Analyze How the Texas Annexation, the Oregon Boundary, and California Were Examples of Manifest-Destiny.

DBQ
Nick Radford
December 9, 2011

Question
Analyze how the Texas annexation, the Oregon boundary, and California were examples of manifest-destiny.

Document A
ARTICLE I.
The Republic of Texas, acting in conformity with the wishes of the people and every department of its government, cedes to the United States all its territories, to be held by them in full property and sovereignty, and to be annexed to the said United States as one of their Territories, subject to the same constitutional provisions with their other Territories. This cession includes all public lots and squares, vacant lands, mines, minerals, salt lakes and springs, public edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports and harbours, navy and navy-yards, docks, magazines, arms, armaments and accoutrements, archives and public documents, public funds debts, taxes and dues unpaid at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty.

Document B

There was no one man who saved Oregon [for the USA]. If any persons saved Oregon, they were these immigrants from 1843 to and including 1846.

From Dr. McLoughlin: The Father of Oregon by Frederick Holman - 1907

McLoughlin was doubtless aware, no matter what official information he had received from the Hudson 's Bay Company, that the claims of both countries to the territory of Oregon were based upon discovery, exploration and settlement. So far as discovery and exploration were concerned, the facts were already as well defined and established as they could be. But settlement might strengthen the claim of either; it was in fact the influx of American settlers into the region that finally aroused Congress, and made the settlement of the boundary question imperative.

Document C

Document D

Document E
Texas has been absorbed into the Union as the inevitable fulfillment of the general law which is rolling our population westward....It was disintegrated from Mexico in the natural course of events, by a process perfectly legitimate on its own part, blameless on ours....
California will, probably next fall away from...Mexico...imbecile and distracted...The Anglo-Saxon foot is already on its borders....All this without agency of our government, without responsibility of our people--in the natural flow of events, the spontaneous working of principles....
Democratic Review, 1845
Document F
Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil. She has proclaimed that hostilities have commenced and that the two nations are now at war.

As war exists, and, notwithstanding all our efforts to avoid it, exists by the act of Mexico herself, we are called upon by every consideration of duty and patriotism to vindicate with decision the honor, the rights, and the interests of our country.
Polk 's War Message, 1846
Document G
John L. O 'Sullivan on Manifest Destiny, 1839
The American people having derived their origin from many other nations, and the Declaration of National Independence being entirely based on the great principle of human equality, these facts demonstrate at once our disconnected position as regards any other nation; that we have, in reality, but little connection with the past history of any of them, and still less with all antiquity, its glories, or its crimes. On the contrary, our national birth was the beginning of a new history, the formation and progress of an untried political system, which separates us from the past and connects us with the future only; and so far as regards the entire development of the natural rights of man, in moral, political, and national life, we may confidently assume that our country is destined to be the great nation of futurity.
Document H
It is time now for opposition to the Annexation of Texas to cease, all further agitation of the waters of bitterness and strife, at least in connexion with this question . . . It is time for the common duty of Patriotism to the Country to succeed;— if this claim will not be recognized, it is at least time for common sense to acquiesce with decent grace in the inevitable and the irrevocable.

Texas is now ours. Already, before these words are written, her Convention has undoubtedly ratified the acceptance, by her Congress, of our proffered invitation into the Union; and made the requisite changes in her already republican form of constitution to adopt it to its future federal relations. Her star and her stripe may already be said to have taken their place in the glorious blazon of our common nationality; and the sweep of our eagle 's wing already includes within its circuit the wide extent of her fair and fertile land. . . .

DBQ

Throughout the 1840’s a lot was happening in America. One of the biggest events happening in the United States was “Manifest Destiny”. The majority of the United States believed in this idea of “Manifest Destiny”. The quote “Sea to shining sea” was used to describe manifest destiny. Many things were excellent examples on manifest destiny but there were three that stood out from the rest. The Texas Annexation, the Oregon Boundary, and California are simply perfect examples of manifest destiny. The Texas Annexation, the Oregon Boundary, and California were examples of Manifest Destiny because it showed America’s will power to conquer the goal of Sea to shining Sea.

The Texas Annexation resulted in many things for the United States such as the Mexican-American war and others. The Texas Annexation led into having the Republic of Texas admitted as the 28th State of the US. The thought of Manifest Destiny and its concept of Sea to shining Sea led the Union into some trouble with the border. While it was great that the Republic of Texas was now a state but it also led into the Mexican-American War. The Mexican-American War started because Mexico thought that Texas was still part of their territory even with the Texas Revolution in 1836. Long story short the War ended with American troops taken Mexico City. The war officially ended in 1848 with the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and the Mexican Cession soon following. Without the idea of Manifest Destiny our culture would be drastically different, as the war would have happened soon or later but things would be quite blended in cultures. Another example of Manifest Destiny was the Oregon Dispute, the territory of Oregon was held by the British and due to Manifest Destiny the United States wanted the Oregon Territory. Both the UK and America had territorial and commercial aspirations of this territory and as well as Spain and Russia. Due to the Manifest Destiny, American Democrats felt that they had a valid claim to have all the territory up to Russia, at the parallel 54’ 40’. When James K. Polk was elected as president his big campaign slogan was “54 40 or fight”! There would have been a war on this dispute but since America was already in war with Mexico and Britain didn’t want to get in a 3rd war in 70 years. Soon then Polk lowered the line to the 49th parallel and accepted a compromise.

California was a very big contributor to Manifest Destiny. After the Mexican American War many people in America fled to the western parts of the United States. California was admitted as the 31st state in 1850 after we got the land from Mexico after the war. Many things would attract people to the great state of California, the biggest being gold! The idea of Manifest Destiny was accomplished in a way with the acquirer of California. The Gold Rush of 1849 was a great example of Manifest Destiny because it showed the will power of Americans to get up travel in hopes of riches and a better life. The news of Gold brought 300,000 people to California. Without the idea of Manifest Destiny, America might not be where it is today. Cultures would be blended and who knows if we would have taken the southwest or even the northwest. With Manifest Destiny, America strives as a great country with great ideas and great amendments and rights. The Texas Annexation was a key factor to the Manifest Destiny because the acquirer of Texas and some southwest territories. The Oregon Dispute, because it gave us the territories of the Northwest and finally California which turned out to be one of the greatest states in America.

Bibliography

* http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/texan05.asp * http://start-wa.com/boundary.html * http://www.common-place.org/vol-09/no-01/edling/images/2.jpg * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:American_progress.JPG * http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/documents/documents_p1.cfm * http://www.bibliobase.com/history/us/resources/students/primary/manifestdestiny.htm

Bibliography: * http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/texan05.asp * http://start-wa.com/boundary.html * http://www.common-place.org/vol-09/no-01/edling/images/2.jpg * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:American_progress.JPG * http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/documents/documents_p1.cfm * http://www.bibliobase.com/history/us/resources/students/primary/manifestdestiny.htm