Mexican-American WarCh. 14, Sect. 2

Essential Question: What were the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War?

Key Terms: cede, abolitionist

Key People: James K. Polk, John Slidell, Mariano Paredes, Zachary Taylor, Winfield Scott, Santa Anna, Henry Clay, James Pearce

Causes of the War

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

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: – 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 December 1845:

President Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to negotiate the boundary dispute and offer to buy California; but diplomatic relations broke down.

March 1846: President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to move his troops across the Nueces River to the Rio Grande.

John Slidell

OCTOBER 1845

POLK SENDS TAYLOR

TO NUECES BORDER DISPUTE: RIO GRANDE OR NUECES?

DECEMBER 1845

SLIDELL SENT TO MEXICO – MEXICO

REFUSES TO SEE HIM - INSULTS USA

War Declared 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.

JANUARY 1846

POLK ORDERS TAYLOR TO RIO GRANDE

April 1846 MEXICANS

ATTACK!

MAY 1846Taylor and

Polk’s Justification for

War

POLK ASKS CONGRESS FOR

DECLARATION OF WAR

War Debated 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.

Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln’s Spot Resolution: “Show me the spot where American blood was shed!”

Congressman Abraham Lincoln

Discussion Question #1

Was the United States justified in sending troops to the Rio Grande? Why or why not?

MAY 1846 SOME OPPOSE MR. POLK’S

WARABOLITIONISTS

WHERE WAS THE SPOT?

U.S. MILITARY FAR SUPERIOR

1. OCCUPY TEXAS AND NORTHERN MEXICO

2. TAKE NEW MEXICO AND CALIFORNIA

3. MARCH ON MEXICO CITY

United States Victory 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. – First marine landing in U.S.

History

General Zachary Taylor

WINFIELD

SCOTT SENT

SOUTH TO

MEXICO LANDS IN

VERA CRUZ

HE PUSHES TOWARD

MEXICO CITY

Texans in the War More than 5,000

Texans, including the Texas Rangers who served as scouts, fought with the U.S.

Notables include Edward Burleson, Albert Sidney Johnston, Mirabeau Lamar, and J. Pinckney Henderson.

Sadly, anti-Mexican feelings caused some Texans to abuse Mexican civilians.

Edward Burleso

n

Albert Sidney

Johnston

Discussion Question #2

Some Texans soldiers mistreated Mexican civilians in the Mexican-American War. Does war justify such actions, or might such behavior be considered a crime?

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Feb. 2, 1848: The

Peace Treaty at Guadalupe Hidalgo signed to end war.– Rio Grande became

boundary. – Mexico surrendered

area called the Mexican Cession. The U.S. paid $15 million for this land.

– Mexicans living in this area would have the rights of U.S. citizenship.

Discussion Questions #3 and 4

How do you think felt about the United States after the Mexican Cession? Why?

How would you have felt as a Mexican Citizen in areas that became part of the United States?

WAR HEROES

Mexico lost about half of its land.

Mexican Cession will one day be the states of:California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico & Wyoming.

U.S. pays Mexico $15

million.

The New Mexico Boundary Dispute

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)

Former presidential candidate Henry Clay and Maryland congressman James A. Pearce helped write the Pearce Act, as part of the Compromise of 1850.– Texas gave up lands

that it claimed in present-day New Mexico (which includes Santa Fe) and received $10 million to pay its war debt.

U.S. Congressman James A Pearce

The Compromise of 1850, con’t Provisions of the Compromise of 1850

– California became a state

– Utah and New Mexico became territories

– Slave trade was ended in Washington DC

– Fugitive Slave Law was put into place

– “Texas Question”: Texas received 10 million dollars to give up disputed territory to north and west

Getting the money helped Texas get out of debt

– Texas and New Mexico Act of September 9, 1850: created Texas’ present day borders

TEXAS AND THE COMPROMISE OF 1850

The Gadsden Purchase

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 United States AchievesManifest Destiny

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