November 21, 2008

Hey everybody! Today Mr. G was AWESOME and put our notes for the day on the overhead. So without further adue...

MANIFEST DESTINY - the idea that it was God's will that the United States has the whole of the North American continent.

Issue of the Spread of Slavery
- arose w/annexation of Texas
- Mexico independent from Spain in 1821
8000 Mexicans lived in CA or Rio Grande valley of New Mexico
- 1830 - Mexico wants to attract Americans to settle in Rio Grande valley
American immigrants had to...
1. respect Mexican law
2. become Roman Catholics
3. become Mexican citizens
- Americans came but remained Protestant US citizens; also brought slaves (against Mexican law)
- Mexico passes law forbidding further US immigration (but Americans ingored it)
-March of 1836 - Texans (Mexicans and Americans) declared Texas a republic independent of Mexico
- Mexico fights Texas
Gen. Santa Anna captures Alamo in San Antonio and kills all 187 defenders
Mexicans massacre another 300 Texans at Goliad
Texans won at San Jacinto and captured Santa Anna - signed treaty recognizeing Texas independence
Mexico reneged and pressured Texas - Texas petitions for annexation by US
- neither Jackson nor Van Buren made any move to annex Texas
they didn't want war with Mexico, didn't want to stir up Northerners and spread slavery
- Britain encourages TX to remain independent (still want cotton...)
- Pres. Harrison dies in office; VP Tyler becomes President
Tyler breaks with whig party
Tyler in favor of annexing TX, and Sec. of State Calhoun begins negotiating with Texas
Calhoun released letter to press that made clear TX was desired simply to protect slavery
THIS UPSETS THE NORTH, annexation delayed...becomes an election issue!
Henry Clay (Whig) and Van Buren (dem. candidate) = AGAINST annexation
Dem. nominee James Polk = FAVORS annexation and aquisition of Oregon (he was big on manifest destiny)
***POLK WINS THE DEM. NOMINATION AND THE ELECTION OF 1844
- Tyler submits joint resolution of annexation to Congress (passes in March of 1845; Texas agreed)
Texas enters as slave state in December 1845
28th state - Senate = 15 slave states; 13 free states

If you guys didn't get a chance to last night, don't miss the AMAZING fall play tonight and tomorrow night! It starts at 7:00 and tickets cost $5...it's a great show!

Olivia