APUSH Chapter 13

Wilmot Proviso

(1846) Amendment that sought to prohibit slavery from territories acquired from Mexico. Introduced by Pennsylvania congressman David Wilmot, the failed amendment ratcheted up tensions between North and South over the issue of slavery; never became federal law, but it was eventually endorsed by the legislatures of all but one of the free states, and it came to symbolize the burning issue of slavery in the territories.

Walker Tariff

(1846) Revenue-enhancing measure that lowered tariffs from 1842 thereby fueling trade and increasing Treasury receipts; reduced the average rates of the Tariff of 1842 from about 32% to 25% and so it had strong support of low-tariff southerners, but had objection of Clayites, who complained that American manufacturing would be ruined; however this tariff proved to be an excellent revenue producer.

Polk's Goals in Office

- Reduce Tariff - Walker Tariff by 25% - Re-establish Independent Treasury - Not National Bank - Rotation in Office - Expand - Settle "Oregon Question" - Ran on slogan "54'40" or Fight" - Acquire California and area between CA and TX.

Sam Houston

A 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. In 1827 Houston was elected Governor of Tennessee as a Jacksonian. In 1829 he resigned as Governor and relocated to Arkansas Territory. Shortly afterwards he relocated to Coahuila y Texas, then a Mexican state, and became a leader of the Texas Revolution. He supported annexation by the United States. In 1832 Houston was involved in an altercation with a U.S. Congressman, followed by a high profile trial.

Aroostook War

A nonviolent confrontation in 1838/1839 between the United States and Great Britain over the boundary between British North America (Canada) and Maine. The compromise resolution wins a mutually accepted border between the state of Maine and the provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. High tensions and heated rhetoric in Maine and New Brunswick led both sides to march troops to the disputed border. President Martin Van Buren sent Brigadier General Winfield Scott to work out a compromise, created a neutral area, no actual confrontation between military forces,. Negotiations between diplomats from Britain and Daniel Webster. Webster secretly funded a propaganda campaign that convinced leaders in Maine of the wisdom of compromise. Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842.

John Slidell

American and Mexico were on unfriendly terms with each other. The disagreement came over boundaries along Texas and in California. John Slidell was sent to Mexico in 1845 as a minister, He was given instructions to offer $25 million to the Mexicans for California. He was rejected by the Mexicans and they called this offer "insulting". After Mexico refused it lead to the Mexico American war.

Fifty-four forty

Amount of land north of Oregon annexers wanted. Saying from Polk to encourage land greed.

Webster-Ashburton Treaty

August 9, 1842, was a treaty resolving several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies. Signed under John Tyler's presidency, it resolved the Aroostook War, a nonviolent dispute over the location of the Maine.

Manifest Destiny

Belief that US had a divine mission to extend its power and civilization across North America. This expression was popular in the 1840s. Many people believed that the U.S. was destined to secure territory from "sea to sea," from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This rationale drove the acquisition of territory.

Gadsden Purchase

Completed Continental USA in 1853 for $10 million.

General Santa Ana

Dictator of Mexico who jailed Stephen Austin for eight months; 1835 wiped out all local rights and started to raise an army to suppress the upstart Texas; led 6,000 soldiers into Texas for the famous Alamo in an Antonio where he emerged victorious after a 30 day siege; in San Jacinto General Sam Houston and about 900 soldiers defeated his men and captured him; while captured he was forced to sign two treaties: 1)withdraw Mexican troops 2)recognize the Rio Grande as the extreme southwestern boundary of Texas; after Polk and Congress declared war on Mexico for their attack of General Taylor's Command across the Rio Grande the exiled dictator voiced that if the American blockading squadron would permit him to slip into Mexico, he would sell out his country. Polk agreed to this, however, once in Mexico he rallied his countrymen to a desperate defense of their soil.

John Tyler

Elected Vice President and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died 1841-1845. Wasn't liked by people. Called his accidency. His whole cabinet resigned except for Webster (only stayed so he could work on Webster-Ashburton Treaty). Doesn't have a political party: doesn't like the national bank tariff. Important because sets the presidency that if president dies the VP takes over.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

February 2 1848. The agreement between President Polk and the new Mexican government for Mexico to cede California and New Mexico to the US and acknowledge the Rio Grand as the boundary of Texas. In return, the US promised to assume any financial claims its new citizens had against Mexico and to pay the Mexicans $15 million.

John C. Fremont

He was an explorer, army major, and surveyor known as "The Pathfinder." During the Mexican War, this captain played a crucial rule in overthrowing Mexican rule in California (the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846). Following California's independence from Mexico, he and a group of American naval officers and local Americans collaborated together to form the short-lived Bear Flag Republic. In the Election of 1856, he would run as the first Republican candidate for president against the Democratic candidate James Buchanan; he would lose the election to Buchanan, but he would go on to serve as governor of the Arizona Territory.

Bear Flag Revolt

Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, began inciting the people of California to revolt against Mexico. When U.S. Army Major John C. Frémont arrived in California claiming to be on a mission to find a route to the Pacific (his mission officially was to find the source of the Arkansas River), he began encouraging a parallel rebellion. As a result, 33 settlers in Sonoma, assisted by volunteers from among the American settlers and Vacqueros from the many haciendas, in the Sacramento River valley, captured the Mexican garrison of Sonoma and raised a homemade flag with a bear and star to symbolize their taking control.

Lone Star Republic

Nickname for Texas after it won independence from Mexico in 1836.

James K. Polk

President in March 1845, wanted to settle Oregon boundary dispute with Britain, acquire California, and to incorporate Texas into union.

Tariff of 1842

The Tariff of 1842, Black Tariff, was a protectionist tariff to reverse the effects of the Compromise Tariff of 1833. As the 20% level approached in 1842, industrial interests and members of the Whig Party began clamoring for protection, claiming that the reductions left them vulnerable to European competition. The bill restored protection and raised average tariff rates to almost 40%. The impact of the 1842 tariff was felt immediately through a decline in international trade in 1843. The Tariff of 1842 was repealed in 1846 when it was replaced by the Walker Tariff. The Whigs' loss of Congress and the presidency in 1844 facilitated a Democratic-led effort to reduce the rates again.

Winfield Scott

United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852. Served on active duty as a general longer than any other man in American history. During the Mexican-American War, Major General Scott commanded the southern of the two United States armies.

Zachary Taylor

Whig Party Candidate for the election of 1848 who ran against Lewis Cass, a veteran of the war of 1812. Taylor won the election to become the 12th President of the U.S. and the second to die in office. His vice president Millard Fillmore took over in July of 1850. Taylor was a Louisiana plantation owner and the last president to own slaves while in office. He was known as "Old Rough and Ready" because of his past military experiences starting in the War of 1812 and ending with the Mexican American War. He took a moderate stance on the issue of the extension of slavery into new states. He laid the foundations for the Compromise of 1850, which would occur during Fillmore's term in office.