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The Alamo
180 Texans lost to Santa Anna's army of thousands after barricading themselves inside the Alamo for 13 dats. Leaders included Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. Santa Anna killed all of the dissenters, but the time at the Alamo established the Republic of Texas, was the origin of Texas' modern insistence on liberty and Sam Houston's call "Remember the Alamo," and was only the beginning of the Texan Revolution. -
Battle of San Jacinto
Sam Houston, commander-in-chief of the Republic of Texas, launches a surprise attack on Santa Anna and wins ferociously. The Texans' ferocity highlighted a lesson from the American Revolution; do not underestimate the power of a cause. Like Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and first POTUS, Houston becomes the first president of Texas. However, Mexico rejected the treaty Santa Anna was forced to sign after the battle; Texas was independent but not recognized as so. -
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Republic of Texas
American settlers (who Mexico had allowed to populate Texas) and Tejanos battled Mexican dictator Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna after they refused to follow Mexico's regulatory laws forcing them to become Mexican, convert to Catholicism, file legal documents in Spanish, and give up slavery. Following the Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto, previous TN senator Sam Houston became the first president of Texas and applied for statehood in the U.S. but was initially ignored due to sectionalism. -
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
Conflict known as the Aroostook War erupted between rival groups of lumber workers over the border between Maine (U.S.) and New Brunswick (Canada). Sec. of State Daniel Webster and British ambassador Ashburton split the territory and settled the territory boundary through the Webster-Ashburton Treaty. -
Election of 1844
Many believed it was their Manifest Destiny to take all of OR and TX and even to "play the TX game" in CA. The Democratic Convention lagged over whether to nominate former POTUS Van Buren or former VP Calhoun. Interestingly, both were VP under Jackson. "Dark horse" candidate and Jackson's protegé James K. Polk was nominated. He won, signifying to Democrats that the people voted to annex TX. He was firmly committed to Manifest Destiny and became known as the Manifest Destiny president. -
Annexation of Texas
President Houston of Texas applied for statehood but was initially ignored due to sectionalism; Texas could become five new slave states. Also, annexation could lead to war with Mexico. President Tyler worried about British in Texas and worked toward annexation in 1844 but the Senate rejected it. Following Polk's victory in the Election of 1844, Tyler achieved a joint resolution for annexation, leaving any conflicts up to Polk. The border still unresolved, war with Mexico followed in 1846. -
Oregon Treaty of 1846
Gained territory for the U.S. and established a northern border of Oregon at the 49th parallel, the original northern border for the Louisianna Territory. Both Britain and the U.S. claimed the territory and had occupied it together since the Treaty of 1818. President Polk stood down from the ambitious Democratic slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight" regarding the Oregon Territory. -
Wilmot Proviso
A failed proposal in Congress to ban slavery in Texas after the Mexican-American War that was opposed by the South. -
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Mexican-American War
Following the annexation of TX in 1845, Polk sent Gen. Zachary Taylor across the Rio Grande River, provoking Mexico to war. The U.S. quickly wins. Taylor wins in northern Mexico, Winfield Scott captures Mexico City (but the U.S. gives it back, somewhat surprisingly), Stephen Kearney wins in NM, and John C. Fremont wins in CA. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war. During the war, CA revolted against Mexico much like TX did, and the CA Republic was annexed as part of the Mexican Cession. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo & Gadsden Purchase
The Treaty ends the Mexican-American War, giving the U.S. all of Texas and the Mexican Cession, the territory in the SW. In 1854, the U.S. buys the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico in order to build a transcontinental railroad. -
California Gold Rush
"Forty-Niners" with gold fever sought gold in CA and other western areas. Many did get rich at the beginning, but others turned to other jobs or simply became poorer. The population of the West, especially CA, boomed. A number of immigrants, especially Asians, arrived. They were discriminated against but were crucial to the construction of railroads. Similarly, trails like the Oregon Trail became very popular but were difficult to travel. -
Manifest Destiny Achieved
John O'Sullivan coined the term Manifest Destiny to describe the divine right of the U.S. to spread democracy and equality, through ownership, over the entirety of North America. In 1853, they had done so, owning land "From Sea to Shining Sea" and creating a continental empire. Manifest Destiny justified all western expansion and led to the annexation of Texas and California, the Treaty of 1846, and the Mexican Cession. Ironically, Americans were willing to step on others to spread equality. -
Proclamation of Amnesty & Reconstruction
A declaration meant to shorten the war and strengthen the Emancipation. In essence, Lincoln believed the South could not leave the Union and, thus, never did. This proclamation had two parts: 1) POTUS pardons most who pledge allegiance and accept emancipation and 2) states are reinstated to the Union following a 10% vote of loyalty. -
Wade-Davis Bill
Congressional bill pocket-vetoed by Lincoln that would have required a 50% vote of loyalty and allowed only non-Confederates to vote on new state constitutions for the South. -
13th Amendment
