Paper #4: Expansion and Conflict
John L. O'Sullivan, “Annnexation” (1845)
(7pp.)
William Barret Travis, Letter from the Commandancy of the Alamo (1836)
(1p.)
Clay and Calhoun on the Compromise of 1850
(2 pp.)
Read your textbook for relevant facts about the debate over expanding the United States. Then, carefully read the documents listed above. Write an essay analyzing why going to war with Mexico and acquiring its territory was bitterly contested.
Address the following questions:
Why did so many people wish to see the United States expand? What were the challenges of American expansion? What role did slavery play in this debate?
You must cite your sources, and list them at the end of your paper as a List of References. Please do not “borrow” material from the web without providing proper citations and enclosing direct quotations in quotation marks. Otherwise, it will be considered plagiarism, and the penalties will be severe. Typed, double-spaced, formatted according to MLA standards, 600-800 words to be submitted to Turnitin.com. (For aid on formatting, see the Purdue Owl Website.)
Note: before sending the assignment, you must rename the file in the following format: LastnameFirstname-papernumber.doc. Example: JacksonChristopher-paper4.doc. If the file is not properly named, it will not be accepted.