Nor will it become in a less degree my duty to . . . maintain by all constitutional means the right of the United States to that portion of our territory which lies beyond the Rocky Mountains. Our title to . . . Oregon is "clear and unquestionable," and already are our people preparing to perfect that title by occupying it with their wives and children . . . . [O]ur people . . . have filled the eastern valley of the Mississippi, . . . ascended the Missouri to its headsprings, and are already engaged in establishing the blessings of self-government in valleys of which the rivers flow to the Pacific. . . . To us belongs the duty of protecting them adequately wherever they may be upon our soil. The jurisdiction of our laws and the benefits of our republican institutions should be extended over them in the distant regions which they have selected for their homes.
✓ Facts — Can Be Verified
- Settlers moved into the Mississippi Valley
- Americans traveled up the Missouri River
- People were settling in Oregon Territory
- The U.S. and Britain jointly occupied Oregon
◆ Opinions — Polk's Judgment
- U.S. title to Oregon is "clear and unquestionable"
- It is America's "duty" to protect settlers
- U.S. laws "should be extended" over the territory
- America's claim is legitimate over Britain's
Manifest Destiny
The 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand across North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Fact vs. Opinion
A fact can be proven true or false with evidence. An opinion expresses a belief, judgment, or value that reasonable people may disagree about.
Oregon Territory
A vast region in the Pacific Northwest jointly claimed by the U.S. and Britain. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 set the boundary at the 49th parallel.
Inaugural Address
A speech given by a newly elected president upon taking office, often outlining their priorities and vision for their administration.