HIUS 130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Henry David Thoreau, Transcendentalism, Mexican Cession
Document Summary
Hius 130 lecture 14 manifest destiny and the mexican war. Presidential candidates: election of 1844: duri(cid:374)g (cid:1005)(cid:1012)(cid:1008)(cid:1004)(cid:859)s, whigs rose up to (cid:272)o(cid:373)pete agai(cid:374)st the de(cid:373)o(cid:272)rats, whig henry clay vs. democrat james k. polk. Southern planters had flocked to texas, declared independence from mexico, and pushed to become a us state. James k. polk: congressman and governor of tennessee, rather unknown national identity, big slaveholder who made his money through land speculation. Jackson saw him as carrying out his vision. Jefferson: indians peacefully assimilated: democrats: aggressive and violent anti-indian policy. Jefferson: slavery necessary evil: democrats: slavery a positive good that deserved to expand across the continent. Manifest destiny: (cid:1005)(cid:1012)(cid:1008)(cid:1008), (cid:272)ore of polk(cid:859)s (cid:272)a(cid:373)paig(cid:374) ma(cid:374)ifest desti(cid:374)(cid:455) Farmers wanted there to be land enough for sons, grandsons, great-grandsons. Same year that polk took office, congress voted to annex texas. War with mexico, 1846-1848: polk wanted northern mexico, texas was not enough, thought the us destined by god to extent to pacific.
