Mexican American War

Mexican American War
1846-1848
Mexico and Texas
 Mexico declared independence from Spain in
1810, recognized in 1821
 1822, Stephen Austin founded colony of
several hundred Americans in East Texas
 1825 – 1,800 colonists
 1835 – 30,000
 As numbers increased, Americans demanded
more political control
 Wanted slavery to be guaranteed under Mex. Law
 Wanted same rights that they had in United States
 Stephen Austin is known
as the “Father of Texas”
Texas War for Independence
 General Santa Ana declared himself dictator of
Mexico, stripped Texas of right to self-govt.
 1835 - Texans united for independence,
clashed w/ Mexican troops
 Santa Ana led army across Rio Grande to
subdue rebellion
 Feb. 1836, reached the Alamo, walled mission
in San Antonio
 Many died, 300 prisoners later executed
Republic of Texas
 March 1836 – Rebels formally declare the
independent Republic of Texas
 April 1836 – Texans led by Sam Houston
ambushed Mexican troops at San Jacinto River
 Captured Santa Ana, forced him to sign treaty
recognizing the Republic of Texas
 Sam Houston elected 1st president of Texas
 Sam Houston
Annexation of Texas
 Most Southerners/Democrats supported Texas’
annexation, Northerners/Whigs were opposed
 1843 – Santa Ana warned that annexation of
Texas would be “equivalent to a declaration of
war against the Mexican Republic.”
 1845, Republic of Texas voted to be annexed
by the United States Congress approved
 Texas became 28th state
War with Mexico
 Began over dispute of southern boundary of
Texas
 U.S. claimed Rio Grande as southern border
 Mexico claimed Nueces River as border
 Polk wanted more than just Texas
 Elected on platform of Manifest Destiny
 Wanted to acquire entire western Mexican territory
James Polk (1845-1849)
 Polk won the Democratic
Party nomination for
president in 1844 because of
his support for expansion.
 Party’s platform stated:
“the re-occupation of
Oregon and the re-
annexation of Texas at the
earliest practical period
are great American
measures.”
Failed Diplomacy
 Polk sent a representative to Mexico City in
November, 1845
 Offered to buy New Mexico and California
 Mex. Govt. refused to meet him
 Polk then ordered over 3,000 troops under General
Zachary Taylor into disputed territory
 Mexican troops engaged in skirmish with American
troops
 Polk expressed outrage at loss of “American blood on
American soil.”
War is Declared on Mexico
 Polk asked Congress to declare war
 War declared in May of 1846
 American troops took offensive
 Expedition under Captain John Fremont
moved into California
 Group of American settlers had already proclaimed
an independent Republic of California
 By Jan. of 1847, U.S. had California and N.M.
War in Mexico
 Generals Taylor and Scott invaded Mexico,
captured the port city of Veracruz, marched
army of 10,000 toward Mexico City
 Captured Mexico City in September, 1848
 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended war
 Mexico gave up claim to Texas
 Recognized Rio Grande as border with U.S.
 Gave up New Mexico and California
 United States paid Mexico $15 million
Gadsden Purchase
 U.S. considered a southern route for a
transcontinental railroad
 1853, Mexico sold 30,000 square miles of
southern New Mexico and Arizona to U.S. for
$10 million.
Treaty of 1818
 U.S. and Great Britain
 Established 49th parallel as northern border to
the “Stony Mountains” (Rockies)
 Joint Control of Oregon Territory for 10 years
 Compensation for Slaves after War of 1812
Rupert’s Land
Treaties with British
Treaty of 1818
•
– Established “Joint-Occupancy” of Oregon

Territory between British and U.S.
Treaty of 1846 (“Oregon Treaty”)

•
– British ceded territory south of 49th Parallel to U.S.
– British moved from Fort Vancouver to Fort

Victoria
Acquisition of Territory
 1763 – French and Indian War
 1783 – Revolutionary War (Treaty of Paris)
 1803 – Louisiana Purchase
 1812 – Concrete Northeast Border (Treaty of Ghent)
 1818 – Treaty of 1818, 49th Parallel to “Stony Mtns”)
 1819/21 – Adams-Onis Treaty
 1845 – Texas as 38th state
 1846 – Oregon Treaty
 1848 – Mexican Cession
 1853 – Gadsden Purchase
Frederick Jackson Turner
 Turn of the century American historian
 “The Significance of the Frontier in American
History” (1893)
 Claimed the frontier had played a key role in
shaping the American character (“rugged
individualism”)
 Frontier life created Americans that were
socially mobile, ready for adventure, bent on
individual self-improvement, and committed to
democracy
 The West was a sort of “pressure valve”

Mexican American War - Online Notes

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– Established “Joint-Occupancy” of Oregon

Treaty of 1846 (“Oregon Treaty”)

– British ceded territory south of 49th Parallel to U.S.

– British moved from Fort Vancouver to Fort

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