HIST 330 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Nueces River, Party System, Jacksonian Democracy
Document Summary
Annexation of texas is an act of aggression. Portends desires to take california and new mexico. Boundary disputes in texas - nueces river - rio grande. Weak, corrupt, bankrupt - mexico has few cards to play. Two party system deeply divided the nation on slavery and expansion. Americans looked westward to promote liberty, and deal with the problems associated with a modern industrial society. Technology allows for administration of expansive territory. Allows for expansion of slavery white creeping toward disunion. Expansion masks deep fears regarding security, the future of slavery. (internal decay) Opposition view to john q adams, proponent of manifest destiny. Polk wins the presidency by embracing texas annexation, dividing the vote with clay (whig) and van buren (democrat). Regarded as the most successful one-term president but is relatively unknown.
