Congress admits Texas to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845, following a nine-year political struggle that delayed annexation due to opposition from antislavery forces. The annexation represents a clear victory for Slave Power expansion: Texas arrives as a vast slave-holding region …
James K. PolkJohn TylerJohn C. CalhounU.S. CongressMexico+1 moreslavery-expansiontexas-annexationmanifest-destinysectional-conflictinstitutional-corruption+1 more
President John Tyler’s administration conducted secret negotiations for Texas annexation beginning in September 1843, explicitly designed to expand slavery while deceiving the public about its true motivations. Tyler, expelled from the Whig Party in September 1841 after vetoing their …
John TylerAbel P. UpshurJohn C. CalhounIsaac Van Zandtinstitutional-captureslave-powersystematic-corruptionpolitical-deceptionterritorial-expansion
Face-to-face negotiations for Texas annexation secretly commenced on October 16, 1843, between Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur and Texas minister to the United States Isaac Van Zandt, following President John Tyler’s order to open secret talks on September 18. Tyler, politically isolated …
John TylerAbel P. UpshurIsaac Van ZandtSlave Powerinstitutional-captureslave-powerpolitical-deceptionexecutive-overreachterritorial-expansion
The Whig congressional caucus expelled President John Tyler from the party on September 13, 1841, after he vetoed national bank legislation for the second time in August, revealing that one of the main political principles guiding him was states’ rights ideology and protection of slavery …
John TylerHenry ClayWhig PartyCabinet Membersinstitutional-capturesystematic-corruptionexecutive-overreachparty-realignmentstates-rights