Tensions Between Slave And Non-Slave States

In this period of time, the United States was claiming new territory while causing social tension between the slave and non-slave states. After the Louisiana Purchase and its great success, many white Americans believed that they could expand more territory and expand west. Manifest Destiny was a movement encouraged by the strong nationalism of America which led to the desire for reform and expansion. People who supported Manifest Destiny believed that they had the right to extend American power over new territory.

There was more to this movement than just American pride, it was the idea that white Americans believed they were the more superior race that justified their right to expand; people of non-European origin were not welcome.

While some believed Manifest Destiny would create conflicting issues regarding slavery and tensions with other races, some were open to the idea of using their strength and harsh tactics to reach their goal. During America’s interests of expansion during the 1840s, the Manifest Destiny movement proved to be more than an effort to expand west but a movement promoting a forceful imperialistic movement that hurt and excluded other countries in the process.

Manifest Destiny was based on the idea that America could do whatever it pleased because of its race. This hurt other groups like the Indians and Mexicans because of America’s desire to expand into their territory. After the Louisiana Purchase, Texas belonged to Mexico although America had attempted to buy the state of Texas only being rejected afterward.

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When Mexicans wanted to economically benefit the country, they allowed immigration from America which was one of the main reasons why they lost Texas.

Texas’ agricultural benefits and openness to immigration allowed many Americans to migrate. Eventually, because of the influx of American immigrants, Americans wanted to establish Texas as a separate area. This caused the Mexican government to no longer accept immigration because of its effects on Texas’ status of belonging to Mexico. Stephen F. Austin who was a prominent figure during this time sought to establish Texas as its own territory which upset the Mexican government.It went up to the point where both countries fought during the Battle of San Jacinto in which many Mexicans were killed and failed in reclaiming Texas. Surprisingly, many people who favored expansionism, were in support of America’s fight against Mexico while many opposed it. Even Andrew Jackson who opposed it, refused to annex texas which resulted in anger of many Americans who then looked to Europe to finance the expansion. When Congress refused, the Manifest Destiny movement became stronger and more motivated to establish texas as their own.

Because of America’s motives to expand and lack of consideration for Mexico, they used harsh tactics in order to claim Texas without considering the effects on the Mexican people and government; their idea that they were more superior and had the authority to take this land was expressed through their imperialistic motives. Following the line being placed between American and Canada and Mexico cutting off all ties with America after the claim of Rio Grande, America’s ambitions were heightened. Many Indian tribes had resided in California. Americans came to California at first for economic motives and traded there; these Americans who settled in Sacramento Valley later on, wanted California for themselves. James Polk who was the current president also favored this idea and was able to claim ports in California and was involved in the plan to capture New Mexico as well as California in what we know now as the Mexican War.

In the end, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established that these two territories now belonged to the United States. Mexico who suffered many casualties during the war had no choice but to declare peace through a treaty that took their lands away. It is clear that the United States found violence and turmoil in order to satisfy its imperialistic motives. Their ambition stirred from the ideas of the Manifest Destiny movement caused them to hurt other countries in order to benefit their own. Right after the treaty was signed to give New Mexico and Texas to the United States, thousands of people across the world came to California in search for gold.

The California Gold Rush strengthened the Manifest destiny beliefs and views. Many Chinese came to California not only to escape their own country because of bad economic conditions, but the Chinese also embarked on a journey to California in search for economic opportunities. Because of the gold rush, there were very few jobs which affected many people who came to California to make money. Indians were mistreated also; they were being killed by a group of whites. As great as the gold rushes seemed, this created even more tensions concerning California and its slavery laws.

Essentially the California Gold Rush empowered the manifest destiny movement causing the rise of nationalism and causing white Americans to hurt other ethnic groups in the process. Overall, events including the Mexican War and feuding between Mexico and America were effects of manifest Destiny beliefs. Many ethnic groups were exploited and many countries had their land taken away in order to fuel America’s thirst for expansion. Their belief that they were superior and had lots of strength caused them to use the Manifest Destiny movement as a forceful imperialistic movement. They used aggravation and caused tension in order to gain lands like Texas and New Mexico. Manifest Destiny hurt Mexicans especially in the war, exploited Indian and their lands, and disregarded Mexico in general. Although some saw Manifest Destiny as an empowering movement, it hurt many countries and groups because of the United States’ motives of expanding and claiming lands while hurting others in the process.