Chapter 5 Vocab Part One Flashcards
the 19th century American belief that the United States was destined to expand across the continent. It was used by Democrats in the 1840s to justify the war with Mexico; the concept was denounced by Whigs, and fell into disuse after the mid-19th century. First used for the annexation of Texas issue. Opposed by Clay, Webster and Lincoln, but supported by Polk.
Manifest Destiny
The tenth President (“Accidental President”) of the United States (1841-1845). A native of Virginia, served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President (1841). He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor. his opposition to nationalism and emphatic support of states’ rights endeared him to his fellow Virginians but alienated him from most of the political allies that brought him to power in Washington. His presidency was crippled by opposition from both parties, and at the end of his life, he would join the South in secession from the United States.
John Tyler
An American inventor who invented the telegraph in 1844. He late helped developed what is now known as the Morse Code.
Samuel F. B. Morse
the slogan “Bread or Death,” 5,000 business failures, and high unemployment were factors in this financial crisis.
Panic of 1857
An aggressive slogan adopted in the Oregon boundary dispute, a dispute over where the border between Canada and Oregon should be drawn. This was also Polk’s slogan- the Democrats’ wanted the U.S. border drawn at the 54’40” latitude. Polk settled for the 49 latitude in 1846.
Fifty-four Forty or Fight
11th President of the United States from Tennessee; committed to westward expansion (believed in Manifest Destiny); led the country during the Mexican War; U.S. annexed Texas and took over Oregon during his administration
James K. Polk
proposed in 1846 that congress ban slavery in all southwestern lands that might become states; passed in the House but not by the Senate; slave states saw it as a northern attack on slavery
Wilmot Proviso
This took place in 1854. A group of southerners met with Spanish officials in Belgium to attempt to get more slave territory. They felt this would balance out congress. They tried to buy Cuba but the Spanish would not sell it. Southerners wanted to take it by force and the northerners were outraged by this thought.
Ostend Manifesto
Boundary dispute between US/Canada. Near the Aroostook River, Canadian lumberjacks were sent to work and Maine’s Americans tried to eject them. Canada wanted to send an army but General Scott prevented this. It was solved by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842.
Aroostook War
signed August 9, 1842, was a treaty resolving several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies, particularly a dispute over the location of the Maine-New Brunswick border. Also banned the slave trade (on the ocean)
Webster- Ashburton Treaty
(1846-1848) armed conflict between America and Mexico over annexation of Texas which Mexico still considered theirs despite of the Texas revolution in 1836. Captured Mexico City forcing Mexico to the sale of its northern territories to US. Polk completed goal of territorial expansion of US to pacific coast. Resulted in Mexican cession in exchange for 15 million.
Mexican War
Whig Party Candidate for the election of 1848 who ran against Lewis Cass, a veteran of the war of 1812. He won the election to become the 12th President of the U.S. and the second to die in office. His vice president Millard Fillmore took over in July of 1850. He was a Louisiana plantation owner and the last president to own slaves while in office. He was known as “Old Rough and Ready” because of his past military experiences starting in the War of 1812 and ending with the Mexican American War. He took a moderate stance on the issue of the extension of slavery into new states. He laid the foundations for the Compromise of 1850, which would occur during Fillmore’s term in office.
Zachary Taylor
Republican, “Pathfinder of the West”, “Kansas-less”, Against extension of slavery in territories. an american military officer, explorer, the first candidate of the republican party for the office of president of the united states, and the first presidential candidate of a major party to run on a platform in opposition to slavery.
John C. Fremont
It was the treaty negotiated between Mexico and the United States during the Mexican War and signed on February 2, 1848. In an attempt to secure territorial gains by the end of the war, President James Polk sent chief clerk of the State Department, Nicholas P. Trist, to negotiate a treaty with Mexican dictator Santa Anna. The terms of this treaty confirmed the American title to Texas and yielded the enormous area stretching westward to Oregon and the Pacific Ocean (this area was called the Mexican Cession, a territory that included the coveted California). This treaty had Mexico to cede about half of its land to the United States, but America agreed to pay $15 million for the territory and to assume the claims of its citizens against Mexico for $3.25 million.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
historical name for the region of the present day southwestern United States that was ceded to the U.S. by Mexico in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo following the Mexican-American War. this massive land grab was significant because the question of extending slavery into newly acquired territories had become the leading national political issue.
Mexican Cession
