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How did James K. Polk’s 1844 election campaign relate to U.S. expansion?

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During the 1844 presidential election, James K. Polk’s campaign was defined by a clear and aggressive stance on U.S. territorial expansion, which distinguished him from other candidates who hedged on these issues.1

Polk’s platform centered on two major expansionist goals:
* Annexation of Texas: Unlike his opponents, Polk explicitly demanded the annexation of Texas, which had been independent of Mexico since 1836.12
* Oregon Territory: Polk challenged the joint occupancy of the Oregon territory with Great Britain, famously campaigning on the slogan "Fifty-four forty or fight" to claim the entire region.1

By taking these firm positions, Polk aligned himself with the growing national sentiment of Manifest Destiny—the belief that the United States had a providential right to expand across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. His victory in 1844 provided him with a mandate to pursue these policies, directly leading to the annexation of Texas and setting the stage for the Mexican-American War as he sought to further acquire California and New Mexico.3456