Transcript The Mexican American War

We are the nation of human progress, and who
will, what can, set limits to our onward march?”
-John O’Sullivan
Chapter 10.3
HSS 8.8.6
MANIFEST DESTINY
 Nation needed room to grow
 Manifest destiny or obvious fate, to settle land
all the way to the Pacific Ocean in order to
spread democracy.
 Slavery becomes an issue

Will slavery be allowed in new territories?
ACQUIRING NEW TERRITORY
•
•
•
Polk promises Oregon
will be annexed in the
election of 1844.
Oregon would be useful
to the U.S. because it
would provide a Pacific
port for trade with
China.
American dispute with
Britain over the Oregon
territory “Fifty-four
forty or fight!”
NEW TREATY-TEXAS
•
•
•
•
March 1845- congress
approves annexation.
December 1845-Texas
becomes a state.
Angered Mexican
government: considered
Texas a “stolen province”
Other than Texas, Mexico
still controlled southwest
including California.
CONFLICTED BORDERS
•
Dispute over border
•
•
•
Mexico says it is the Nueces River.
U.S. says it is the Rio Grande.
Polk sends John Slidell to Mexico
• Offers Mexico $30 million for
California and New Mexico.
• Mexico is insulted and refuses to
speak to him.
MEXICAN AMERICAN WAR
•
March 1846-Gen. Taylor led troops
to the Rio Grande.
•
Mexican Commander tells Taylor
to leave, he refuses
“Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded
our territory, and shed American blood upon American soil…”
- President James Polk
BEAR FLAG REVOLT
•
June 1846- Sonoma is taken by a
small group of Americans
• Bear flag is raised.
• California claims to be an
independent nation.
U.S. TAKES CALIFORNIA
•
•
July 1846- US naval forces
arrive and raised the stars
and stripes
Kearny arrives
• San Diego, Los Angeles, San
Francisco
•
August 1846-US Navy
Commodore Robert
Stockton claims California
for the United States
WAR’S END
• February 1847- Santa Anna
and Taylor fight at Buena
Vista.
• Heavy losses for both sides,
Mexico retreats
• General Winfield Scott is sent
to Mexico
• Sails to Veracruz
• March 1847- Veracruz
fell
• Turns focus to Mexico City
• Falls September 14, 1847
MEXICAN CESSION
•
February 1848-US and Mexico sign the Treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo
•
California, Nevada, Utah, and most of
Arizona and New Mexico.
• Sets U.S. Mexico border at the Rio Grande
• U.S. grows by almost 25%!
US paid Mexico $15 million
•
•
Officially ends war
GADSDEN PURCHASE
•
•
•
Americans need southern railroad to California
December 1853, U.S. Minister to Mexico James
Gadsden
Gadsden Purchase
•
•
US paid Mexico $10 million for southern parts of
Arizona and New Mexico.
Sets U.S. Mexico boundary at what it is today.
AFTERMATH OF THE WARS
•
•
Americans flood into
the Southwest
Conflict with MexicanAmericans and Native
Americans over land
•
Discrimination
•
•
Property rights
Manifest destiny
EFFECTS FOR AMERICANS,
INCLUDING MEXICAN-AMERICANS
• Laws printed in both English
and Spanish
• Places names: San Antonio,
San Diego, Santa Barbara
• Knowledge and cultural
tradition