Chapter 17 Flashcards
Who is the king of the whigs?
Henry Clay
What is wrong with John Tyler?
He is supposed to be a whig, but tends to be more democratic
Believed in state’s rights
In office after the death of William Henry Harrison
Characteristics of the Whig Party?
- Pro-bank
- Pro-protective tariff
- Pro-internal improvements
Fiscal Bank
Whig Congress tried to pass a Bank of the United States
Tyler vetoes it
Whigs try to pass the fiscal corporation
Tyler vetoes it again
Trouble for Tyler
He fought with the Whigs
The Whigs end up kicking him out of the party
His entire cabinet resigns except for Daniel Webster as Secretary of State
Proposed Whig Tarriff
Protective tarrif
Another veto from Tyler
The Whigs lowered the protective tariff
Tyler unwillingly signs it
War of Words with Britain
British travelers look down upon the uncultured Americans
In travel books the British harshly criticize the Americans
American journalists fire back
Financial Tension between America and Britain
The Americans were often in debt to the British
The Caroline Incident
The Caroline was an American steamer carrying supplies to insurgents rising up in Canada
Niagra Falls
The boat was attacked on a New York Shore by British forces
Only one American killed, but the press dramatized this
McLeod
Canadian
Arrested for murder after saying he participated in burning the Caroline
The British argued with him and they ended up winning the case (not murder)
The Creole
British officials in the Bahamas offered asylum to 130 Virginian slaves who had rebelled and captured the American Creole
Aroostock War
Near the St. Lawrence River
Lumberjacks from Maine and Canada dispute over who has rights to the Aroostock River Valley
Lord Ashburn
Originally sent to America to help with the Aroostock War
Became friends with Daniel Webster
Agreed to compromise the disputed Maine boundary
Britain looses land but gains the coveted Halifax-Quebec Route
What does America luckily get in the negotiations following the Caroline Affair and the Aroostock War?
The Mesabi iron ore of Minnesota
Who did Texas have to turn to?
In the beginning, they concluded treaties with France Holland, and Belgium
They did this in order to secure defense from the Mexicans
Why did Britain want an Independent republic of Texas?
The British wanted to use Texas to turn it against the Americans
British Abolitionists thought that if they freed slaves in Texas the Southern Slaves would rise up
Thought Texas had the potential to become a great cotton producer
What does Tyler deserve credit for regarding Mexico?
He got around the 2/3 resolution for a treaty in the Senate to annex Texas
He arranged for annexation by a joint resolution. Only need a majority in both houses
When was Texas formally invited to become part of the United States>
1845
After Tyler’s joint resolution
This angered Mexicans because they still saw Texas as their own
What countries had claims to Oregon at some point?
Spain, Russia, Britain, and the United States
Hudson Bay Company
Britain’s colonizing agency
Fur trading
Based on the Columbia River in Oregon
Willamette River Valley
Missionaries settled in this area of Oregon
Saving the soul of the Indians
Oregon Fever
Multiplied the number of Americans in Oregon
Made the joint occupation of Oregon with Britain ineffective
What part of Oregon was disputed in 1845?
A quadrangle between the Columbia River and the 49 parallel
Britain wanted the border to be the Columbia River and Americans wanted the border to be the 49 parallel
Election of 1844 Candidates
Whigs: Henry Clay
Democrats: James Polk (dark horse)
where was Polk from?
Tennessee
What was a crucial mistake in Clay’s campaign (1844)?
He did not take a solid stance on annexing Texas
He wrote confusing letters
This took away the crucial vote of the small antislavery liberty part in New York
Mandate from voters
Democrats thought they had this to take Texas
President Tyler took this as the go ahead to sign the joint resolution right before he left office
Polk’s 4 Goals
- Lower taxes
- Restoration of the Independent Treasury
- Acquisition of California
- Settle the Oregon dispute
Robert J. Walker
Polk’s Secretary of the Treasuring
Reduced the Tariff of 1842 (the Walker Tariff)
Was the Walker Tariff successful?
Yes
Was able to easily pass through Congress because the South supported it
After it passed there was a period of economic growth
Polk and Oregon
He did not want the 54, he wanted the 49
When the British decided to get out before they had to fight a war and offered the 49th, Polk took the deal
Why did the US want all of Texas but only some of Oregon?
Great Britain is powerful
Mexico is weak
Population of California in 1845
13,000 Spanish Mexicans
75,000 Native Americans
<1,000 Americans
Rumors that led to Mexican-American War
Britain was about to buy or seize Texas
The Americans do not want this
Boundaries disputed in Mexican American war
Nueces River (Mexicans want)
Rio Grande (Americans want)
John Slidell
Offers money to the Mexicans for California and Texas
Then Zachary Taylor gets ordered to march from the Nueces River to the Rio Grande
In the original draft what did Polk cite as reasons for declaring war?
- unpaid claims (debts)
2. slidell’s rejection
When did the Mexican American war start?
First shots: April 25, 1846
Spot resolutions
Introduced by Abraham Lincoln
Wanted to know the precise “spot” on American soil where the shots were fired
Why did the Mexicans want a fight?
They wanted to beat the overconfident Yanquis
Stephen W. Kearny
Mexican American war general
Marched from Santa Fe
Joined Captain John Fremont in California
Together with the naval officers they hoisted the California Bear Republic flag
Buena Vista
1847
Zachary Taylor
His much smaller army defeated Santa Anna’s much bigger but tired army
General Winfield Scott
After Buena Vista, he took over and captured Mexico city
Moved East from Vera Cruz
Had a poorly trained army and tough terrain but he still managed to capture Mexico city
Nicholas P. Trist
Secretary of State sent along with General Winfield Scott to sign an armistice with Santa Anna
Terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
America got the title of Texas and California
America paid 15 million dollars and 3, 250,000 for claims against Mexican citizens
What did radical southerners want to see following the Mexican-American war?
All of Mexico captured
What does Polk oddly do after the Mexican-American war?
He pays Mexico $18 million dollars
Examples of the Mexican-American war being the training for the Civil War
Grant and Lee got experience there
West Point produced Generals
Naval Academy is established
Marine Corps does well
Who established the Naval Academy?
George Bancroft
Global effects of the Mexican American war
Americans were taken more seriously by European powers
Mexico and Latin America as a whole thought that the Yankees thought they were better than everyone else
Slavocracy
Northern abolitionists thought that the Mexican American war was an attempt to further slavery since many Southerners fought in the war
more connivence
James Russel Lowell
Wilmot Provisio
Slavery should not exist in any territory captured during the Mexican cession
did not pass
