Period 5: 1848-1877
Julie Anna Hall 1/4/16
Territorial and Economic Expansion (1830-1860)
Manifest Destiny
In the 1840s the idea of manifest destiny (the popular belief that the united states had a divine mission to extend its power and civilization across the breadth of North America) was at its height This cartoon depicts America moving westward.
Election of 1844
James K Polk won the election of 1844, he had four goals as President. Polk was called the "Manifest Destiny President."
- Reduce tariffs
- Re-establish the independent treasury
- Secure the Oregon territory
- Acquire the territories of Oregon,California, and New Mexico
The Mexican-American War
The annexation of Texas lead to trouble with Mexico.In 1845, President Polk send John Slidell to Mexico to persuade Mexico to sell the California and New Mexico territories to the US, and to settle the disputed Mexico-Texas border, this mission was a failure. Polk sent US troops toward the Rio Grande and on April 24, 1846 A Mexican army captured the US army and killed 11 soldiers, giving Polk the means to begin a war.
Treaty of Guadalupe HIdalgo (1848)
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago ended the Mexican American war, with the following provisions:
- The Rio Grande became the southern border of Texas
- The US acquired California and New Mexico for $15 million
Expanding Economy (1840-1857)
Industrialization spread rapidly throughout the Northeast in the 1840's. The sewing machine was invented by Elias Howe, and the production of clothing shifted from homes to factories. The first electric telegraph was made by Samuel F. B. Morse in 1844. The telegraph along with the expansion of Railroads made communication across the nation much simpler.
Panic of 1857
In 1857 the economic boom came to a halt, and and prices dropped sharply for midwestern farmers and unemployment rates in the Northeast were very high. The south was relatively unaffected by this panic and continued their belief that a factory economy like that of the north was not needed.
Themes adressed
NAT-3.0: The idea of manifest destiny heightened American's national identity, as America grew in size and population, nationalism across the nation also grew.
WXT-3.0: Technology made large advancements in period 5, railroads expanded, and the first telegraph was invented. These advancements in technology made communication, and interaction across the nation much easier.