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Manifest Destiny Flashcards

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675150626Manifest Destiny-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. -The belief that America had the God-given right and duty to expand across the continent 1. Expansion--America established its continental boundaries from the East to West coasts (Texan-Mexican war, Louisiana and Gadsden Purchases) 2. Indian removal--the Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized deportation of all American Indians east of the Mississippi to western reservations and 'Indian territory', leading to starvation, sickness, and death. Indian tribes never really came back well after this. 3. New transportation methods--namely the Transcontinental Railroad, built by two railroad companies the Central Pacific (started laying track in California) and the Union Pacific (started laying track in Nebraska) which met in Promontory Point, Utah.
675150627Treaty of Paris 1783This treaty ended the Revolutionary War, recognized the independence of the American colonies, and granted the colonies the territory from the southern border of Canada to the northern border of Florida, and from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River
675150628Louisiana PurchaseThe U.S., under Jefferson, bought the Louisiana territory from France, under the rule of Napoleon, in 1803. The U.S. paid $15 million for the Louisiana Purchase, and Napoleon gave up his empire in North America. The U.S. gained control of Mississippi trade route and doubled its size.
675150629Treaty of 1818Treaty between Britain and America, it allowed the Americans to share the Newfoundland fisheries with Canada, and gave both countries a joint occupation of the Oregon Territory for the next 10 years. -it established the 49th parallel fixing the northern border between the US and Canada from Minnesota to Oregon
675150630Webster-Ashburton Treaty1842 between the US and the Brits, settled boundry disputes in the North West, fixed most borders between US and Canada, talked about slavery and excredition
675150631Aroostock WarDispute over the Maine boundary. The British wanted to build a road from Halifax to Quebec that ran through land already claimed by Maine. Fights started on both sides and they both got their local militia. It could have been a war, but it never preceded that far. The British's surrender of 6500 square miles in Minnesota proved costly, as the priceless Mesabi iron was later found within this territory.
675150632Rush Bagot Treaty1817; The US and British agreed to set limits on the number of naval vessels each could have on the Great Lakes.
67515063349th ParallelDividing line at the 49th parallel - north became Canada, South became Washington and Oregon.
675150634Election 1840Whigs united under William Henry Harrison, the one Whig candidate who had won national support 4 years earlier. Borrowing campaign tactics from the Democrats and inventing many of their own, Whigs campaigned hard in every state. The result was a Whig victory and a truly national two-party system.
675150635"His Accidency"a term for Tyler during his presidency because he had become president "by accident"- with Harrison's death. This was a derogatory nickname, he was very unpopular because of his lack of a true party and his inactive role as president. He vetoed almost every important bill that came to his office, and every member of his cabinet except one, Daniel Webster, resigned.
676503931Great American DesertRegion between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains. Vast domain became accessible to Americans wishing to settle there. This region was called the "Great American Desert" in atlases published between 1820 and 1850, and many people were convinced this land was a Sahara habitable only to Indians. The phrase had been coined by Major Long during his exploration of the middle portion of the Louisiana Purchase region.
676503932Senator Thomas Hart BentonA zealous supporter of western interests, he staunchly advocated government support of frontier exploration during his term in the Senate from 1820 - 1850. A senator from Missouri, but he opposed slavery.
676503933Horace GreeleyAn American newspaper editor and founder of the Republican party. His New York Tribune was America's most influential newspaper 1840-1870. Greeley used it to promote the Whig and Republican parties, as well as antislavery and a host of reforms.
676503934John L O'Sullivanthe editor of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review who coined the name Manifest Destiny for the expansionist movement. He believed that it was the divine right of Americans to expand and became the expansionist movement.
676503935Stephan AustinAmerican colonizer in Texas, he was imprisoned for urging Texas statehood after Santa Anna suspended Mexico's constitution. After helping Texas win independence from Mexico, he became secretary of state for the Texas Republic -He lead the first of several groups to settle land in Texas which was at the time a territory owned by Mexico.
