Transcript Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny
War With Mexico
p. 362 - 368
Manifest Destiny and California
Many Americans wanted to expand to the
Pacific Ocean for trade with Asia and so the
nation would be safely bordered by the sea
instead of a foreign power.
 The U.S was willing to give $30 million for
Mexico to accept the Rio Grande as the
boundary and cede, or give up, California and
West New Mexico, but Mexico refused.
 President Polk plotted to pull the Mexican
provinces in the Union through war.
 He wanted to provoke Mexico into taking
military action first.
 This way Polk could justify war to Congress.
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Conflict Begins
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Mexicans did not recognize the Rio Grande as the
boundary- Mexico insisted the boundary was the
Nueces River.
Polk used the dispute in Texas over the boundary line
to help the war.
President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to
move his troops across the Nueces River to the Rio
Grande.
Mexican forces attacked a small force of Taylor’s
soldiers.
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President Polk declared war on Mexico on May
13, 1846 because he declared that, “Mexico…
shed American blood upon American soil.”
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Congress passed a declaration of war against Mexico.
American Attitudes Toward the War
The American people were divided over the
Mexican War.
 Northern abolitionist accused Democrats of
waging the war to spread slavery.
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Polk’s War Plan
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Polk had a three-part plan for the war with
Mexico:
 First, American
troops would drive Mexican forces
out of the disputed border region in Texas and make
the border secure.
 Second, the United States would seize New Mexico
and California.
 Finally, American forces would take Mexico City, the
capital of Mexico.
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Americans captured New Mexico’s capital,
Santa Fe, without firing a shot.
California and the Bear Flag Republic
In June 1846, a small group of Americans had
seized the town of Sonoma north of San
Francisco and proclaimed it the independent
Republic of California.
 They called the new country the Bear Flag
Republic because their first flag showed a bear
and a star on a white background.
 John C. Fremont declared that he would
conquer California. This outraged many
Californios, Mexicans who lived in Mexico.
 By January 1847, California was fully controlled
by the United States.
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The Capture of Mexico City
With their victories in New Mexico and
California, the Americans met their first two
goals in the war.
 President Polk then launched the third part of
his war plan – attack on Mexico City.
 By mid-September in 1847 the Americans had
taken Mexico City.
 The Mexican government surrendered.
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The Peace Treaty
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in
February 1848.
 Mexico gave up all claims to Texas and agreed
to the Rio Grande as the border between Texas
and Mexico.
 Mexico gave its provinces of California and
New Mexico to the United States as part of the
Mexican Cession.
 In 1853 the U.S. paid Mexico and additional
$10 million for the Gadsden Purchase.
 With this purchase, the U.S. mainland reached
its present size.
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