Polk and Expansion

1844-1846

Background: Texan Independence

• 1824: Mexico granted empresarios (Austin) large land grants, abolished slavery

• Many Americans moved to Texas, with slaves, violating Mexican law

• 1835: Santa Anna invaded Texas; Alamo defeat, massacre

• 1836: Houston & Texans defeated Santa Anna: recognition of Independent Texas

• Border agreement was not clear: Which river was the border?

• Key question for Americans: Would slavery in Texas cause slavery to spread Westward?

James Polk

• Stiff, politically astute, energetic work ethic

• Promised to expand US to fulfill Manifest Destiny

• Promised to serve only one term

• Polk cleverly used circumstances to add Oregon, Texas, California, southwest territories to US

Annexation of Oregon

• Before 1846, Northwest territory administration was shared between US and Britain

• Extreme believers in Manifest Destiny demanded US control up to 54°40’; rest of US-Canada border suggested 49°

• Polk knew 54°40’ would require war; knew that UK couldn’t afford war

• Polk ended joint occupation: gave UK year to negotiate

• 1846: UK chose negotiations over war: 49° treaty

Andrew Melrose, westward the star of empire takes its way--near Council Bluffs Iowa, 1867

Mexican American War: Causes• Mexico failed to pay $2 million owed to

US citizens

• Alamo massacre stirred American patriotism

• Polk’s election increased strength of pro-annexationists

• 1845: Congress voted to annex Texas, but Texas refused, fearing Mexican invasion

• Polk promised Texas to extend border to Rio Grande

• Mexican government politically could not make concessions to US, so refused to negotiate

• Polk ordered General Taylor to move troops to Rio Grande “border”, baiting Mexico to attack

Mexican American War: Events

• When Mexico attacked, Polk claimed to Congress that war had already started

• Anti-war Whigs had little choice but to support Polk (remember Federalists in 1812)

• US artillery, weapons, training easily defeated Mexico, despite fewer troops

• 1847: Mexico City taken, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo by which US paid $15M and assumed debt to US citizens

Mexican American War: Results

• US territory expanded to Rio Grande

• Texas annexed into US

• California became US territory (gold rush soon to follow)

• Southwest became US territory (including western Colorado)

• Polk achieved goals of dramatically enlarging country