Manifest Destiny Notes:

 

Chapter Theme : American expansionism gained momentum in the 1840’s, leading first to the acquisition of Texas and Oregon and then to the Mexican War which added vast southwestern territories to the United States. However the acquisition of new territory ignited the growing issue of the future of slavery in America.

 

Key Ideas:

1. The movement toward expansion is most commonly seen by historians as an embracing of a “national mission” coined by popular journalists of the period as Manifest Destiny. This national passion received support from land-hungry settlers, fears of foreign intervention, merchants seeking Pacific seaports, and nationalists promoting America’s power and prestige.

 

2. The Mexican War was provoked over the alleged boundary problem in Texas, with real motives of leveraging California away from Mexico. The Wilmot Proviso forced the slavery issue to the center of national politics.

 

3. The Oregon Boundary dispute completed a pattern of preferred negotiation between Britain and the United States rather than a third war between the two nations.

 

4. The impact of westward expansion was enormous.

 

1. The West would provide a social and economic “safety valve” for the remainder of the century (Turner Thesis)
2. The Mexican War set a precedent for strained relations between the U.S. and Latin American nations
3. The systematic attack and removal of Native Americans continued
4. Increased sectional rivalry over slavery intensified