Chapter 12

1) What was Manifest Destiny?
 Manifest Destiny is the idea that the US was meant to extend its borders from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. We should spread freedom by occupying the entire continent.
 
2) The Oregon Territory consisted of what area? Who claimed it?
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, parts of Montana and Wyoming, half of British Columbia. Four nations owned it: US, Great Britain, Spain, and Russia.
 
3) Who were the Mountain Men?
American adventurers who spent most of their time in the Rocky Mountains and helped with the fur trade. Some worked for specific companies while others sold their furs to the highest bidder. Some of them married Native women and adopted Native ways, creating a mixed race.
 
4) Why was the Oregon Trail important?
It was the only way to achieve Manifest Destiny. It was the trail to the American Dream. It allowed us to fulfill our 'duty from God' to go west, populate the country, and spread freedom.
 
5) Discuss the meaning behind the slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight"?
It refers to the line of latitude that Democrats believed should be the nation's northern border in Oregon, which was a campaign slogan used during the 1844 election. The border was eventually settled at latitude 49.
 
6) James Polk made what promises to the American public during the election of 1844 (list four - you might need to look up on the internet).
He made four promises during his campaign: to acquire California from Mexico, to settle the Oregon dispute, to lower the tariff and create a sub-treasury, and to not run for a second term.
 
7) Discuss how Texas became independent.
In 1819 the US gave up claims to Texas with the Adams-Onis Treaty. Very few people lived in Texas. In 1830 the Mexican government stopped all immigration to Texas from the United States, and US Texans were very angry. Santa Anna, Mexican President, declared himself a dictator. The US Texans banded together with volunteers and they fought. And they liberated San Antonio. During the Alamo, American settlers and the Tejanos declared independence and started to write a Declaration and Constitution.
 
8) Discuss the battles of The Alamo and San Jacinto.
Santa Anna marched forth to take back San Antonio, and found the Texans barricaded inside The Alamo Mission. It was poor leadership and a few men against Santa Anna's army of several thousand. The Alamo defenders help Santa Anna's army away against 2 attacks. Later, Mexicans launched an all-out attack while the Texans defended nobly, but the Mexicans were just too numerous to be defeated. San Jacinto was between Houston and Santa Anna. Houston had about 900 in his army, while Santa Anna had about 1300. Houston's army killed about half of Santa Anna's army, and captured the rest including Santa Anna. A few days later, Santa Anna recognized the independence of Texas.
 
9) How long did it take the U.S. to annex Texas? Why?
It took the US nine years to annex Texas. Andrew Jackson, president at the time, refused to annex Texas. He did this because the addition of another slave state would upset the balance of free and slave states in Congress. Van Buren after him also didn't want to annex Texas. John Tyler, president after Harrison, finally supported Texas, but it didn't work. Only James K. Polk was finally able to get Texas annexed.
 
10) How did the Mexican-American War start? Why did it start? Was it a "Just War"?
Mexico had control of New Mexico as a condition of it's independence. American traders were welcomed into New Mexico. Americans began settling in New Mexico as it was a hot trade area, but they wanted it for themselves, and California as well. California and New Mexico, meanwhile, began being more and more populated by Mexican peoples. President Polk twice offered to buy California and New Mexico, but Mexico refused, prompting the US to take the territories by force. To begin the war, the US built a fort in disputed border land between Mexico and Texas. This forced Mexico to attack first, making Congress believe that war would be a just retaliation. We think it was technically a just war, because the Mexicans did attack first. However, we believe the spirit of the war was unjust, because we basically forced them to attack first so we would have a reason to declare war.
 
11) What was the American response to the war?
 Americans were divided over the war. Democrats generally supported it, while Whigs generally opposed it. Whigs believed that the war was aggressive and unjust, disgraceful and cruel, and demanded to know exact reasons and the beginning of the war. Anti-war feeling grew over time, particularly in the north. This was because they believed that the South would spread slavery into any new states.
 
12) List the major battles of the war.
The battle at Santa Fe was major, because it was the capital of Mexico. Even though there wasn't technically a battle, it still counts. The other major battles were the Bear Flag Revolt, battle of Monterey, battle of San Gabriel, battle of San Pasqual (the only Mexican victory), battle of El Brazito, battle of Sacramento, battle of Monterrey, battle of Buena Vista, battle of Cerro Gordo, and the battle of Mexico City.
 
13) What was the cost of the war? 
The war cost America 1,721 men to battle, more than 11,00 men to disease, and almost $100 million. We then paid Mexico an additional $25 million during treaty discussions.
 
14) Why was the California Gold Rush important? 
Californian cities, and cities on the way, benefitted from the economic boom. California's population grew greatly, and developed an amazing economy due to boom towns. The gold rush also more than doubled the world's supply of gold, a very valuable commodity at the time. The effect on California's economy lasted a long time after the gold rush ended. The population grew, requiring better government. It urged California to apply for statehood, which it gained about a year later.
 
15) Answer the following questions on page 380 - #6 - #10, #13-#15.

• 6. They agreed about the northern latitude of Oregon, for ownership purposes. It ended up being on latitude 49.
• 7. He was afraid to disrupt the balance of slave and free states.
• 8. It gave them a direct line to the Pacific Ocean. There were still British people settled in the territories above California.
• 9. The US wanted New Mexico and California, and Mexico refused to sell. The other reason was that the US set up Mexico to attack them (by building a fort) so they could justify a war.
• 10. People found gold and they would use it. They also had a monopoly on the sales because they were the only merchants there.
• 13. It expanded the US west, all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
• 14. They probably thought the US was just greedy and wanted all the land they could get because they were selfish. They wanted to keep their own land in North America.
• 15. The ones between the US and Britain had a favorable outcome for everyone because they came to an agreement. Whereas the ones with the US and Mexico led to war because they couldn't agree.