008 - Chapter 8 - Manifest Destiny & American Expansion

How did John Quincy Adams's view on expansionism differ from that of most expansionists?

Adams was focused on expanding towards the entire continent, while most expansionists were focused on occupying the lands void of European settlers. {Explanation - Adams went beyond the idea of mere expansion; his goal was called continentalism because he intended that the United States would not just occupy the lands void of European settlers but encompass all of North America.}

Why did the Mexican-American War of 1846 occur?

Because Mexico never recognized Texas' independence, and disputed its borders even after its annexation into the U.S. {Explanation - Mexico had a series of internal battles, and the residents of Texas, most of whom were English-speaking, seceded. In 1836, Texas defeated Mexican General Santa Anna and declared its independence. Mexico never recognized Texas' independence and disputed its borders even after its annexation into the U.S.}

Why did the Democrats nominate James Polk instead of Martin Van Buren in 1844?

Because Polk was the dark horse candidate that might beat Clay. {Explanation - But the American people were interested in Texas, and in a final show of strength, President Tyler organized a third party, drawing enough attention to the issue to force the Democrats to nominate James Polk instead of Van Buren.}

Why was Stephen Douglas relevant to the legacy of Henry Clay in the 1850 Compromise?

Because he championed the act when Clay and other old leaders could not attend. {Explanation - A new, young leader, named Stephen Douglas, championed their cause when the elder Senators were too ill to attend.}

Why was there so much popular support for expansionism?

Because it offered people a second chance with new opportunities in business and cheap land. {Explanation - It offered people a second chance with new opportunities in business and cheap (or even free) land. Land ownership represented freedom, wealth and political power.}

Why did President Polk send troops onto the Texas/Mexico border?

Because the border was in dispute and Mexico wouldn't sell it. {Explanation - Mexico had never even recognized Texas independence and threatened war if the U.S. annexed Texas. By the time Polk was inaugurated, diplomatic relations with Mexico had been severed.}

Why was California statehood controversial?

Because there was no slave state to add as a pair with it to preserve the balance. {Explanation - All these ideas sounded good in theory, but the gold rush meant California was ready for statehood almost immediately, and no one wanted to lose control of the Senate to the other side.}

How and why did Henry Clay impact the political career of John Tyler?

By having him thrown out of the Whig Party, because of vetoing a banking bill so that Clay would have a better chance at the next election. {Explanation - But then Henry Clay, the leader of his own party, presented Tyler with a number of banking bills, knowing he would veto them. It was an attempt to discredit Tyler in the next election, which Clay hoped to win.}

How did the Wilmot Proviso attempt to resonate with Southern Democrats?

By reserving land for white yeoman farmers {Explanation - This so-called Wilmot Proviso was primarily an abolitionist piece of legislation, but Wilmot hoped that it would resonate with the Southern Democrats by reserving all of that land for white yeoman farmers.}

Which of the following did Tyler accomplish as president?

Establishing Maine's border with the Webster-Ashburton Treaty {Explanation - The Webster-Ashburton Treaty resolved a long-standing border dispute between Canada and Maine, and the Seminole War was finally brought to an end.}

Which of the following is FALSE regarding the Oregon Trail?

FALSE: It started off as a road built by the government. {Explanation - Stretching 2,000 miles from Missouri to the Pacific Coast, the Oregon Trail was blazed by fur trappers like John Jacob Astor as a footpath. But within a couple of decades, the wagon trail included bridges and mountain passes, taking nearly half a million people not just to Oregon but to many 'jumping-off points,' leading prospectors to California, Mormon refugees to Utah and settlers anywhere there was fertile land, displacing thousands of Native Americans in the process.}

Which of the following is FALSE regarding John Sutter's and James Marshall's role in the California Gold Rush?

FALSE: The federal government seized Sutter's land and all of his gold. {Explanation - Sutter's land rights were challenged and overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Sutter's only compensation was that the courts agreed if the land hadn't been his, then he shouldn't have had to pay taxes on it.}

Why did Tyler join the Whig Party if he didn't believe in their policies?

He felt that the Democrats under Jackson were behaving improperly. {Explanation - Tyler resigned his senate seat rather than be forced to choose between his principles or the Democrats that had elected him. This put him in the uneasy position of aligning with the anti-Jacksonian Whig Party under the leadership of Henry Clay, even though he opposed Clay's American System of tariffs, internal improvements and a national bank.}

How did President Polk initially attempt to resolve the border dispute with Mexico?

