Transcript The Mexican American War

The Mexican American
War (1846-1848)
President James K. Polk

This Democrat from Tennessee wins the
election of 1844 (defeating Henry Clay) with a
platform supporting the goals of Manifest
Destiny.

He sent John Slidell (Spanish speaking
Ambassador) to Mexico to find a diplomatic
solution to the Texas border question and
offered $25 million for the California
territory.
Mexican Reaction

Mexican President,
Mariano Parades
refused to see Slidell.

After the US annexes
Texas, Mexico breaks
off diplomatic
relations with the
United States.
Outbreak of War

In April 1846, Mexican soldiers crossed the
Rio Grande River and attacked a small
American cavalry unit. According to the
Mexican point of view, this was Mexican
territory.

The United States disagreed & on May 13th,
Congress declared war.
Sectionalism: Americans Debate War

Supporters: Western states and Southern
states. Supporting for geographical
reasons and extension of slavery.

Opponents: Northerners. Questioned
Polk’s declaration of war. Anti-slavery
groups also opposed this war.
Map of War Strategy

General Zachary Taylor
invaded northern Mexico.

General Stephen Kearny
traveled west and captured
Santa Fe, and supported
revolt in California.

Bear Flag Revolt –
Americans, led by John
Fremont, rebelled against
Mexican rule in California.

General Winfield Scott
invaded Mexico City
(through Gulf of Mexico)
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

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The United States gained full title to Texas with the Rio
Grande as the southern border of Texas.
The U.S. gained California and the New Mexico territory
including present day Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and parts of
Colorado.
The U.S. paid $15 million for California and New Mexico
and agreed to pay Mexican debts totaling 3.25 million
dollars.
In 1853, the United States purchased the southern portion of
New Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase for $10 million dollars
enabling the U.S. to have flat land for a connecting railroad.
Once the United States gained control of these areas,
populations grew with new settlers flooding west.
Before the Rush

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Californios – settlers of Mexican/Spanish
descent
Mariano Vallejo – Californio land owner
John Sutter – owned mill in Sacramento
Valley
John Marshall – builds Sutter’s mill on the
American River - GOLD
Gold Rush
How to Get There
 18,000 Mile sail around South America
 Isthmus of Panama
 Oregon/California Trail
Mining Camps
 Tents along the Sierra Nevada mountains
 Rough, violent places
 2/3 American
 1/3 – Chinese, South Americans, freed slaves
Impact of Gold Rush

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250,000 people move to Ca
San Francisco becomes a port city – with
many different ethnicities
Californios & Native Americans – have
property seized
1850 – California becomes a FREE state
Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny is a nineteenth-century belief
that the U.S. had a mission to expand westward
across the North American continent, spreading
its form of democracy, freedom and culture

The expansion was deemed to be not only good,
but also obvious ("manifest") and certain
("destiny").

Many believed the mission to be divinely inspired
American Progress