MANIFEST DESTINY (1840-1850s)

Americans believed it was their manifest destiny to move west

Is an example of US asserting power and expansionism in the Western Hemisphere
Caused controversy over acquisition of new territory in West
It helped with the debates between the imperialists and anti-imperialists
Deals with environmental transformation of western region
Created a national mission and belief of superior cultural identity
Oregon fever and manifest destiny allowed a push for Texas without threatening the Union over
slavery
Polk won presidency in 1844 on a platform of annexing Texas, taking all of Oregon, gaining
California and lowering tariffs
SAMPLE AP EXAM QUESTION-Express point of view of artist of American Progress painting on
page 411 on migration, technology, American Indians, Explain one development from the period
of 1800-1845 that led to the point of view, Explain one way developments following 1845
challenged or supported point of view expressed by the artist.

PRESIDENT POLK

Polk won presidency in 1844 on a platform of annexing Texas, taking all of Oregon,
gaining California and lowering tariffs ( he believed country needed more land)
Polk negotiated a treaty for of Oregon, 49th parallel (compromised with Britain on
Oregon because facing problems with Mexico)
Tried to persuade Mexico to sell CA and NM and settle Mexico-Texas border dispute
After failing to buy CA, Polk provoked Mexico into attacking US troops near the Rio
Grande, thus causing a war with Mexico
Public support faded (conscience Whigs, Lincolns spot resolutions) even though the
US won every major battle

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gave Mexico $15 million for CA, NM (the Mexican Cession),
recognition of TX annexation and recognized Rio Grande as the southern border of TX

Some Whigs opposed the treaty because they saw the war as an immoral effort to
expand slavery. Others disliked it because they wanted the US to take all of Mexico.

Mexican war renewed issue of expansion of slavery even though territory gained was
unsuited for slavery and gave Northern majority in the legislative branch

Wilmot Proviso to ban slavery in new territories split Democrats (never passed)
Free Soil movement opposed the spread of slavery and was endorsed by Frederick
Douglas (North Star)
Whigs and Taylor won 1848 election because Democrats were split and Free Soil party
cost them a win in NY
COMPROMISE 1850

CA admitted as a free state

popular sovereignty (let territories decide for themselves whether they want slavery) for
the New Mexico, Utah territories
abolishment of slave trade, not slavery in Wash. DC
disputed land given to NM, TX paid for it
new Fugitive Slave Act (was compromise to admit CA as a free state)-angered
northerners, who saw slavery as a moral wrong, caused them to take more extreme
positions (John Browns raid)

DRED SCOTT

since slaves were considered property, they couldnt sue, the decision allowed slavery in
territories and declared Missouri Compromise of 1820 unconstitutional

REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM 1860

formed as a free-soil party opposed to extension of slavery into the territories

didnt call for abolition of slavery but prohibit it from spreading
wanted Kansas as a free state
appealed mostly to northerners
supported tariff to benefit northern manufacturers
Lincoln won with only 40% of vote
Election showed sectional split over slavery

Background to the Civil War

Southerners believed that the Republicans/North would undermine their way of

life
Northerners believed secession would destroy the idea of a republican form of
government
Causes of the Civil War:
Slavery was underlying cause
Election of Lincoln
Conflict over the expansion of slavery
Economic, social and cultural differences
Debate over states rights vs. federal rights
The rise of abolitionism
Northern advantages:
Population (22 million vs. 9 million)
Industrialized economy and efficient transportation
Better political leadership and established government
US Navy
Southern Advantages:
Better military leadership and soldiers, at first
Fought to defend homes and way of life

Defensive wars are easier to win

7 states seceded before Lincoln was inaugurated
Crittenden Compromise rejected by Republicans
would have protected slavery and extended 3630' line
was the last chance to avoid war
Lincolns decision to provision Ft. Sumter led to open hostilities and 4 more states
seceded
Lincoln used martial law, supervised voting, mass arrests and other tactics to retain the 4
border states
Both sides were forced to eventually rely on a draft
Exemptions: $300, substitution, or many slaves
Led to rioting by Irish, Germans, and poor whites
Women helped war effort; many became nurses
King Cotton failed to save the South
North created beginnings of modern economy
Union used taxes (20%), bonds (65%), greenbacks (15%) to pay war; South relied on
inflation (9,200%)
Industrialization and transportation changed warfare
Monitor (North) vs. Merrimac (South), the first battle of ironclads, was a draw
Submarines, land mines, hot air balloons, gatling guns
Confiscation Acts allowed Union to seize Confederate property including slaves
(contrabands)
African American troops fought for the Union

EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

Lincoln rejected initial class for the emancipation of slaves because he didnt want bordering
states to secede
Lincoln felt a constitutional amendment was needed to free the slaves
Was issued to prevent a British alliance with Confederacy (Britain was supplying warships to
Confederates but with Emancipation Proclamation, Britains working class sided with the Union)

RESULTS OF CIVIL WAR

Union preserved
Encourage westward expansion
Republican party dominate presidency until 1884
Abolished slavery (13th amendment) and 14-15th amendments were passed

RECONSTRUCTION

Johnson allowed Confederates to recover seized land

Radical Republicans began to override vetoes
14th amendment gave blacks citizenship, due process, repudiates Dred Scott case and
will be used for denial of equal opportunities for years to come
1867 Reconstruction Act put South under military rule

Johnson was impeached for firing Stanton (Tenure of Office Act violation) but not
removed from office
Grant was easily elected president in 1868
15th amendment gave blacks the right to vote, but did allow barriers to voting (e.g. poll
taxes, literacy tests)
Failure of 15th amendment to grant women suffrage, split the womens rights movement
Between 1868-1871, all Southern states had rejoined the Union under Republican
governments
Blacks played important roles in these governments which made sweeping, if not longlasting, reforms
Churches and Schools for blacks grew in the South
Sharecropping became the new labor system in the South for many former slaves
Sharecropping and crop lien system kept the South from diversifying its farms or
improving economically
Redeemers used patriotism, politics (Democratic Party), and force (KKK) to undo radical
reconstruction
Congress passed the Enforcement Acts against the KKK
Republicans grew tired of fighting and only 3 states (LA, SC, FL) remained Republican
by 1876
Propaganda and the Liberal Republican focus on civil-service reform undercut northern
support for freemen
Panic of 1873 and corruption in Grants administration also weakened northern resolve to
remake the South
Disputed returns led to stalemate in 1876 election-so election was decided by an electoral
commission
Compromise of 1877: ended military reconstruction in the South in return for Hayes
election to presidency-federal troops are removed from South
Reconstruction was undone but foreshadowed future

CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION IMPACT ON US

Secession not an option for states

13th amendment abolishing slavery settled the question of expansion of slavery in the west
Republican Party will dominate national politics until well into the 20th century
Southern legislatures passed laws to disenfranchise and marginalize African Americans (ex. Black
Codes)
Ordinary men still had little power in Congress and government
Despite 14th and 15th amendments many African Americans still didnt have equal citizenship
and voting rights
Women still didnt gain the right to vote
Northern business interests controlled economy

Legislation favored business interests and big businesses increase their power
Transcontinental railroad gave railroad and shipping interests enormous power
South was encouraged to stay agricultural
Sharecropping system left many continually poor and in debt
Blacks married and were reunited with families
Jim crow laws caused African Americans to be second-class citizens
US expansion affected the lives of Native and Hispanic Americans
Women began to make small gains in employment and education opportunities

NATIVE AMERICANS

Government hoped to end American Indian tribal identities through assimilation

Used military in response to resistance
Slaughter of buffalo opened Great Plains to faster RR travel, cattle grazing, and undermined
Indian life
Battle of Wounded Knee (1891) was last major Indian battle on Plains
Most sent to reservations
Indian Wars

RAILROADS

Caused environmental transformation and government policies to promote economic

development
Emergence of industrial culture in US

Transcontinental RR was completed in 1869 (five by 1887)

Gadsen Purchase to build southwestern railroad, present day NW and AZ
Encouraged settlement in Great Plains
Used Irish and Chinese labor to build the railroad