676503936Texas War of Independence1836, Mexican dictator Santa Anna marched a Mexican army into texas. March 2, 1836 Texas declares independence. Feb 23rd to March 6th at the alamo, 187 Texans, David Crockett and Jim Bowie, hold off 3,000 mexicans troops. March 6 Santa Anna's troop overwhelm the Texans killing all of them. April 21, 1836 at San Jacinto, Sam Houston's army defeats Santa Anna and forces him to recognize the independence of Texas
676503937Santa AnaMexican general who tried to crush the Texas revolt and who lost battles to Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor in the Mexican War (1795-1876)
676503938Alamo-A Spanish mission converted into a fort, it was besieged by Mexican troops in 1836. The Texas garrison held out for thirteen days, but in the final battle, all of the Texans were killed by the larger Mexican force. -mission and fort that was the site of a siege and battle during the Texas Revolution, which resulted in the massacre of all its defenders; the event helped galvanize the Texas rebels and eventually led to their victory at the Battle of San Jacinto and independence from Mexico.
676503939William TravisCommander of the defenders of the Alamo who was only 26 years old. He was determined to hold his position and managed to send messages through Mexican lines asking for assistance, but none came. He was killed in the Battle of the Alamo, and he was important because his death made Texas fight harder for their independence.
676503940Davy Crockettsent to deal with problems with Shawnees and Creeks; present at the Alamo, during which his fame as a bear-killer/frontiersman had already been established; taken prisoner after the battle and executed by bayonet by Santa Anna, in front of all of his men
676503941James BowieUnited States pioneer and hero of the Texas revolt against Mexico. He shared command of the garrison that resisted the Mexican attack on the Alamo where he died.
676503942GoliadTexas outpost where American volunteers, having laid down their arms and surrendered, were massacred by Mexican forces in 1836. The incident, along with the slaughter at the Alamo, fueled American support for Texan independence.
676503943San Jacinto-the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas -A surprise attack by Texas forces on Santa Ana's camp on April 21, 1836. Santa Ana's men were surprised and overrun in twenty minutes. Santa Ana was taken prisoner and signed an armistice securing Texas independence. Mexicans - 1,500 dead, 1,000 captured. Texans - 4 dead.
676503944Sam HoustonUnited States politician and military leader who fought to gain independence for Texas from Mexico and to make it a part of the United States (1793-1863), First president of the Republic of Texas
676503945Stephen Austinknown as the Father of Texas, led the second and ultimately successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States.
676503946Republic of TexasCreated March, 1836 but not recognized until the next month after the battle of San Jacinto. Its second president attempted to establish a sound government and develop relations with England and France. However, rapidly rising public debt, internal conflicts and renewed threats from Mexico led Texas to join the U.S. in 1845.
676503947Jackson's Refusal of Texasthe adition of another slave state would upset the balance of slave and free states in congress
676503948Annexation of Texas-Texas decides to secede from Mexico and attempts to declare its independence which eventually leads to our adoption of the land as a state although it was feared that it would cause conflict with mexico leading to war. Southern states in support of this as Texas brought slaves with it meaning it would increase agricultural profits -U.S. made Texas a state in 1845. Joint resolution - both houses of Congress supported annexation under Tyler, and he signed the bill shortly before leaving office
676503949Election of 1844Main debate over Texas. Whigs nominate Henry Clay and democrats nominate James Polk. Polk says he will annex Texas and Oregon to make both sides happy. Polk was elected
676503950James K. PolkPolk was a slave owning southerner dedicated to Democratic party. In 1844, he was a "dark horse" candidate for president, and he won the election. Polk favored American expansion, especially advocating the annexation of Texas, California, and Oregon. He was a friend and follower of Andrew Jackson. He opposed Clay's American System, instead advocating lower tariff, separation the treasury and the federal government from the banking system. He was a nationalist who believed in Manifest Destiny.
676503951John SlidellA diplomat sent by Polk to buy California, New Mexico, and Texas from the Mexicans. Mexico rejected his offer and Polk sent Taylor's army into Mexico
676503952General Zachery Taylor-Polk ordered troops lead by Taylor to cross the Nuecess River. This was as an invasion of Mexico's territory. Polk wanted Mexico to fire the first shot. -Mexican and American officials could not negotiate terms for the purchase of New Mexico and California, so Polk sent this guy to the border with Mexico and hoped war would follow
676503953Rio GrandeRiver that forms the border between Texas and Mexico
676503954Spot resolutionResolution offered by Congressman Abraham Lincoln demanding to know the precise location where Mexicans had allegedly shed American blood on the "America" soil.
