United States History Student Edition

In the 1840s, New York newspaper editor John O’Sullivan expressed in more specific words the idea of a national mission. O’Sullivan declared it was the country’s “ Manifest Destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us.” O’Sullivan meant that the United States was clearly destined—set apart for a special purpose—by God to extend its boundaries all the way to the Pacific Ocean. “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight” Many Americans wanted the United States to take over all of the Oregon Country. In the 1844 presidential election, James K. Polk, the Democratic nominee, supported this desire. Democrats used the slogan “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight,” referring to the line of latitude they believed should be the nation’s northern border in Oregon.

Polk’s Whig opponent, Henry Clay, did not take a strong position on the Oregon issue. The Whigs’ lack of support for western annexation helped Polk win the election. A firm believer in Manifest Destiny, Polk was focused on acquiring Oregon. Britain would not accept a border at 54°40' N latitude. In 1846, the two countries compromised. They set the border at 49° N latitude. It was the same boundary the British had rejected 21 years before. 7 CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING 1. Explaining What effect did the Whitman Incident have on settlement in Oregon? 2. Summarizing How did Polk’s views differ from Clay’s in the 1844 election?

Manifest Destiny the idea that the United States was destined to span the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific

Acquisition of Oregon Territory and Florida, 1846 The United States continued to expand throughout the 1800s. The Oregon Trail was the most popular route for settlers heading west.

GEOGRAPHY CONNECTION 1. Patterns and Movement Why do you think the Oregon Trail does not appear to follow a straight route? 2. Exploring Region In what year did the United States control all of Florida?

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“To John Adams from John Quincy Adams, 31 August 1811,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-03-02-2020. [This is an Early Access document from The Adams Papers. It is not an authoritative final version.]

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