Transcript Mexican American War

BELLWORK
1. Explain the positive/negative
aspects of Santa Anna’s rule.
2. During caudillo rule, many
leaders changed suffrage
rights. Why did they do this?
3. Why did Texas want
independence from Mexico?
4. THINKER: In your opinion,
would it be possible for Texas to
secede again? Why or why not?
The Mexican-American War
1846-1848
Invasión Estadounidense a
México
The Road to War
The State of Texas
The State of Texas
The State of
Texas
• General Sam Houston (leader of
Texan revolution)
• Texans had early defeats (Alamo 1845)
• Eventually, Texans win
independence after Battle of San
Jacinto
Discussion
• Do you think the United States had the
right to annex Texas? Why or why not?
James Polk
President Polk appointed Zachary
Taylor as American General; he would
later become the 12th president
Changes in Mexican Leadership
Following
Santa
Anna’s
exile:
Jose de
Herrera
ruled
(MayNov.
1845)
followed
by
General
Mariano
Paredes
"Mexico has
passed the
boundary of
the United
States, has
invaded our
territory and
shed
American
blood upon
American
soil.”
- President
Polk’s address to
Congress;
5/11/1846
Discussion
• Do you think there was an alternative to
war? Was negotiation possible?
Manifest Destiny
Discussion
• In your opinion, did America accomplish
Manifest Destiny? Why or why not?
Opponents of War
• Whig Party
• Anti-slavery groups
• “In the murder of Mexicans upon their own soil, or in
robbing them of their country, I can take no part
either now or here-after. The guilt of these crimes
must rest on others. I will not participate in them”
(U.S. Diplomat – Joshua Gittings)
• “This war is nondescript .... We charge the
President with usurping the war-making power ...
with seizing a country ... which had been for
centuries, and was then in the possession of the
Mexicans .... Let us put a check upon this lust of
dominion. We had territory enough, Heaven knew”
(Congressman Abraham Lincoln)
Santa Anna’s Return
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Once the U.S. declared war on
Mexico, Santa Anna (in exile) wrote to
Mexico City saying he no longer had
aspirations to the presidency, but
would eagerly use his military
experience to fight off the foreign
invasion of Mexico as he had before.
President Valentín Gómez Farías was
desperate enough to accept the offer
and allowed Santa Anna to return.
Meanwhile, Santa Anna had secretly
been dealing with representatives of
the U.S., pledging that if he were
allowed back in Mexico through the
U.S. naval blockades, he would work
to sell all contested territory to the
United States at a reasonable price.
Once back in Mexico, at the head of
the army, Santa Anna went back on
both agreements.
He declared himself president again
and unsuccessfully tried to fight off the
U.S. invasion.
Discussion
• Why did the Mexican government allow
Santa Anna to return? Do you think this
was a good or bad decision on their part?
America’s Two-Pronged Invasion
Battle of Veracruz
By: Carl Nebel
American Occupation of Mexico City
By: Carl Nebel
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Discussion
• The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
guaranteed American citizenship to
Mexicans living in the new territory, but
was not enforced. Do you think something
else should have been added to the treaty
to protect Mexican (newly “American”)
citizens? Or did the government not
consider this an issue?
Results of Mexican-American War
• Treaty of GuadalupeHidalgo
• Mexican Cession in
exchange for payment
of $15 million
• U.S. forgave Mexico’s
$3.5 million debt
• Mexico accepted
Texas as part of U.S.
• National border
became the Rio Grade
• U.S. guaranteed
Mexicans American
citizenship
This cartoon depicts U.S. General Zachary
Taylor sitting atop the skulls of MexicanAmerican war casualties
Discussion
• Regarding the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant
said: “The Southern rebellion was largely the
outgrowth of the Mexican war. Nations, like
individuals, are punished for their
transgressions. We got our punishment in the
most violent and expensive war of modern
times”
• Do you agree with Grant? How could the
Mexican-American War lead to the Civil War?