AFP NOTES 2/12

Problems with expansion:
1) British Encroachment
-Maine, canada, etc
-first 'evil empire'
-biggest security threat to the borders
-american solution to the security threat- acquire as much territory as possible
2) northern encroachment
-southerners feared that the northerners would expand a whole lot, try to eliminate slavery
-the british emancipated slaves throughout the british empire, southerners feared that the north would do the same
-Texans really had this fear, they really really really wanted to keep their slaves
-it was pretty much the reason they seceded from mexico
-southerners feared that if the north emancipated the slaves, slaves from the south would drain straight north
-texas was a 'safety valve' for slavery

March 1, 1845, Tyler signed the annexation of texas
-mexico suspended diplomatic relations

July 1845-
-Zachary Taylor took 4000 troops positioned on the West Bank of the Nueces River across the border
-Nueces river was thought by the mexicans to be the boundary line between mexico and US
-Taylor sent the message that they were actually going to annex all of texas
-January 1846- troops received the order to advance 150 miles south
-May 1846- a few americans are killed in a minor skirmish, became reasoning behind the war
-once again a defensive war
-Congress voted on May 13 to declare war

Oregon's up next
-1818- britain and US vote for JOINT OCCUPATION (citizens of both countries can live inside)
-1827- the treaty is extended 'in perpetuity'
-webster ashburton treaty- 1842- puts border at 49th parallel all the way to the pacific
-luckily for americans, british didnt want war with america, not in their economic interests

Now time for California
-port of San Francisco was really really really important
-1835, 1842, two different presidents tried to buy california, mexico didnt sell
-mexicans really didnt have too much presence there, though
-most of mexican people were in modern-day mexico
-John Sudell (american negotiator) offered $25 million for California & new mexico
-at least $20 million for cali north of monterey
-main point was that money be no object to the purchase of cali
June 14, 1846
-a bunch of guys walked into california statehouse in sonoma and declared California an independent republic
-Zachary Taylor from the North, Winfield scott from the south-- two generals advancing on mexican territory
-mexicans eventually capitulated
-treaty of guadalupe hidalgo
-for $15 million, US takes cali, new mexico, arizona
-polk wasnt too happy with this, but he couldn't renounce the treaty because it got him what he 'officially came for
-a rider was attached to the treaty, preventing slavery from being expanded into those territories
-south really didnt like this, if they couldnt expand slavery, why did they even go to war?
pierce succeeded in buying another part of mexico
-gadsden purchase, part of arizona (i think?)
-why?
-south was still pushing for more slave states
-still pushing the 'diffusion argument
-slaves were draining into latin america, where slavery wasn't permitted
-hedge against disunion
-if the south couldnt reconcile their differences, they needed more territory and resources

real important part-
-CUBA
-seen as ESSENTIAL to american security
-1848- spanish were offered $100 million, no deal
-1854- spanish were offered $130 million, still no deal
-the Ostend Manifesto was then issued
-the problem with spanish control was that there might be a slave revolt, they're gonna set a bad example for the US
-also a big deal- pursuing expansion in latin america, nicaragua, etc
-north begins to realize that expansionary policies are benefiting ONLY the south, not the north
-demands by the south for acquisition aren't legit
-the north would have to keep acquiescing to southern expansionary demands to keep the union together, no deal
-woo civil war.