I. Background of U.S. Foreign Policy

A. Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality and Farewell Address ("avoid entangling alliances") established a tradition of non-interference

B. Jefferson's frustrations with the Tripolitan pirates (1801-1804)

C. Monroe Doctrine (1823) signaling America's emergence as a power strong enough to prevent European meddling in western hemisphere's affairs

II. Causes of American Expansion in 1830s and 1840s

A. Economic factors
1) Exhaustion of good soil by cotton farmers led to search for new land

2) Effects of the Panic of 1837. Many settlers pushed west as they faced economic losses.


B. Psychological factors--manifest destiny. Sentiment that the U.S. should rule from coast to coast (and maybe pole to pole) became a key part of national thinking.


C. Attractive regions for new settlement--east Texas, California, Oregon

D. Advertising the West

1) Santa Fe traders brought back tales of the West


2) Mountain men--fur trappers and traders

III. Texas

A. American colonization began in the 1820s under Austin. 20,000 settlers by 1830

B. Mexican independence from Spain in 1821 led to restrictions on American settlers (slavery prohibited; settlers required to convert to Catholicism)

C. Texans remained loyal to US but became increasingly frustrated by Mexican rule

D. Santa Anna abolished local rule and set up himself as dictator (1835)

1) Texans responded by declaring independence and establishing their own government as the Lone Star Republic (March 1836)

2) Alamo--defeat of greatly outnumbered Texan forces

3) San Jacinto--Mexicans defeated, Santa Anna captured, Texas independence recognized by Mexico

E. Jackson refused to annex Texas

F. Texas admitted to Union in 1845

IV. Oregon Territory

A. Expansionists urged seizure of Oregon from England

B. "54 40 or Fight" became the propaganda cry of those wanting war with England

C. Oregon Treaty (1846) set boundary at 49th parallel

V. Mexican-American War 

A. Major causes of the war
1. American grievances against Mexico

2. Mexican grievances against the U.S.

3. Snub of the Slidell mission to buy New Mexico and California

4. Nueces/Rio Grande River dispute

B. Opposition to the war

1. Lincoln's spot resolutions (as a Whig congressman, he stated "Show me the spot on American soil where American blood was spilt.")


2. Enlistments from northeast and southeast were low because of unpopularity of war

3. Thoreau's statement of civil disobedience: he was jailed for refusing to pay taxes, contending that to do so would support the war effort and the expansion of slave territory in the South.


C. Campaigns

1. Northern Mexico

2. California

3. Mexico City

D. Results

1. Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo
a) California and New Mexico territories added to U.S. (All or part of the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah)


b) Texas border at Rio Grande accepted

c) U.S. pays Mexico $15 million

2. Renewal of slavery conflict

a) Wilmot Proviso sought to restrict slavery from new territories. Never passed, it indicated the anti-slavery sentiments of some in the North.


b) Southerners (led by Calhoun) stated that Congress had no right to restrict slavery's expansion.

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