Transcript Causes of the War

Mexican-American War
Ch. 14, Sect. 2
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Essential
Question: What
were the causes
and effects of the
MexicanAmerican War?
Causes of the War
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Mexico never recognized the
Republic of Texas and
considered the USA’s
annexation of Texas an
insult.
Mexico refused to accept the
Rio Grande as the official
boundary between Texas and
Mexico.
Instead, they insisted the
Nueces River separated the
country and state.
Causes of the War
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Mexico was angered by the
USA’s efforts to expand
trade by trying to acquire the
Pacific port of San Francisco.
The USA offered Mexico $30
million in return for:
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Mexico accepting the Rio
Grande as the Mexico-Texas
boundary, and …
Mexico ceding California and
the western half of New
Mexico to the USA.
Causes of the War
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December 1845: President
Polk sent John Slidell to
Mexico to negotiate the
boundary dispute and offer
to buy California; but Mexico
refused to speak to him.
March 1846: President Polk
ordered General Zachary
Taylor to move his troops
across the Nueces River to
the Rio Grande.
Let’s
summarize!
What exactly
was Mexico
disputing?
Let’s summarize!
Why did President Polk
order General Taylor to
move his troops across
the Nueces River?
War Declared
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April 1846: American and
Mexican forces clash at the
Rio Grande in the disputed
territory.
U.S. President Polk
declared Mexico had shed
American blood on
American soil.
Mexican President
Parades could have claimed
vice versa.
May 13, 1846: U.S. Congress
declared war on Mexico.
MAY 1846
Let’s summarize!
What was President
Polk’s justification
for war?
#showwhatyouknow
 Do
you think the United States
justified in sending troops to the Rio
Grande? Why or why not?
Strategy: U.S. MILITARY FAR SUPERIOR
1. OCCUPY TEXAS
AND NORTHERN
MEXICO
2. TAKE NEW
MEXICO AND
CALIFORNIA
3. MARCH ON
MEXICO CITY
American Strategy
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The U.S. forces were better led
and equipped.
General Zachary Taylor
captured Monterrey and later
defeated Santa Anna at Buena
Vista.
General Winfield Scott landed
at Vera Cruz and captured
Mexico City in September
1847.
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General Zachary Taylor
First marine landing in U.S.
History
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
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Feb. 2, 1848: The Peace
Treaty at Guadalupe
Hidalgo signed to end war.
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Rio Grande became
boundary.
Mexico gave up all claims to
Texas
Mexico surrendered area
called the Mexican Cession.
This was about 1/3 of their
land!
The U.S. paid $15 million
for this land.
Mexicans living in this area
would have the rights of U.S.
citizenship.
The Compromise of 1850
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Most Southerners favored
the war—more territory
meant more slave states.
Northerners opposed it for
same reason.
Abolitionists questioned
the American motives to
possibly expand slavery.
The Pearce Plan
(of The Compromise of 1850)
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The question of whether
Santa Fe would become
part of Texas became a
political issue in the U.S.
The people of Santa Fe
preferred to be a separate
territory or state rather
than be a part of Texas.
The Pearce Act
(of The Compromise of 1850)
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Former presidential
candidate Henry Clay and
Maryland congressman
James A. Pearce helped
write the Pearce Act, as part
of the Compromise of 1850.
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Texas gave up lands that it
claimed in present-day New
Mexico (which includes Santa
Fe) and received $10 million to
pay its war/Texas public debt.
U.S. Congressman James A Pearce
TEXAS AND THE COMPROMISE OF 1850
The Compromise of 1850, con’t
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Provisions of the Compromise of 1850
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California became a state
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Utah and New Mexico became territories
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Slave trade was ended in Washington DC
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Fugitive Slave Law was put into place
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“Texas Question”: Texas received 10 million dollars to give up disputed
territory to north and west
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Getting the money helped Texas get out of debt
Texas and New Mexico Act of September 9, 1850: created Texas’ present day
borders
The Gadsden Purchase
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In 1853, the U.S.
paid Mexico an
additional $10
million for the
Gadsden
Purchase, a strip of
land along the edge
of present-day
Arizona and New
Mexico.
The U.S. achieves
Manifest Destiny!
The United States Achieves
Manifest Destiny
http://www.learner.org/interactives/historymap/states.html
#showwhatyouknow
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How do you think felt about the United States
after the Mexican Cession? Why?