676503955Stephen KearnyGeneral that led a detachment of 17,000 troops over the Santa fe Tail from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe. Secured California for the US.
676503956Mexican Warafter disputes over Texas lands that were settled by Mexicans the United States declared war on Mexico in 1846 and by treaty in 1848 took Texas and California and Arizona and New Mexico and Nevada and Utah and part of Colorado and paid Mexico $15,000,000
676503957John C. Fremontan American military officer, explorer, the first candidate of the Republican Party for the office of President of the United States, and the first presidential candidate of a major party to run on a platform in opposition to slavery.
676503958General Winfield ScouttHero of the Mexican war and was Lincoln's first attempt to establish a Commander of Chief. But he was old and retired November 1,1861.
676503959Nicholas TristSent as a special envoy by President Polk to Mexico City in 1847 to negotiate an end to the Mexican War.
676503960Treaty of Guadelupe HildagoThis treaty required Mexico to cede the American Southwest, including New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California, to the U.S. U.S. gave Mexico $15 million in exchange, so that it would not look like conquest (Polk Administration) (1848)
676503961Wilmot ProvisoBill that would ban slavery in the territories acquired after the War with Mexico Dispute over whether any Mexican territory that America won during the Mexican War should be free or a slave territory. A representative named David Wilmot introduced an amendment stating that any territory acquired from Mexico would be free. This amendment passed the House twice, but failed to ever pass in Senate. The "Wilmot Proviso", as it became known as, became a symbol of how intense dispute over slavery was in the U.S.
676503962Mexican Cessionhistorical name for the region of the present day southwestern United States that was ceded to the U.S. by Mexico in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo following the Mexican-American War. this massive land grab was significant because the question of extending slavery into newly acquired territories had become the leading national political issue.
676503963Carolina and Creole AffairsA group of Canadian malcontents determined to free Canada from British rule made looting forays into Canada from an island being supplied by a ship from Carolina. The Canadians burned the vessel and killed an American on board. The Creole Affair involved slaves who mutinied and killed a crewman, then sailed to the Bahamas, where the British let them all go. The U.S. wanted the slaves back, but Britain refused. The ship stolen by the slaves was the Creole.
676503964John Jacob AstorCreated one of the largest fur businesses, the American Fur Company. He bought skins from western fur traders and trappers who became known as montain men. Astoria was named after him.
676503965Oregon Fever-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. -this sudden influx of American settlers into the Oregon Country gave the US an advantage in population over the British in the territory.
67650396654' 40Northern boundary of Oregon territory jointly occupied with Britain, advocated by Democratic party and others as the desired line of American expansion.
676503967Oregon TerritoryThe territory comprised what arenow the states of Oregon and Washington; and portions of what became British Columbia; Canada. This land was claimed by both the U.S. and Britain and was held jointly under the Convention of 1818.
676503968Willamette Valleywas the area where the Oregon Territory ended up. The missionaries in Oregon sent word back to where they started. The missionaries landed there.
676503969Election of 1848Candidates: 1. Zachary Taylor-winner, honest, ignorant (whig) 2. Martin Van Buren (Free Soil Party- made slavery an issue) 3. Lewis Cass-father of popular sovereignty (Democrat). Zachary Taylor became president, died in office, making his vice president Millard Fillmore president
676503970Lewis CassHe was nominated as President after Polk and he evolved a doctrine of popular sovereignty. He argued that slavery should be kept out of Congress and left to the people.
676503971Gadsen Purchase1853 - After the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgowas signed, the U.S. realized that it had accidentally left portions of the southwestern stagecoach routes to California as part of Mexico. James Gadsen, the U.S. Minister to Mexico, was instructed by President Pierce to draw up a treaty that would provide for the purchase of the territory through which the stage lines ran, along which the U.S. hoped to also eventually build a southern continental railroad. This territory makes up the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
676503972Conestoga Wagona vehicle with wide wheels, a curved bed, and a canvas cover used by American pioneers traveling west.
