Tuesday, April 4

After you have identified the major causes of the Mexican War proceed to analyze these primary documents!

Assignment
First: Make a copy of this document
Second: Source the document
Third: Read through first document and answer question, highlight with highlighting tool
Fourth: Read through second document and answer question, highlight with highlighting tool
Fifth: share with me at emily.slechta@fairfieldsfuture.org

OR

Get a copy of the document the next time you are in class!

Tuesday, April 4

During the election of 1844 the annexation of Texas is going to be one of the major issues during the campaign. The final nominees for president will be Henry Clay and James K. Polk. During the campaign Henry Clay will avoid taking a firm stance on the idea of Manifest Destiny, knowing that when it is discussed it often causing conflict over slave and free states creating an unbalance in our Union. However, James K. Polk will not shy away. Manifest Destiny will be a major platform during his campaign and be for the expansion of the U.S.

Therefore when Polk wins the election he takes that as a sign that America is for annexing Texas and fulfilling their Manifest Destiny. This however causes tension with Mexico- leading to possible war.

Annexing Texas then raised the question and dispute over each nations borders. After Texas had rebelled they claimed their land as everything North of the Rio Grande.

However, Mexico only recognized Texas and now America's land as north of the Nueces River. President Polk will first send John Slidell a U.S. representative to Mexico City to negotiate a solution and prevent war. Additionally, Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to take a large U.S. army to Corpus Christi- near the Nueces River not to start war but to be ready.

If you are absent on this day in class you will need to read through this passage and identify 4 different causes of the Mexican War. Get worksheet from Ms. Morris to transfer reasons the next time you are in class, we will continue to add the effects of the war on this document.

Manifest Destiny can be seen as a journey for opportunity. Expanding markets, promoting industry, increasing the economy, and spreading the American beliefs and religion. However, it can also have negative effects. Such as displacing persons like the Native Americans, destroying natural habitats, as well as causing conflict and death.

Assignment: You are now an artist that has to depict either viewpoint of Manifest Destiny. Get a piece of poster paper or a plain sheet of paper to create your drawing. First decide if you think it was a good thing? or a bad thing? (Use your bubble sheet for inspiration, you will also need to turn this in with the poster!) On the poster you can include what Americans were doing along the way, reasons for expanding, or other conflicts that could occur and who they could be between. Make sure I can tell if you are for or against westward expansion in Manifest Destiny.

Manifest Destiny

Mexico was not happy after Texas revolted and became their own nation. Texas wanted independence after many Americans were recruited to live in this territory but were not interested in following and adapting to Mexican culture. These Texans (Americans) and Tejanos (Mexican-Americans) wanted slavery even though it was outlawed in Mexico. After Texans were greatly defeated at the Alamo they used this as their battle cry "Remember the Alamo" and would eventual defeat Mexican forces at the Battle of Jacinto leading to their independence.

Not long after gaining their independence the Republic of Texas found that they were struggling financially after fighting in their own revolution as well as finding it hard to defend themselves against Native Americans. This along with many Americans living in this territory they wanted to be annexed by the U.S.

With the United States wanting to expand out west, the annexation of Texas seemed to be the next step. However, doing so would create an unbalance in slave and free states within the Union as well as threaten war with Mexico.

If you were President would you move towards annexing Texas as part of the union or remain independent?

Manifest Destiny in the United States

Today we continued learning about Manifest Destiny. Americans started believing that they were morally and culturally superior to their Native, Mexican, and British neighbors and that it was Go's will and the people's duty to spread American virtues from "sea to shining sea". You will now explore other reasons as to why the U.S. would want to expand their country to the west.

Your assignment is as follows:

Read pages 516-518  

While reading, fill out the bubbles with the different motives for Manifest Destiny. Below is the worksheet that was given in class, if you do not have the worksheet you can transfer this image to your own sheet of paper and fill in the bubbles accordingly. Manifest Destiny should be placed in the center bubble.

The Age of Jackson

Use these guides to help study for the test of Andrew Jackson

Click on the following link: Study Guide

Watch the following video for additional information: Nullification Crisis

Andrew Jackson on Trial

Click on the link The Trial of Andrew Jackson. Once you get to the site start by watching the short video over Andrew Jackson. When finished, look to the right hand side and click on the word THINK. There will be multiple choice questions you must answer. Next, click on the words DIG DEEPER to read a short passage over Andrew Jackson. Finally, your assignment will be to answer the following discussion question over the film, your readings, prior knowledge, and further research.

On your own sheet of paper respond to the following question:

If you were on the jury in Andrew Jackson’s trial, what would your final verdict have been? What pieces of evidence or parts of his life did you find most compelling in forming your own opinion? Do some of your own research.

Make sure to answer in complete sentences. Your response should be a well developed paragraph.