Polk and Westward Expansion

Polk and Westward Expansion

8.53, 8.54, and 8.57: Identify the major events and impact of James K. Polk’s presidency, including the annexation of Texas and the settlement of the Oregon boundary. Describe the causes and consequences of the Mexican War, including the controversy over the Rio Grande boundary and the Mexican Cession. Describe the significance of the Gadsden Purchase of 1853.

Multiple Choice

What is Manifest Destiny?

• Giving land back to Native Americans

• Taxing Native Americans to force them off their land

• Belief that America is destined by God to colonize Western North America

• Start of the 2nd Great Awakening

The year is 1844 and a lot is going on, particularly a presidential election. James K. Polk is the Democratic nominee with two goals in mind, to establish a new border between the U.S. and British Canada, under any circumstances, and to add Texas to the Union. These goals would help win Polk the election and become the 11th President of the United States. Polk was a student of Jacksonian politics and was even given the name "Young Hickory." Like Jackson, Polk would do what he came to Washington to do no matter the cost, even if War was the only way....

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Texas Annexation

Multiple Choice

James K. Polk was a student of Jacksonian Politics. What political party was started by Jackson after the Election of 1824?

• Whig Party
• Republican Party
• Democratic Party
• Federalist Party

Multiple Choice

Andrew Jackson was one of the main presidents who pushed for Westward Expansion. What did he sign that allowed many settlers to move onto land that was, for a time, prohibited from white settlers moving onto it?

• Indian Removal Act
• Manifest Destiny
• Louisiana Purchase
• Homestead Act

Multiple Choice

The Indian Removal Act led to harsh consequences that would remove over hundreds of thousands of Native Americans off of their tribal land. What was the path called that the Indians took after they were removed?

• Trail of Tears
• Trail of Suffering
• Path of Sorrow
• Journey of Tears

Multiple Choice

Speaking of the Election of 1824, many believed that John Quincy Adams' win was fixed and made a lot of working Americans mad at the government. What did they end up calling the Election of 1824?

• Corrupt Bargain
• Illegitimate Win
• Unfair Contest
• Rigged Election

Did you know for 9 years Texas was its own independent country? Congress would not admit Texas into the Union due to potential conflict with Mexico. Opponents of Texas Annexation, like Henry Clay, believed Texas was too big to be apart of the United States and potentially could lead us into a war with Mexico. Texas was frustrated and many believed that Texas might end up joining other nations like France or Great Britain. President Polk persuaded Congress and on December 29, 1845 Texas was finally admitted into the Union as the 28th State.

Texas Becomes a State

Multiple Choice

Many supporters of Texas Independence left the states and went to Texas shouting the chant...

• Recall the Battle of San Jacinto
• Don't forget the Alamo
• Remember the Alamo
• Remember the Texas Revolution

Multiple Choice

Texas won its Independence at the Battle of San Jacinto led by Tennessee native and former TN Governor...

• Andrew Jackson
• Davy Crockett
• Stephen F. Austin
• Sam Houston

Multiple Choice

This local Tennessean became a hero at the Battle of the Alamo.

• Davy Crockett
• George Washington
• Andrew Jackson
• Sam Houston

Meanwhile there is another piece of land that caught Polk's eye, the territory of Oregon. Since 1818 the British and the United States have been in dispute over the Northern border. During Polk's Presidential Campaign, his slogan stated "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!" The slogan is referring to the Northern border of Oregon, 54 degrees, 40 minutes. If the British did not acknowledge the United States' claim over this territory, Polk was willing to go to war. He probably would have if tensions between the US and Mexico were not heating up over Texas. Polk decided to compromise with Great Britain and split the Oregon territory at the 49th Parallel. Polk did not get what he wanted but was still able to take away territory from Great Britain without going to war and pushing them further North into British Canada. It also created the modern day border and future states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Now President Polk can put his full focus on Texas and Mexico.

"Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!"

Multiple Choice

The dispute between the United States and Great Britain over the Oregon Territory started with what Convention?

• Oregon Convention
• Oregon Agreement
• Convention of 1818

• Oregon Pact

Multiple Choice

Around the same time of the Convention of 1818, the Adams and Onis Treaty secured what piece of land in North America?

• Texas
• California
• Alaska
• Florida

Multiple Choice

What does "54-40 or Fight" mean?

• It was a call for peace and diplomacy between the United States and Great Britain.
• It was a demand for the United States to declare war on Mexico.
• It was a slogan advocating for the expansion of the United States territory into the Oregon Country.
• It was a slogan advocating for the expansion of the United States territory into Canada.

Multiple Choice

What was the 49th Parallel?

• border between the United States and Canada
• border between the United States and China
• border between the United States and Russia
• border between the United States and Mexico

Polk attempted to buy California and additional territory from Mexico. Mexico declined and tensions only began to rise between the two nations. In 1846, hostilities turned violent at the Rio Grande. Polk claimed that the border between the US and Mexico was at the Rio Grande river which was South of Texas. When Mexican forces crossed the border and attacked Fort Texas the president got his War. Polk went to Congress and asked for a Declaration of War.

