Slavery, Manifest Destiny, and Secession: Our American Narrative (Part II)

Explore these words and record descriptions of what they are in your notes:

• imperialism
• accession
• diplomatic
• anarchy

Power of Perspective Questions

Use these questions to focus your learning as you watch the video clips. Make notes on each question as you watch. You will use these notes in the upcoming classroom activity. (And of course, the questions are meant to be answered in a general way; for example, not all 19th century Americans valued exactly the same things, but there was something of a consensus generally.)

View the following Clips on the PBS.org site linked below: 

http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/resources/video_library.html

• “Two nations’ identities: Looking forward and looking back”
• “Mexico in the shadow of its own history”
• “The American Indians: Protecting sacred land”
• “Manifest Destiny and American continental expansion”

1. What are some of the major components of the idea of Manifest Destiny?
 

2. What did the 19th century Americans value? Where did they look for their national identity?
 

3. How would you describe the Mexican perspective described in the clips? What did the Mexicans most value? Where did they look for their national identity?
 

4. What was the Indian perspective? What did the Indians value? Where did they look for their national identity as a people?
 

5. Think about ways that these different perspectives may have contributed to conflicts among these peoples.

Close read and take notes on the following link about the Wilmot Proviso: http://www.ushistory.org/us/30a.asp.  Your notes should reflect the following information as it relates to Wilmot Proviso.

• Author
• Time and Place
• Significance of Policy
• Impact of Policy on Northerns and Southerners