676503973California Trailmajor overland emigrant route across the Western United States from Missouri to California in the middle 19th century. It was used by 250,000 farmers and gold-seekers to reach the California gold fields. Largely superseded by the railroads
676503974Sante Fe Traila route from Independece, Missouri to Sante Fe, New Mexico. Used by traders in the early and mid 1800's.
676503975Old Spanish TrailRoute that connects Santa Fe to San Fransisco, traders traveled along this trail, they were likely to be American traders taking goods to southern California
676503976Mormon TrailIn 1847, about 1,600 Mormons followed part of the Oregon Trail to Utah. They built a settlement by the Great Salt Lake.
676503977Oregon TrailPioneer trail that began in Missouri and crossed the Great Plains into the Oregon Territory; main route across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains; after the coming of the railroad, the trail fell into disuse and was finally abandoned in the 1870s
676503978Transportation RevolutionBy 1850s, railroad transportation was fairly cheap and widespread. It allowed goods to be moved in large quantities over long distances, and it reduced travel time. , term referring to a series of nineteenth-century transportation innovation-turnpikes, steamboats, canals, and railroads-that linked local and regional markets, creating a national economy.
676503979Rail RoadsAllows nation to expand westward, allows agriculture to expand into the Great Plains. Allows cities and towns to expand. Provides easy ways to get raw materials to factory then finished goods to market. In order for railroads to operate, track, power, and locomotive.
676503980Clipper ShipsSecond quarter of 1800s. Long, narrow, wooden ships with tall masts and enormous sails. Unequalled in speed and were used for trade, especially for transporting perishable products from distant countries like China and between the eastern and western United States.
676503981SteamshipsSteamships proved their own versatility by advancing up rivers to points that sailboats could not reach because of inconvenient twists, turns, or winds.
676503982HomesteadsGovernment land gifts given to farmers
676503983Industrial RevolutionA series of improvements in industrial technology that transformed the process of manufacturing goods.
676503984Lowell Factorieswas a cotton and wool manufacturing plant "put spinning and weaving under one roof" mostly women working at looms, showed wage differentials between men and women mass production of high-quality cloth
676503985Elias HoweUnited States inventor who built early sewing machines and won suits for patent infringement against other manufacturers (including Isaac M. Singer) (1819-1867)
676503986Financial Revolution?
676503987Independent Treasury SystemThe act removed the federal government from involvement with the nation's banking system by establishing federal depositories for public funds instead of keeping the money in national, state, or private banks. This was the system the government adopted until the federal reserve act of 1910.
676503988Walker TariffThe 1846 Walker tariff was a Democratic bill that reversed the high rates of tariffs imposed by the Whig-backed "Black Tariff" of 1842 under the tenth president, John Tyler. It was one of the lowest tariffs in American history and primarily supported by Southern Democrats who had little industry in their districts. The act is named after Robert J. Walker, a Mississippi politician who served as Secretary of the Treasury under president James K. Polk. The tariff's reductions (35% to 25%) coincided with Britain's repeal of the Corn Laws earlier that year, leading to a decline in protection in both and an increase in trade.
676503989Communication RevolutionImproved printing press = cheaper newspapers and magazines Samuel F. B. Morse's telegraph (1837)- long distance messages
676503990Samuel Morsean american painter of portraits and historic scenes, the creator of a single wire telegraph system, and co-inventor, with alfred vail, of the morse code
676503991Cyrus FieldAmerican businessman who laid the first telegraph wire across the Atlantic. This cut down the time it took for a message to be sent from Europe to American and vice-versa.
67650399210 Hour Movementbegan in 1844 as mill girls were asked to sign a petition to pressure the mills to change to a ten hour work day. Many feared that if they signed a petition calling for a ten-hour day, they would be fired and blacklisted from working at any mill. By 1845, a 130 foot long scroll with 4,500 names on it was sent to the government. The Ten-Hour Movement petition was not passed at that time. In 1874, the law was passed, but girls were not working in the mills any more. Immigrants had taken their places.
676503993Commonwealth v. Hunt(1842) a landmark ruling of the MA Supreme Court establishing the legality of labor unions and the legality of union workers striking if an employer hired non-union workers.
676503994National Labor Unionfounded by William Sylvis (1866); supported 8-hour workday, convict labor, federal department of labor, banking reform, immigration restrictions to increase wages, women; excluded blacks

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