The Annexation of Texas

Paper Assignment Topic: “The Diplomacy, Politics, and Intrigue of “Manifest Destiny”: The Annexation of Texas” (Chapter 9) in William Bruce Wheeler and Susan Becker, Discovering the American Past: A Look at the Evidence. In the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the United States nearly doubled its landmass. Yet this new territory did not extend all of the way to the Pacific Ocean, nor did it include the present-day American Southwest. That territory remained the domain of Spain, and then Mexico. Nonetheless, Americans eyed this western and southwestern territory to fulfill their Manifest Destiny of expanding to the Pacific Ocean. In the 1820s-1830s, Mexico sought to increase revenue and began to encourage immigration to its northern territory of Texas. By 1836, nearly 30,000 white Americans lived in Texas with their 5,000 African American slaves, despite an 1829 Mexican prohibition on importing new slaves. Mexico's attempt to reign in the rebellious northern province of Texas failed, and Texas claimed its independence in 1836. Since Texas and the United States had formed many close bonds, many Texans did not want to remain independent. The last president of Texas before its annexation clearly noted the draw to the U.S. Anson Jones explained, “So powerful has been this feeling [closeness and commonality], and so intimate has been the connection . . . that we have still thought and felt as if we were yet a part and portion of them [of the U.S.]”# Annexation, however, was not accomplished easily or quickly. To spur U.S. annexation of Texas, some Americans began to argue that Great Britain wanted to annex Texas to prevent the American spread westward and to block slavery's expansion. After reading all of the evidence, write a 4-6-page paper that answers the following question: was there a British abolitionist conspiracy designed to block the United States' annexation of Texas? If yes, clearly explain why there was a conspiracy and prove it. If no, was there any other conspiracy involving the annexation of Texas (and prove this conspiracy). Your paper must have an argument that clearly explains your position. You must also underline that argument. If you cannot clearly explain your position, and underline that argument, how do you expect your TA to know your argument? Your paper will be penalized if you do not underline your argument. Your paper must cite at least five pieces of evidence. You must include at least two British sources (1, 2, 4, 9-11, 24, and 27 are the British sources) and at least three non-British sources. You may use information from the “Background” section of the chapter, but your evidence must come from the “Evidence” section of the chapter. Use of any outside sources (not in DTAP chapter 9) will result in an F. Citations must be in the form of a footnote/endnote (as included in paragraph one, above)- parenthetical reference citations will be penalized. If you do not know how to insert the footnote/endnote, see your teaching assistant or the professor. (Please note in your footnote if the source is “British” or “non-British.” Your citation should include the title of the source: “President Tyler's Message to the U.S. Senate, April 22, 1844” (non-British), 222-224- for example.) Your paper must be 4-6 pages in length, 12 pt font, Times New Roman, and double-spaced. I need the essay before Dec. 3, 7:45am Central time zone! Thank you