The Era of Good Feelings
What is the Era of Good Feelings?
1812-1825
After the War of 1812, the United States turned inward, enjoying the feelings of victory, peace and prosperity in the first few years of the era
Who is James K. Polk?
James K. Polk was the 11th president of the United States, serving from 1845 to 1849. He led the United States into war with Mexico in 1846 to settle a border dispute and expand U.S. territory.
What does Mexico first offer Americans when it wanted them to move to Mexico (after it gained its independence from Spain)?
The Mexican government offered Americans cheap land in exchange for settling it and becoming citizens (had to recognize Catholicism and follow Mexican laws, including no slavery)
The Mexican government also allowed empresarios to have large tracts of land if they promised to bring in large amounts of settlers with it
Soon, the American settlers in Texas outnumbered the native Tejanos there
What is Manifest Destiny?
Manifest Destiny was the idea that the United States had a divine (God-given) right to expand across North America and spread democracy and capitalism.
Treaty that ended the war = ?
What did that treaty say?
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory, including the present-day states California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming.
How does American culture change in the Era of Good Feelings?
The age of the “common man.”
The “new American” was the fur trader, the horse trader, the boatman on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.
American painters and writers began to praise the common working man.
How does Tennessee get its nickname?
The Tennessee Volunteers
The mass amounts of Volunteers from Tennessee who fought in both the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.
What is the Three-Fifths Clause?
3 out of 5 slaves were counted towards the total population
Northern states didn’t want slaves to count at all since slaves were considered property to the South
Mexico sees the annexation of Texas by the United States as what?
An act of war
What is significant about the Fall of Mexico City?
It marked the decisive military defeat of Mexico and the control of Mexico City for a few months, effectively ending the war and allowing the United States to negotiate a treaty.
What is the Monroe Doctrine?
1823 - Told European powers that the Western Hemisphere was off limits
Put the United States on a course of internal expansion
By staying out of European affairs, the U.S. demanded that Europe would do the same
What happens after the Indian Removal Act is passed?
The mass relocation of tribes, often referred to as the "Trail of Tears" due to the harsh conditions and high death toll during the forced migration process
What was the Missouri Compromise?
1818- Missouri proposed to be added to the Union as a state (Would cause a shift in power in Congress, caused tension and fighting)
1820 - Maine applied for statehood
Senator Henry Clay proposed that Maine be admitted as a free state and Missouri be admitted as a slave state AND… Slavery was prohibited in the Louisiana Territory at the 36 30’ line
The United States wanted to connect its land claims from "sea to shining sea". What land did the U.S. next have its sights on after gaining Texas?
We set our sights on other Mexican territories, including California and the Mexican territory in between (Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming).
What is the Wilmot Proviso?
An unsuccessful 1846 proposal in the United States Congress to ban slavery in territory gained from Mexico in the Mexican–American War. The conflict over the Wilmot Proviso was one of the major events leading to the American Civil War.
What became the most divisive topic nearing the end of this Era?
Slavery
Who is Davy Crockett?
Crockett was a frontiersman, soldier, and politician from Tennessee. He volunteered to fight in the Texas Revolution, where he died in the Battle of the Alamo.
Why does it take nearly ten years before Texas can be admitted to the Union as a state?
Both Mexico and the United States anti-slavery leaders opposed Texas entering the Union
Mexico saw Texas as land in rebellion that would eventually come back.
If Texas would be admitted to the Union, would it be free or slave?
Why can't Polk declare war on Mexico himself?
Only Congress has the power to declare war.
What is the Bear Flag Revolt and Republic?
The Bear Flag Revolt was a brief rebellion by American settlers in California against Mexico. Settlers declared California independent, known as the "Bear Flag Republic". This event ultimately paved the way for the American annexation of California during the Mexican-American War.
How were Native Americans left out of the Era of Good Feelings?
End of the War of 1812 - Native Americans couldn’t count on Britain for protection from white settlers headed west
Native Americans were not considered to be U.S. citizens.
Next 75 years– rapid decline in the Native Americans' way of life
Who is General Zachary Taylor?
Commissioned by Polk to defend at the Rio Grande. Won major victories in the Mexican-American War, including at Monterrey, Buena Vista, Palo Alto, and Resaca de la Palma.
This later helped to get Taylor elected as President.
What has to happen to the Texas territory in order for it to be admitted as a state?
The state of Texas has to abide by the Missouri Compromise line, being reduced so that all land of the state lies below that line.
What is Polk's plan in order to be able to convince Congress to declare war on Mexico?
Polk decides to move troops into disputed territory in Texas and has them sit and wait for Mexico to attack.
Mexico attacks, giving Polk an excuse to be able to ask Congress to declare war on Mexico. Mexico invaded and shed blood on U.S. soil = war was declared.
What is significant about the Siege of Veracruz?
Veracruz was considered the strongest fortress in North America (Mexico)
First major and longest amphibious assault on a city until WWII
No casualties on America's side, allowed U.S. to easily march on to Mexico City