APUSH-Ch 17 key terms

Oregon Trail

"Oregon fever" seized hundreds of restless pioneers ant they traveled this 2,000 mile trail in the 1840's to reach Willamette Valley in Oregon; thousands died en route; by 1846 5,000 Americans had traveled trail and settled south of Columbia River; gave America a huge population advantage over the British settlers north of The Columbia showing the British that they may want to make an agreement

Stephen Kearny

(1846) led a detachment of 1700 troops over the famous Santa Fe Trail from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe capturing the fort

Spot resolutions

Abraham Lincoln's introduced resolution that requested information as to the precise "spot" on American soil where American blood had been shed by the Mexicans

Oregon Compromise of 1846

After a struggle with Britian over Oregon, they came around and agreed to the compromise on the 49th. It hastily passed thru the senate. It was a great compromise but some northern "fifty-four fortyers" still insisted that the fact that not all of Oregon had been aquired, but all of Texas had was a betrayl to them by the South.

The Caroline Incident

An American steamer, the Caroline, was carrying supplies across the Niagra River and was attacked on the NY shore by a British force that set the vessel on fire; a Canadian named Mcleod was boasting in a tavern about the raid and was arrested and indicted for murder, but London said he was a part of the sanctioned armed forces and if they killed him it would mean war, so he was freed after establishing an alibi.

Copyright law

British authors entered this fight writing in magazines and what not (this includes Charles Dickens); these authors entered the fighting because they were being denied rich royalties by the absence of an American Copyright Law; Not until 1891 did congress extend copyright privileges to foreign authors

Nicholas Trist

Chief clerk of the State Department. He signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on Feb. 2, 1848.

Why Clay Lost

Clay appears to have compromised away the presidency when he wrote a series of confusing letters. They seemed to say that while he personally favored annexing slaveholding Texas (an appeal to the South), he also favored postponement (an appeal to the North). He alienated the more ardent antislaveryites. Clay would have won if he had not lost New York by 5,000 votes. The tiny antislavery Liberty party absorbed nearly 16,000 votes, causing Clay to lose.

Wilmot Proviso

David Wilmot of Pennsylvania introduced his Wilmot Proviso (a provision or amendment), which stated that slavery should never exist in any of the Mexican Cession territories that would be taken from Mexico; the amendment was passed twice by the House but it never got passed the Senate (where southern states equaled northern). The importance of the Wilmot Proviso lay in the fact that it opened old wounds—those of slavery.

Texas boundary dispute

During the era of Spanish- Mexican rule, the southwestern boundary had been the Nueces River, but Texans claimed the more-southern Rio Grande River. Polk supported the Texans. Mexico was less concerned with the dispute, because they still considered Texas theirs, just as a revolt area. Polk kept troops out of the no man's land, promising to not attack until there was a real problem.

The Creole Incident

In 1941, British officials in the Bahamas offered asylum to 130 Virginia slaves who had rebelled and captured the American ship, the Creole; Britain had abolished slavery in its empire; this raised southern fears that the Caribbean would become a slave haven.

Lord Ashburton

London sent him as a nonprofessional diplomat , to settle the Maine boundary crisis; he had cordial relations with Senator Webster they agreed on the compromise that Am. Would retain 7,000 sq. miles and the rest to Britain and Britain also got the Halifax-Quebec road, an overlooked bonus came up too that Britain surrendered 6,500 sq. miles which was found to contain the priceless Mesabi iron ore of Minn.

Election of 1844

Manifest Destiny played a big role in the Election of 1844. Countless citizens belived that God had "manifestly" destined the American people to irresistibly spread their uplifting and ennobling democratic institutions over the enitre continent, and possibly over South America as well. Democrats, under James K. Polk, were proexpansion, while the Whigs were firmly against expansion.

Mexico's view of Texas

Mexico refusing to recognize Texas' independence, regarded the Lone Star Republic as a province in revolt, to be conquered in the future

Walker Tariff of 1846

One of Polk's four goals. Devised by Robert J.Walker. Reduced average rates of the Tarriff of 1842 from 32% to 25%. With strong support of Southerners, Walker lobbied the bill thru congress, despite complaints from Clay supporters and New England state's representatives. It brought in lots of revenue, thanks to a boom time on foriegn imports.

Polk and Oregon

One of Polk's goals was to settle the dispute in Oregon. He had no intent on fulfilling his promise during the election of aquiring all land to the 54 40' parallel, but instead offered the compromise of the 49th degree.

John Slidell

Polk dispatched him to Mexico City in 1845 to offer a max of $25 million for Cali and the territory to the East. Mexican people would not let him present his "insulting" proposition.

Dark Horse Polk

Polk was the first "dark horse" or "surprise" candidate. He was the Speaker of the House of Representatives for 4 years and governor of Tennessee for 2 terms. He was sponsored by his good friend Andrew Jackson and often called "Young Hickory." He is remembered for the four-point program he developed and accomplished in less than four years.

Frances Trollope

She was a British visitor to the United States in the e1820's, she wrote a book called Domestic Manners of The Americans; She found Americans to be extremely rude

Foreign powers and Texas

Texas opened negotiations with Britain and France, in the hope of securing the defensive shield of a protectorate. In 1839 and 1840, the Texans concluded treaties with France, Holland and Belgium. Britain supported an independent Texas because such a republic would check the southward surge of the American colossus. Britain also hoped to challenge the Monroe Doctrine. British abolitionists believed that if they were successful in freeing a few blacks in Texas, they presumably would inflame the nearby slaves of the South. Also, an independent Texas would provide a free-trade area.

