The Texas Revolution

Mexico Becomes Independent • Spain controlled

the area but Mexico soon won their independence

Mexico Looks For Settlers• The Mexican government hired empresarios (agents) to

bring settlers to Texas• They offered free land• There was a catch: new settlers had to obey Mexican laws

Mexico Worries• Too many American

settlers were moving into the area

• In 1830 the Mexican government banned any more Americans from settling in area

• Many American Texans were angry and looked to seek independence

There’s a New General in Town• New Mexican General Santa Anna was worried

about Texas• He sent the army to take a cannon away from

a town in Texas• Rebels stood by the cannon with this flag:

• They won, beginning the Texas Revolution

Texas Independence• On March 2, 1836 Texas declared

independence from Mexico. This was their first flag:

Battle at the Alamo

• Santa Anna gathered army, Texans did the same- asking for volunteers (this included Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie)

Jim Bowie- Folk HeroThe Sandbar Duel:

Bowie was watching a duel- both men missed and the men shook hands. The fight was not over, however, as a fight soon erupted between each supporting side. Bowie was shot in the hip, pistol-whipped so hard that the pistol broke and stabbed in the chest by a sword cane. The man who stabbed him was killed when Bowie pulled out the sword cane from his chest, took out his own bowie knife and grabbed the mans shirt and pulled him down on it. He was then shot in the arm. His knife became popular and there were “bowie knife schools” all over the US

Battle at the Alamo• 200 Texan volunteers held off large Mexican

Army for almost 2 weeks• A message for help was sent out• The Mexican army finally attack and all those

who defended the Alamo died

The Battle of San Jacinto• Texans were being

chased out of the territory by Santa Anna

• At the San Jacinto River, however, they gathered and took a stand

• Mexican troops were resting when the Texans swarmed their camp

The Battle of San Jacinto

• The Texans won quickly and captured Santa Anna• He was forced to sign a treaty giving Texas its

independence

Sam Houston

• He led the troops to victory and had shouted “Remember the Alamo”

• They named the Texas capital after him

Looking Westward• There was a need for more space and land-

the Americans began to look westward

Manifest Destiny• The belief that it was our fate to settle land all the

way to the Pacific Ocean and settle democracy

The Issue of Slavery• If there was this manifest destiny or expansion,

would the new area consist of free or slave states?

1844 Election

• Henry Clary v. James K. Polk

• Polk won

Acquiring New Territory• Polk set out to get Oregon and Texas

Oregon• By the 1820s Russia and Spain had given up

their claims to the Oregon Territory• Americans who settled there asked if Oregon

could join Union

The US- Canada Border• There was a disagreement over where the

border should be drawn• Americans said “fifty-forty or fight”, talking

about the latitude where the wanted the border

A Compromise• