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Westward Expansion 19th Century

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In the 19th century, the idea of the Manifest Destiny came to rise, which believed that America was destined to expand outwards. At the same time, as America grew westward, sectionalism and tension between states also grew. These two events are connected, as many aspects of westward expansion impacted the development of sectionalism, like the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the Mexican-American War, and the annexation of Texas. The examination of these specific events reveals that the westward expansion affected the development of sectionalism from 1820 to 1850 in the North and South and the underlying theme of slavery. The two compromises, with the Missouri compromise and Compromise of 1850, reflects how sectionalism grew between …show more content…

In 1836, Texas became independent from Mexico after defeating the Mexican Army. Looking to join the US as a new state, Texas applied for statehood, but this event quickly became a controversy. One reason for controversy was that Texas would add another slave state to the US, giving the South more power. The fact that it took nine years for this issue to be resolved shows the constant controversies the North and South had over Texas. Even after Texas had signed treaties with England and France, which made Texas a republic supported by European powers, the US government continued ignoring the issue due to northern opposition, which highlights how divided the North was against the South. Once the US had obtained Texas, they set their eyes on California and New …show more content…

From 1846 to 1848, the US fought with Mexico, with the goal of taking California and New Mexico. After the US won the war and the land from the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the issue of slavery rose once again. The Wilmot Proviso suggested banning slavery in the acquired territories, some suggested extending the Missouri Compromise lines, while others favored popular sovereignty. The mass amount of differing opinions show how this situation created by the expansion of the US led to intensifying debates. Ultimately, tensions kept building up as sectionalism grew mainly due to slavery, which has become apparent in all the controversies between the North and the South, leading to the Compromise of

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262 Words | 2 Pages

Sectionalism was a leading contributor to America’s inability to reach compromise. The North and South possessed passionate political views that differed immensely. Both the Northern and Southern states felt unheard and unconsidered. The reannexation of Texas proved to be pivotal in how close America came to going to fill out war then. Northerners were willing to take Texas as she was, sought not to change the character of her institutions and realized that slavery existed in Texas.

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61 Words | 1 Pages

The cause of most political dispute around 1820-1860 was mostly about slavery. There has been division between the North and the South, though compromise had usually serve in calming the disagreement. However, nearing 1860, political compromise appeared useless. Comprises simply postponed addressing the issue, and led to even more greater issues than needed,compromise wasn’t working politically, socially,and economically for our nation.

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595 Words | 3 Pages

The fate of their country by Michael Holt is a book made up of 3 to 4 sections, titled  Pandora's Box, The Wilmot Proviso, The Compromise of 1850, The Kansas-Nebraska Act. Author Michael Holt examines what caused the Civil War and the Pandora’s Box of sectional dissent territorial slavery issue over slavery into all current and future western territories also the Missouri crisis debate. It wasn’t slavery per the book but the debates about the extension of slavery into new territories and states that sent the nation careening into civil war, argues writer Michael Holt. He gives his readers an analysis of the partisan political forces, on the great debate over the extension of slavery into the American West.

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279 Words | 2 Pages

Also, Texas struggled economically after declaring independence from Mexico. Annexation to the United States was seen as an economic advantage to many Texans. They would be able to trade freely with other states within the Union, without paying tariffs if they joined the US. Therefore, boosting the economy of Texas and create jobs. Thus, many

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141 Words | 1 Pages

In the “The Mexican War and the Compromise of 1850” lesson I learned that the abolition movement began as a religious phenomenon rather than a political. And in 1840 the United States had faced many pertaining to slavery. The lesson also talks about how Henry Clay and the Whigs saw the democrat’s position as foolish and dangerous because it amounted to saber rattling with two power full nations. I also learned that President John Tyler signed a bill annexing Texas before James Polk took office in 1845, which then Polk sent troops into the Texas-Mexican border to ensure a war with Mexico. But he avoided war with Great Britain by negotiating a settlement for half of Oregon.

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261 Words | 2 Pages

As westward expansion continued, the number of free states would be twice that of the already existing, and only, slave states. The Missouri compromise showed the different opinions that the regions, mainly the north and south, had about slavery. In the north they

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1245 Words | 5 Pages

The early 19th century marked a significant turning point in Texas' history when Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. Texas became a part of the newly independent Mexican nation, and this political change provided Texans with greater autonomy and reduced the strict control imposed by Spanish colonial authorities. The move towards self-governance allowed Texans to influence local policies and have a more significant say in regional

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191 Words | 1 Pages

Territories began to expand in the 1800’s. In the 1820’s Mexico won independence from Spain and Americans’ began to migrate there. 10 years later Mexico was surprised to see how much the population and culture grew in Texas. In the late 1830’s Texas petitioned to be part of the United States.1 However during this time the expansion of slavery and keeping peace with Mexico was in issue. 2 Finally in 1845 Texas became part of America.

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3912 Words | 16 Pages

In this essay I will account for the key events of the Westward Expansion, while also incorporating a discussion of the United States national identity, and the procedures that best express this credence. I expect

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396 Words | 2 Pages

As Americans began westward expansion they ran into many problems with the Indians. The Indians and Whites fought a lot during the mid to late 1800s, simply because the Indians didn't want the Whites to settle into their land. Indians also may have started wars with the Whites for what they were doing to the American Bison. The Whites were killing the bison at an alarming rate, which had a huge impact on the Indians way of life. For example, the Indians heavily relied on the bison for food, tools, clothing, and shelter.

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This essay will explore the reasons as to how and why secession occurred and whether slavery was the main

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603 Words | 3 Pages

The big debate across the growing United States was the debate of slavery and which states would come in as free or slavery states. The Mexican-American War was a major turning point in this debate because it settled the debate over which states would become free or slavery states. This war lasted a little over a year and 9 months long on the border of the United States and Mexico (Texas and Mexico City). This war would helped settle many disputes, but the main debate it would settle would be the huge slavery debate. The Mexican-American War helped the United States gain new territory is the south-western part of the United States.

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889 Words | 4 Pages

The Mexican-American War changed the Unites States of America in a monumental way. This war changed The U.S.A.’s relationship with foreign powers and the economic standpoint of the nation. The Mexican- American war, and its strong ties to manifest destiny, shaped the nation in a country bordered by two seas with a chance for common folk and foreigners to have a sustainable life due to the gold rush. The war can also be accounted for the downfall leading to the Civil War over the conflict of slavery due to the land purchased in the wars treaty. Conflict between Mexico and the United States began when Texas, previously part of Mexico, became part of the United States.

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878 Words | 4 Pages

American history is full of events that have changed the curse of its history, some more recent than others, an often overviewed war or conflict is the Mexican war, probably because it was only 13 years before of one of the most bloodshed periods and important periods of this country 's history, the Civil War; the Mexican War might have nit had as big as an impact as that of the Civil War, but nonetheless it was a period that is certainly important, we can also think that no war is ever unimportant (Shaara,10). Since the Louisiana purchase, there was a fervor for expansion among the American people, in 1845 the then independent nation of Texas was annexed by the United states (Shaara, 12). But there were several doubts about what was the real

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1171 Words | 5 Pages

INTRODUCTION Throughout the 1840s and 1850s a major war happened called the Mexican American War which drastically changed the U.S. and Mexico and lead to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to be signed and which established the Rio Grande and not the Nueces River as the U.S Border. This also lead to the U.S. annexation of Texas and lead to the Mexico agreeing to sell California and the rest of the territory for 15 million. So you 're probably wondering why the war was fought but you 'll find that out later.

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