Maine Compromise

The Americans were to retain some 7,000 square miles of the 12,000 square miles of wilderness in dispute. The British got less land, but won the desired Halifax-Quebec route. The British, in adjusting the U.S.-Canadian boundary farther west, surrendered 6,500 square miles. The area was later found to contain the priceless Mesabi iron ore of Minnesota.

Buena Vista

The location of a battle on Befruary 22-23, 1847 between 5,000 American troops led by Zachary Taylor and 20,000 troops under the command of Santa Anna.

California population

The population of Cali in 1845 was mixed. 13,000 Spanish Mexicans and 75,000 Indians. there were < 1000 foriegners (americans)

Anti-British sentiment

There were many different feelings towards Britain, people were bitter, because of the two wars with Britain, also the pro-British federalists had died out and eventually yielding to the boisterous Jacksonian Democrats; also British travelers to America were repulsed by what they saw, bad manners, disgusting, rude, this started a third war with Britain, a war of words

Winfield Scott & Mexico City

This general battled his way to this city by September 1847 making him the most distinguished general between the years 1783 and 1861

Treaty of Guadaloupe-Hildalgo

Treaty that gave to America all Mexican territory from Texas to California that was north of the Rio Grande. This land was called the Mexican Cession since Mexico ceded it to the U.S; U.S. only had to pay $15 million to Mexico for it; $3.5 million in debts from Mexico to the U.S. were absolved as well. In essence, the U.S. had forced Mexico to "sell" the Mexican Cession lands.

Tyler and the veto

Tyler vetoed many Whig propositions Such as: A) Tyler vetoed the Whigs bank bill on both practical and constitutional ground B) The Whigs tried again, they provided a bill for a Fiscal Corporation, Tyler vetoed it; Tyler is now expelled from his party, and his entire cabinet resigned in a body , except Webster; C) Tyler also vetoed the tariff that the Whigs proposed; after the tariff bill was edited and fixed Tyler, although unwillingly, signed the bill into law

Tyler as a Whig

Tyler was officially a Whig, but did not agree with their policies he was more of a democrat; but he could not stand Jackson and therefore became a Whig; the Whigs were Pro-bank, pro- protective tariff, and pro- internal improvements; Tyler disagreed with the Whigs platform and therefore eventually was kicked out of the party

Charles Dickens

a British author who entered the fray of gall-dipped pens for they were being denied rich royalties by the absence of an american copyright law

Aroostook war

a Maine boundary dispute started this; the British wanted to build a westward road from the seaport of Halifax to Quebec as a defense precaution this road went through disputed territory; lumberjacks from both sides entered this disputed land and ugly fights erupted and both sides summoned local militia

Californios

a term used to identify a Californian of Hispanic; most were descendants of the Spanish and Mexican conquerors who had once ruled California. Much of Californio society lived at or near the many missions; but they were overthrown when the civil war broke out and by 1870 the Californios' brief ascendency had utterly vanished.

23. British claims and population

claims to Oregon Country north of Columbia River were strong; based on prior discovery, exploration, traty rights, and occupation; most important colonizing agent was Hudson's Bay Company that traded fur with Indians; only had 700 or subjects north of river; losing in population race to US began to see wisdom of arriving at peaceful settlement

Santa Anna deal

he had been exiled to Cuba and let it be known that if the American blockading squadron would permit him to slip into Mexico, he would sell out his country and Polk agreed

John C. Fremont

helped Kearny overthrow Mexican rule in California when he brought several dozen well armed men; he collaborated with American naval officers and with the local Americans, who had hoisted the banner of the short-lived California Bear Flag Republic

Tyler as lame duck

interpreted James Polk's narrow Democratic victory in 1844 as a mandate to acquire Texas; wanted his troubled administration to be crowned with TX; aware of Union opposition so gave up securing 2/3 vote in Senate and arranged for annexation by joint resolution; resolution passed and TX became 28th state in 1845

Zachary Taylor

known as "Old Rough and Ready" because of his iron constitution and appearance; he fought his way across the Rio Grande and into Mexico. After several victories he reached Buena Vista (1847) where his 5000 were attacked by Santa Anna's 20,000 men yet they still won.

Treaty of 1818

negotiated by the Monroe administration with Britain; permitted Americans to share Newfoundland fisheries with Canada; fixed northern limits of LA along the 49th parallel from Minnesota to Rockies; provided for 10-r joint occupation of Oregon Country, w/o surrender or the rights or claims of wither America or Britain

Panic of 1837 and Canada-

the building of expensive canals and railroad am. Became a borrowing nation and britian was the lending nation and the creditors were never popular with the debtors when came time to collect their money this panic broke out several states defaulted on their bonds or repudiated them openly; in Canada a short lived insurrection arose when a few hundred Ams. tried to strike a blow for freedom against their enemy and the Washington regime tried to uphold neutrality regulations

"Collossus of the North"

the name for the United States; typically used by those who viewed the country as oppressive to its southern neighbors (Latin America).

20. 54 40'

the north boundary of Oregon Country; Russia receded to this line by the treaties of 1824 and 1825; northwestern states wanted America to get all of Oregon up to this point, but did not get it; caused more sectional tension between north and south

Tariff of 1842

the tariff bill drafted by the Clayites; chopped out offensive dollar-distribution scheme and lowered rates to that of 1832, about 32%; Prez Tyler didn't want protective tariff but saw need to additional revenue so signed law; pressure for higher custom duties decreased b/c country slowly coming o of depression

Election of 1840

the winner of the 1840 election was William Harrison; the Whigs intended to use him to their advantage; however, their plan shattered when Harrison died after 4 weeks in office. His vice president, John Tyler, took his place

Purpose for going to war with Mexico

unpaid claims, John Slidell's rejection, and on April 25, 1864 Mexican troops fired first by crossing the Rio Grande and attacking Taylor's command killing 16 Americans