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​Trouble on the Rio Grande

Multiple Choice

Speaking of other nations not wanting to give up their land Native Americans have been fighting for their Native born land since the birth of the United States. What was the first treaty signed that made Native Americans give up their sovereign rights?

• Treaty of Equality
• Treaty of Greenville

• Treaty of Liberty
• Treaty of Independence

Multiple Choice

Review: What Indian leader led the charge against William Henry Harrison in the Battle of Tippicanoe?

• Crazy Horse
• Sitting Bull
• Tecumseh
• Geronimo

Multiple Choice

Review: What Supreme Court case favored the Indians in the midst of the Indian Removal Act?

• Marbury v. Madison
• Dred Scott v. Sandford
• Plessy v. Ferguson
• Worcester v. Georgia

​Many critics of Polk and his administration criticized their evidence for a Declaration of War. To this day many historians believed Polk faked the border being on the Rio Grande just to antagonize Mexico into attacking. A young representative from Illinois by the name of Abraham Lincoln asked the President to point out exactly where the border was supposed to be however, Lincoln was largely ignored. In the end Polk got his war and pushed towards his dreams of Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny. The Mexican-American War had officially begun.

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Haters Gonna Hate

Multiple Choice

Review: You know all this talk about Western Expansion got me thinking... What was the purchase by President Jefferson that led to the first ever expansion west for the United States?

• California Purchase
• Texas Purchase
• Louisiana Purchase
• Oregon Purchase

Multiple Choice

Review: What nation did we purchase Louisiana from?

• France
• Mexico
• Spain
• England

Multiple Choice

Review: Who did Jefferson send to map out the Louisiana Territory?

• Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
• John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
• George Washington and Alexander Hamilton
• Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock

General Santa Anna's Mexican forces did not stand much of a chance against the combined strength of Generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor. Many other notable US soldiers fought in this war such as Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. The US army slowly advanced deeper and deeper into Mexico. Major battles include Palo Alto, Veracruz, and Buena Vista. The War came to an end when General Scott invaded Mexico City. On February 2, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was signed ending the War.

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​Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

Multiple Choice

Henry Clay and his Whig Political Party was a major opponent of President Polk and Westward Expansion. Earlier we discussed Clay clashing with what Democrat over the National Bank?

• Andrew Jackson
• John Quincy Adams
• Martin Van Buren
• James K. Polk

Multiple Choice

Review: Speaking of Jackson, he rose to fame after fighting in what battle during the War of 1812?

• Battle of New Orleans
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Battle of Bunker Hill
• Battle of Yorktown

The Treaty of Guadalupa-Hidalgo did more than just end the War. It forced the Mexican government to sell over 2 million acres of land in Western North America. America paid $15 million for this land in what was known as the Mexican Cession. Future states that are included are:
-California
-Utah
-Arizona
-New Mexico
-Nevada

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Treaty of Guadalupa-Hidalgo

Multiple Choice

Review: Speaking of treaties, what Treaty ended the War of 1812?

• Treaty of Paris
• Treaty of Versailles
• Treaty of Tordesillas
• Treaty of Ghent

Multiple Choice

Review: During Washington's Presidency there were three treaties that were signed. What Treaty avoided a war with Great Britain?

• Treaty of Versailles
• Treaty of Paris
• Jay Treaty
• Treaty of Ghent

Multiple Choice

Review: During Washington's Presidency, a lot of treaties were signed. What Treaty avoided a war with Spanish Florida?

• Treaty of San Francisco
• Treaty of Versailles
• Pickney's Treaty

• Treaty of Paris

Additional land was negotiated and purchased between Mexico and the United States. In 1854, President Franklin Pierce sent James Gadsden to Mexico to settle a dispute of land in Southern Arizona and New Mexico. These negotiations avoided any additional conflict with Mexico and allowed the US to purchase this land for $10 million for 29,670 square miles. The importance of the Gadsden Purchase, while small in comparison to other land treaties, it allowed to US to create a South Western route for the Transcontinental Railroad.

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​But Wait...There's More!

Multiple Choice

Recap: How much did the US pay Mexico in the Mexican Cession?

• $15 million
• $10 million
• $5 million
• $20 million

Multiple Choice

Recap: What railroad was allowed to start laying down tracks after the Gadsden Purchase?

• Union Pacific Railroad
• Central Pacific Railroad
• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
• Trans Continental Railroad

Multiple Choice

Review: Speaking of land, what land was given to William Penn by the King to pay off old debts that needed to be paid?

• Province of Massachusetts
• Province of Pennsylvania
• Province of Virginia
• Province of New York

The Mexican Cession was the key that opened the United States to the west. Now the US stretches from the Atlantic cast all the way to the Pacific. It is a dream that has been in the making since President Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to map out the Western Territory. President Polk achieved, pretty much, everything he set out to do in one term, that is more than most presidents do with two full terms in office. With all his goals met Polk left office after one term and actually died a couple of months later, stories suggest he overworked himself while in office. While many new states will be added to the Union, the country would then have to answer the question, will these new states be free or allow slavery? This question would have to be answered by future presidents and compromises that will ultimately fail to have an answer. While the United States is expanding, conflict is brewing amongst the states. A conflict that will eventually bring us to a full scale Civil War.

America Moving Westward