotiating a treat with a sword in one hand and a pen in the other was ticklish business; Polk disgusted with his blundering envoy, abruptly recalled Trist but the wordy diplomat dashed off a 65-page letter explaining why he was not coming back. The terms of the treaty confirmed the American title to Texas and yielded the enormous area stretching westward to Oregon and the ocean and embracing coveted California; this total expanse, including Texas, was about one-half of Mexico,The United States agreed to pay $15 million for the land and to assume the claims of its citizens against Mexico in the amount of $3,250,000. Polk submitted the treaty to the Senate and Trist had succeeded Speed was imperative.

Zachary Taylor

Polk was now prepared to force a show-down; on January 13, 1846 blank ordered four thousand men, under General Blank, to march from the Nueces River to the Rio Grande, provocatively near Mexican forces. After several gratifying victories, he reached Buena Vista where on February 22-23, 1847, his weakened force of five thousand men was attacked by some twenty thousand march-weary troops under Santa Anna; the Mexicans were finally repulsed and overnight Blank became the "Hero of Buena Vista" (president).

"Conscience Whigs"

The antislavery Whigs in Congress ("Conscience Whigs") opposed the treaty because they had originally opposed the war. Expansionists also opposed the treaty because they wanted all of Mexico, not just part of it.

political platform

The campaign document stating a party's or candidate's position on the issues, and upon which they "stand" for election. Polk's Platform was the "reannexation of Texas", "reoccupation of Oregon", Wanted expansion and a bigger country. Clay's Platform was the Annex slaveholding Texas favored postponed ,"If you want war and slavery vote for Polk".

"His Accidency":

Whig extremists condemned Tyler as "His Accidency" and he received letters threatening him; a wave of influenza then sweeping the country was called the "Tyler grippe".