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Texas Rebellion
Mexico adopted a new constitution creating a strong centra goverment. This lead to a fight for Texas's Independence. This created two parties in Texas, the war party that demanded independece and peace party that tried negotiating with the Mexican war party. This sparked a rebellion, which lead to Texas gaining their independce and the formation of the Texas republic. -
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Antebellum Timeline
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Election of James K. Polk
In 1844 James K. Polk was elected into office. Many people considered Polk to be very similar to former president Andrew Jackson. During his preidency his goals were to aquire Oregon territory, and to win New Mexico and Calirfornia from Mexico. He sent John Sidell to Mexioc to secure the Rio Grande boundary for Texas and to buy California and New Mexico for $30 million but they declined the offer. This angered Polk, he sent 2,000 troops and General Zach Taylor to the Republic of Texas. -
Manifest Destiny
A term written by John L. O'Sullivan in 1845. He stated that "Our manifest destiny is to overspread the continent alloted by Providence for the free devolpment of our yearly multplying millions." The goal was to expand the U.S. from sea to shining sea. This created racial superiority to the inferior people in the Far West. This lead to Americn domination over Native Americans and Mexicans. This lead to taught republicanism and coversion to Protestantism. -
Beginng of Mexican-American War
The Mexican American War lasted from 1846-1848. The war helped to fufill America's goal of Manifest Destiny. The United States wanted to become a Continet and expand from sea to sea. The U.S. dominated the war. The U.S. established a military ans siezed Tampoco, Mexico's 2nd most important port. -
Squatter Sovereignty
An idea promoted by democatic Senator Lewis Cass. This plan stated that Congress would allow settlers in each territory to determine the status as free or slave. The squatter sovereignty failed to persuade northern Democrats that opposed any expansion of slavery. This caused them to join the Free-Soil party. -
Discovery of Gold in California
Workers builiding a milldam for John A. Sutter in the Sierra Nevada foothills discovered flakes of gold in the soil. Sutter tried to hide the discovery, but by mid-1848 people were pouring into the foothills in search of gold. By the end of 1849 more than 80,000 men had arrived. These people were called the forty-niners. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Ended the Mexican-American War, in favor of the United States. The U.S. agreed that to pay Mexico $15 million for the territory. The treaty added an additional 525,000 square miles to United States territory, including the including the land that makes up all or parts of present-day Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Mexico also gave up all claims to Texas and recognized the Rio Grande as America’s southern boundary. -
Compromise of 1850
The Whigs and the Democtraic politcians worked hard to preserve the union after the sudden death of Army General Zach Taylor. Many Whig leaders won the passage of five seprate laws. This is known as the compromise of 1850. The laws passed were a new Fugitive Slave Act, the admission of California as a free state, resolution of the bouundary of New Mexico and Texas, abolish slave trade in the District of Columbia and organize the rest of Mexican conqured land into territories of NM and UT. -
Treaty of Kanagawa
The Treaty of Kanagawa allowed American ships to refuel at two ports in Japan. For many years the U.S. goverment worked to force Japan into open trade. Americans argued that the trade would extend "commerce knowledge" and christianity. Even if Japan did not want these things, that was irrelevant to the United States. This Treaty lead America and Japan to begin trading and for a U.S. consol to live in Japans capatial, Edo also known as Tokyo. -
Kansas Nebereska Act
The act allowed for people living in these territories to vote for themsleves wether to allow slavery within their boarders or not. This Act repaelaed the Missouri Compromsie and organized the region on the basis of popular sovereignty. Stephen A. Douglas wrote the act. He also proposed exstingushing Native American's rights on the Great Plains and creating a large free terriotry called Nebraska. This act was very controversal because it allowed for states to chose their fate.