He sent a diplomat, John Slidell, to try to negotiate with the Mexican government. {Explanation - As soon as the United States annexed Texas, President Polk sent a diplomat, John Slidell, to Mexico to negotiate the border dispute.}

How did the death of his son prior to his inauguration impact Franklin Pierce's policies?

It made him completely focused on the territorial and economic expansion of America. {Explanation - The Pierce family was in a train accident in which their 11-year old son died. Bennie had been the last of the president's surviving children, and both of his parents moved into the White House exhausted with grief. The president poured his nervous energy into economic and territorial expansion for the nation, noting that it was in America's national security interests to claim more land.}

How did California become a state free of slavery in 1850?

Its newly-formed government skipped the territorial stage by declaring California slave free in its constitution. {Explanation - President Taylor urged settlers in New Mexico and California to jump straight to the second step - just draft constitutions and apply for statehood, bypassing the territorial stage.}

Based on what you've learned in this lesson, which of these people would have most likely supported slavery in the new territory?

John C. Calhoun {Explanation - Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina said, "We have never dreamt of incorporating into our Union any but the Caucasian race - the free white race..."}

Which of the following countries has NOT had control over Texas?

NOT: Great Britain {Explanation - Texas has been controlled by Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States and, later, the Confederate States of America.}

Which of the following was NOT a reason some Americans opposed annexing Texas?

NOT: It would have led to war against Texans who wanted annexation. {Explanation - The people of Texas supported a union with the United States.}

Which was NOT a part of the Compromise of 1850?

NOT: Texas gained land from the eastern part of New Mexico. {Explanation - Texas gave up its western land claims in New Mexico.}

Which of the following was NOT a result of Mexico's loosened immigration standards in its northeastern region?

NOT: The northern residents' defeat of Mexican General Santa Anna at the Alamo. {Explanation - Immigration standards were loosened in 1821 while the Alamo didn't happen until 1836. The northern residents did not defeat Santa Ana there either.}

Which of the following defines Manifest Destiny?

The belief that America should expand across the continent. {Explanation - In 1845, journalist John O'Sullivan defended America's claim on the territory, saying, '...that claim is by the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us.'}

How did Tyler's attempted annexation of Texas impact the election?

The failed Princeton PR event crushed any hopes he had of getting reelected when two important diplomats were killed. {Explanation - The president and several high-ranking government officials took a pleasure cruise on the navy ship Princeton for a PR stunt to show off the world's largest naval gun. The weapon was fired twice without incident, but at the crowd's urging, the captain agreed to one more shot. The gun misfired, killing several people, including the two most important diplomats in the Texas negotiation.}

Why did Whig Party nominee Zachary Taylor resonate well with northern Americans?

They appreciated Taylor's long military service and opposition to sectionalism. {Explanation - The Whigs chose war hero General Zachary Taylor as their candidate. The fact that he was a slaveholder appealed to Southerners, but his 40 years of national military service made him stand in opposition to sectionalism and states' rights, which was a plus for Northerners.}

What did the slogan '54°40 or Fight!' mean to the people who used it?

They'd go to war to set the border of Oregon at 54°40'. {Explanation - A public relations campaign endorsed the slogan '54 - 40 or Fight!' suggesting that America go to war to get all of the Oregon Territory.}

This map best represents the United States after which event?

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo {Explanation - It includes the Mexican concession of 1848, meaning that it follows the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.}

How did Tyler's view of the annexation of Texas differ from Van Buren's position?

Tyler wanted Texas to be annexed, while Van Buren opposed it. {Explanation - Later in 1837, newly-inaugurated President Martin Van Buren flat-out declined the Texas proposal for statehood, fearing that it would lead to war with Mexico.}

How did the views of David Wilmot and John Calhoun on slavery differ?

Wilmot supported banning all slavery, while Calhoun was for keeping slavery in the US. {Explanation - David Wilmot proposed banning all slavery, all indentured servants, and basically, all black residents from the land. John C. Calhoun, who wanted to ensure that slavery, which he had famously defended in an 1832 speech as a 'positive good,' was guaranteed forever.}

Which of the following did the Gadsden Purchase of 1853 complete?

The 'lower 48' {Explanation - With the Gadsden Purchase in 1853, Franklin Pierce completed the remaining contiguous territory of the United States - often called the 'lower 48.'}

What is most likely the message of this political cartoon?

The Democrats were responsible for the violence in Kansas. {Explanation - There are some other inflammatory details in the background depicting the violence in Kansas, which serve to reinforce the main idea.}