Ended slavery constitutionally. However, black codes in the South sought to limit African Americans, including in ways that reduced their suffrage (literacy tests, poll taxes) or reduced them almost to a state of servitude (sharecropping, slavery as a punishment). -
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Presidential Reconstruction
Caring more about Union than equality, Lincoln and Johnson struggled with Congress during Reconstruction. Following Lincoln's assassination, Johnson--a white supremacist Democrat from TN who remained loyal to the Union--frustrated Congress' ideas, such as the Freedmen's Bureau. Johnson's Reconstruction plan involved: 1) Lincoln's terms for reinstatement, 2) disenfranchisement of Conf. leaders & elites, and 3) individual pardons for "disloyal" Southerners (returning many ex-Conf. to gov't). -
Report of the Joint Committee
Congress declared that the ex-Confederate states were not entitled to Congressional representation and that only Congress could decide when they returned to the Union. -
Election of 1866
During the midterms of 1866, Johnson appealed to white supremacists, while Republicans branded the Democrats a party of rebellion and treason, winning many seats. -
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
1) Divided the South into 5 military zones and 2) readmitted ex-Confederate states that: a) ratified the 14th Amendment and b) guaranteed African American suffrage in its Constitution. -
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
The feud between Johnson and Congress reached a breaking point in 1867. Johnson obstructed Congressional Reconstruction by blocking actions of the Freedmen's Bureau and firing generals in charge of the military zones in the South. He also violated the Tenure of Office Act by trying to fire Sec. of War Edwin Stanton (who supported Cong.). Radical Republicans impeached Johnson 126-47, but the Senate fell 1 vote short of removing him from office. Johnson argued it was not an impeachable offense. -
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Congressional Reconstruction
Radical Republicans in Congress led the charge for equality for freedpeople. Led by Sen. Charles Sumner (R-MA), Radical Republicans achieved feats like the Civil War Amendments, the CRA of 1866, the Reconstruction Acts of 1867, Johnson's impeachment, and the CRA of 1875. Beginning in 1867, the South was divided into 5 military zones and Republicans controlled Southern governments while they completed the process for readmittance. After Reps left, Dems retook control and established black codes. -
Election of 1868
Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant (R) won the presidency, alienating the South who could not even vote their own military heroes into government. He only won with the votes of freedmen, giving moderate Republicans another reason to protect African American suffrage. Grant worked with Congress to enforce Reconstruction for 8 years. -
14th Amendment
Established citizenship at birth and ensured equal protection and due process in the states. This was later used by SCOTUS to apply constitutional provisions to the states through selective incorporation. -
Jay Gould & William Tweed
Wall Street financiers Jay Gould and James Fisk teamed with Grant's brother-in-law to corner the gold market. The scheme was broken, but Gould still profited. Later, NYC Democratic party boss William Tweed stole $200 million from NY taxpayers before the NY Times and cartoonist Thomas Nast exposed him. Although Grant was not directly connected to either scandal or the Crédit Mobilier Affair, his reputation was greatly tarnished. -
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Corruption Under Grant
While the South floundered, reformers in Congress (Stevens, Sumner, Wade) were replaced with manipulators (Conkling, Blaine) who were masters at patronage. Between Jay Gould and the Crédit Mobilier Affair, Grant's presidency was greatly tarnished. -
15th Amendment
Banned open racial discrimination in voting laws, guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote. Although all ex-Confederate states had been readmitted by this point, African Americans enjoyed unprecedented rights. They could vote, earn wages, reunite with family, and pursue education. Several black politicians (Blanche K. Bruce, Hiram Revels) were sent to state and national governments. This would not last long, as black codes would greatly restrict equality in the coming years. -
Crédit Mobilier Affair
Insiders gave stock to influential Congressmen to avoid investigation into their profits from government subsidies. -
Election of 1872
Reform-minded Liberal Republicans split from the party and nominated NY Tribune editor Horace Greeley. Surprisingly, Democrats did the same. However, regular Republicans reminded the nation of the crimes of the South and Grant won in a landslide. -
Amnesty Act of 1872
Removed restrictions on almost all ex-Confederates, allowing Democrats to retake the South. -
Panic of 1873
Over speculation and overbuilding led to business failures and depression (per usual; a similar situation occurred in 1819). Setting a new Republican trend, Grant adopted the ideas of Eastern bankers. Due to the depression, African Americans lost civil rights attention. Twenty years later, another depression almost led the nation to bankruptcy. -
Civil Rights Act of 1875
Guaranteed equal accommodations and ensured African Americans could be on juries. This was poorly enforced because the South resisted, and Republicans feared losing white votes in the North. -
Election of 1876
Federal troops had left every state except SC, FL, and LA. Reformer Samuel J Tilden (D-NY) won a majority over Rutherford B. Hayes (R-OH), but contested results from SC, FL, and LA were decided in favor of Hayes by a special committee. Democrats threatened to filibuster and send the decision to the Democrat-dominated House. -
Compromise of 1877
Democrats allowed Hayes to become POTUS in return for 1) removal of the federal military in the South and 2) support for a Southern transcontinental railroad. As SCOTUS struck down various Reconstruction laws protecting African Americans, and the South remained poor despite industrialization, Reconstruction slowly faded.