Manifest Destiny, California Gold Rush, & the Mexican War

Manifest Destiny, California Gold Rush, and the Mexican War

Events & Consequences of the War

California Gold Rush

Events of the War:

Manifest Destiny Excerpt

• The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California
• Around 300,000 people came from everywhere around the globe in search for gold
• at first, gold could have been picked up off the ground in little nuggets, but after a while people had to start looking in streams and river beads
• this was called "panning for gold"

California During the War

• General Stephen W. Kearny led 1,700 troops to modern day San Diego, where John C Fremont met up with him. Together they started the "Bear Flag Revolt" in California
• Zachary Taylor also helped win the war in Buena Vista, Texas. He defeated Santa Anna
• General Winfeild Scott attacked Mexico City and conquering it. This ended the war and defeated the Mexicans

After the War:

• the California Republic, otherwise known as the Bear Flag Republic, refers to a period of revolt by American settlers in the Mexican territory of California against the Mexicans
• Although the republic declared independence from Mexico, it never got the approval of the government
• The "republic" also wasn't recognized as any real authority, or a nation
• U.S Army Major John C Fremont arrived in California and claimed to me on a mission to find a route to the Pacific (he really was supposed to find the source of the Arkansas River)
• Fremont began encouraging a rebellion of the Angelo-American settlers
• As a result, many settlers from the haciendas of the Sacramento River Valley, captured the Mexican garrison of Sonoma and raised a homemade flag called the "Bear Flag"
• As part of the Sonoma garrison, the rebels captured the Commandant of Northern California
• The Republic's first and only president was William B. Ide, the duration lasted twenty-five days

We must onward to the fulfillment of our mission -- to the entire development of the principle of our organization -- freedom of conscience, freedom of person, freedom of trade and business pursuits, universality of freedom and equality. This is our high destiny, and in nature's eternal, inevitable decree of cause and effect we must accomplish it. All this will be our future history, to establish on earth the moral dignity and salvation of man -- the immutable truth and beneficence of God. For this blessed mission to the nations of the world, which are shut out from the life-giving light of truth, has America been chosen; and her high example shall smite unto death the tyranny of kings, hierarchs, and oligarchs, and carry the glad tidings of peace and good will where myriads now endure an existence scarcely more enviable than that of beasts of the field. Who, then, can doubt that our country is destined to be the great nation of futurity?

John L. O'Sullivan on Manifest Destiny, 1839 excerpted from "The Great Nation of Futurity."

• Many gold seekers planned to "strike it rich" and bring home a lot of gold, but the majority came home with little or no gold
• The effects of the Gold Rush were crucial. San Francisco grew from a small settlement of about 200 residents, in 1846, to a booming town of about 36,000 by 1852.
• Roads, churches, schools and other towns were built throughout California.
• In 1849 a state constitution was written, a governor and legislature chosen, and California became a state in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850.

• After the war, Polk sent Nicholas Trist and General Scott to create a treaty. They made the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which officially ended the war.
• The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was the major consequence of the war. Mexico was forced to give up the Mexican Cession, the territories of Alta California, and New Mexico to the U.S. in exchange for $15 million.
• The United States also assumed $3.25 million of debt owed by the Mexican government to U.S. citizens. Mexico accepted the loss of Texas and then cited the Rio Grande as its national border.

How it started...

Historically Informative Videos...

• January 1848 James Marshall noticed shiny objects at Sutter's Mill and after word spread, people from all over California headed for Coloma
• Word soon reached east and throughout that year over 80,000 forty-niners came into California
• Only some struck it rich.

• Pioneers believed America had the obligation to expand the Republic all the way to the Pacific ocean (from sea to shining sea)
• Independence that had been gained in the Rev. war and regained in War of 1812 left spirit of nationalism and that led to demanding more territory
• After Louisiana territory was explored, Americans headed west by the thousands
• John O'Sullivan coined term "Manifest Destiny" in 1845 in an editorial on the US magazine and Dem. Review

The Mexican War- How it all Began

Controversies

Manifest Destiny

Other Motives

noun

the belief or doctrine, held chiefly in the middle and latter part of the 19th century, that it was the destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory over the whole of North America and to extend and enhance its political, social, and economic influences.

Origin:

1835–45

• James k. Polk was a Whig and believed in Manifest Destiny
• He planned to take over Mexico territory (California) mainly because they were weaker
• Polk tried buying California from Mexico, but they were still bitter about losing Texas
• Polk sent 4,000 troops to the Rio Grande where they disputed about the border. Mexico believed the border was the Nueces River, but America thought it was the Rio Grande
• Polk wanted to go to war with Mexico, and pressured Congress into war
• they declared war in May 1846
• news reached California about a month later,
• John D. Sloat and Robert Stockton, men in charge over theUS Navy Ships in the Pacific took over ports in Los Angeles, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area
• After a year and a half of fighting, the Mexicans lost and surrendered in 1847

• The Second Great Awakening created bigger urge to go west- Many believed it was God's will for America to expand
• Native Americans were just obstacles so missionaries tried to save their souls
• There were also economic motives so when gold was discovered when heading west, number of migrants rose

• Manifest Destiny was a concept that mainly Democrats accepted and Whigs rejected
• Whigs were a peaceful party and they felt that the Democrats used "Manifest Destiny" as an excuse to justify the War with Mexico
• People also supported the term "Manifest Destiny" to expand slavery into Texas and make it another slave state
• Ultimately "Manifest Destiny" turned out to be a great thing because it shaped us into the nation we are today

• Manifest Destiny was the widely held belief that American settlers were destined to expand across the continent
• It was used by Democrats in the 1840s to justify the war with Mexico and it was also used to divide half of Oregon with Great Britain
• historians believed there were three themes to Manifest Destiny:
• 1. The special virtues of the American people and their institutions
• 2. America's mission to redeem and remake the west in the image of agrarian America
• 3. An irresistible destiny direction to accomplish this essential duty

"American Progress" (1872) John Gast