Texas and The War Texas and The War with Mexicowith Mexico

California and the Southwest

A. The Southwest• Belonged to

Mexico (AZ, NM, NV, UT + CO, CA).

• U.S. citizens began to settle after Mexico won its independence from Spain (1820).

Expansionism

A. Americans began to look towards the West1. U.S. tried to buy Calif. From Mexico several times

a. Wanted ports off San Fran. And San Diego

B. Manifest Destiny1. Strong sense of nationalism

a. It was the US’s “duty” to spread its rule all the way to the Pacific

b. Nationalism can sometimes lead to discrimination (thought U.S. was superior)

Expansionism cont…

A. Election of 18441. Whigs: Henry Clay

(famous and respected nat’l leader)

2. James K. Polk: little known candidate

a. Became known as the candidate who favored expansionism

b. 54º40’ or fight!a. Regarding Oregon

Countryb. Wanted the territory

all the way to Northern border.

Texas Wins Texas Wins IndependenceIndependence

TexasA. Part of the Spanish colony of Mexico when

Americans began to live there (Moses Austin-to set up a colony)

B. Mexico wins its ind. From Spain in 18201. Mex. let Stephen Austin and followers settle in Texas2. Hoped Americans would develop the area=control the

Indians3. Gave Austin and other settlers huge land grants

a. 300 families moved to Texasb. Some slave owners

4. By 1830-approx. 20,000 Am. Resided in Texas

Conflict with Mexico

A. Austin and settlers agreed to become Mex. Citizens and Catholic in exchange for land

B. However, did not feel loyalty to Mex.

C. In 1830 Mexico forbids any further settlers into Texas

1. Worried about Americans in Texas (wanted Tex as part of US)

2. US tried to buy Tex two times for 30 million dollars – and Mexico refused to sell it!!!

Conflict with Mexico cont…D. Mexico requires Texans to

worship Catholic church and bans slavery

1. Texans resented new laws2. Mexican troops sent to

enforce themE. Santa Anna comes to power

in Mexico– throws out Mexican constitution (rumored he wanted to throw Texans out of Mexico)

F. Santa Anna comes to Texas to fight, only 200 Texans remained to fight - retreated to an Old Spanish mission named The Alamo

The Alamo• Texans were poorly equipped

(low amo, medicine, food, etc.)• 150 Texans vs. 6,000 Mexicans

• William Travis-commander of Texas in mission

• “victory or death!”—would not surrender for the Mexicans, asked for help from Americans

• Held off Mex for 12 days• March 6, 1836—Mexican

troops broke through the Alamo walls and killed all the Texans

• Survivors, including Davy Crockett, were executed.

Texan IndependenceA. Alamo set off cries for revenge

1. The fact that Mexican troops killed another several hundred Texan soldiers after they had surrendered only fed the fire some more.

2. Volunteers from Texas and the US joined Sam Houston’s army.

B. Houston surprises the Mexican army with an attack on April 21, 1836 (Battle of San Jacinto)

1. With cries of “Remember the Alamo!”2. Lasted only 18 minutes3. Texans killed 630 Mexicans and captured 700 more4. April 22—capture Santa Anna

a. Forced him to sign treaty granting Texas its independence.

Lone Star RepublicA. Named after their flag with only one star.B. Drew up a Constitution and elected Sam Houston as pres.C. Faced several problems

1. Mex. Refused to accept the treaty signed by Santa Annaa. Still claimed Texas as part of their country

2. Texas was nearly bankrupteda. Possible solution—become part of the US

3. Slavery--debate over annexation caused by the issue of slaverya. Anti-slavery sentiment in N.—did not want Texas to become a slave state (many Texans owned slaves)

4. Pres. Andrew Jackson worried that annexation of Texas would lead to war with Mexico

More land-More land-How we got Oregon How we got Oregon and half of Mexicoand half of Mexico

OregonA. Pres. Polk acts on

campaign promise to take Oregon from Britain

1. 1846-Agreement b/w US and Britain—Oregon divided at 49ºN

2. Dubbed Oregon Territory (present day states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho)

Conflict with Mexico

A. Annexation of Texas made Mexicans furious1. Never even accepted Texas’ independence2. Worried the same might happen in CA and NM

B. Americans resented Mexico1. Thought Mexico was getting in the way of Manifest

Destiny2. US tried to buy UT and NM—refused to sell

C. Border dispute sparks war1. US claimed territory west as far south as the Rio Grande2. Mex claimed US territory only west as far south as the

Nueces River3. Both nations claimed the land in b/w

Conflict with Mexico cont…

D. Jan 1846—Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to cross the Nueces River and set up posts in the disputed areas along the Rio Grande1. April of 1846-Mexican troops cross the Rio Grande and had a brief fight w/ Am. Soldiers

a. Polk asks Congress for a declaration of war once he gets the news

b. Not everyone wants war (ie Abe Lincoln)

c. At Polk’s urging, Congress declares war on Mexico.

Conflict with Mexico cont…

E. How Americans felt…(divided over the war)

1. North opposed the war

a. Saw it as a Southern effort to add new slave state

2. South & West supported the war effort

a. Wanted more land-easier to fight

Results of the War with Mexico Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

– Gave U.S. undisputed control of Texas, established the U.S.-Mexican border of the Rio Grande River, and ceded to the United States the present-day states of CA, NV, UT, CO, AZ, NM and WY.

– Mexico received $15,000,000, — less than half the amount the U.S. offered Mexico before the war.

Acquisition was controversial. A leading U.S. newspaper, the Whig Intelligencer sardonically concluded that:

– “We take nothing by conquest.... Thank God.”

Mexico lost more than 500,000 square miles (about 1,300,000 km²) of land, almost half of its territory.

The war may have been "unnecessarily and unconstitutionally begun by the President of the United States”, but General Zachary Taylor will become the next President of the U.S.