Derek Thompson

The Times of London calls Polk's election, quote, the triumph of everything that is worst over everything that is best in the United States. end quote. And immediately upon becoming president, Polk proves that he's an absolute force of nature, especially in the arena of foreign policy, as you alluded to, and as we'll discuss, I think, for the rest of this interview.

The Times of London calls Polk's election, quote, the triumph of everything that is worst over everything that is best in the United States. end quote. And immediately upon becoming president, Polk proves that he's an absolute force of nature, especially in the arena of foreign policy, as you alluded to, and as we'll discuss, I think, for the rest of this interview.

The Times of London calls Polk's election, quote, the triumph of everything that is worst over everything that is best in the United States. end quote. And immediately upon becoming president, Polk proves that he's an absolute force of nature, especially in the arena of foreign policy, as you alluded to, and as we'll discuss, I think, for the rest of this interview.

Bob, there's this term that's floating around in the ether in the mid-1840s, manifest destiny. Where did this term come from, and what did it mean at the time?

Bob, there's this term that's floating around in the ether in the mid-1840s, manifest destiny. Where did this term come from, and what did it mean at the time?

Bob, there's this term that's floating around in the ether in the mid-1840s, manifest destiny. Where did this term come from, and what did it mean at the time?

When Polk becomes president, the U.S. doesn't have Texas. We don't have the territories comprising California, Nevada, Utah, or much of what is now Arizona or New Mexico. We certainly didn't have Oregon or Washington State. And when Polk leaves the office four years later, we have all of this.

When Polk becomes president, the U.S. doesn't have Texas. We don't have the territories comprising California, Nevada, Utah, or much of what is now Arizona or New Mexico. We certainly didn't have Oregon or Washington State. And when Polk leaves the office four years later, we have all of this.

When Polk becomes president, the U.S. doesn't have Texas. We don't have the territories comprising California, Nevada, Utah, or much of what is now Arizona or New Mexico. We certainly didn't have Oregon or Washington State. And when Polk leaves the office four years later, we have all of this.

Half a million square miles, more than the entire acreage of the original 13 colonies appended to the United States. I want to talk about Oregon first, and then I want to talk about the Mexican-American War that wins America so much of its western flank. Let's start with Oregon. When we say Oregon in the 1840s, this is not the Oregon that we know today.

Half a million square miles, more than the entire acreage of the original 13 colonies appended to the United States. I want to talk about Oregon first, and then I want to talk about the Mexican-American War that wins America so much of its western flank. Let's start with Oregon. When we say Oregon in the 1840s, this is not the Oregon that we know today.

Half a million square miles, more than the entire acreage of the original 13 colonies appended to the United States. I want to talk about Oregon first, and then I want to talk about the Mexican-American War that wins America so much of its western flank. Let's start with Oregon. When we say Oregon in the 1840s, this is not the Oregon that we know today.

It's a vast stretch of land that goes from the 42nd parallel, which is the current California-Oregon border, all the way up through what is now most of British Columbia. Area had been home to Native Americans for thousands of years before the British come in. Why don't you pick up the story here? How did this territory go from being dominated by the British and the Hudson's Bay Company specifically

It's a vast stretch of land that goes from the 42nd parallel, which is the current California-Oregon border, all the way up through what is now most of British Columbia. Area had been home to Native Americans for thousands of years before the British come in. Why don't you pick up the story here? How did this territory go from being dominated by the British and the Hudson's Bay Company specifically

It's a vast stretch of land that goes from the 42nd parallel, which is the current California-Oregon border, all the way up through what is now most of British Columbia. Area had been home to Native Americans for thousands of years before the British come in. Why don't you pick up the story here? How did this territory go from being dominated by the British and the Hudson's Bay Company specifically

to even being a target of U.S. acquisition?

to even being a target of U.S. acquisition?

to even being a target of U.S. acquisition?

Walt, I want to stay with you for a bit to talk about Polk's acquisition of Oregon before we go back to Bob. You wrote in your book that Polk's winning Oregon, his successful negotiation with Great Britain, required a considerable amount of diplomatic skill because in a way, Polk was trapped between two extremes.

Walt, I want to stay with you for a bit to talk about Polk's acquisition of Oregon before we go back to Bob. You wrote in your book that Polk's winning Oregon, his successful negotiation with Great Britain, required a considerable amount of diplomatic skill because in a way, Polk was trapped between two extremes.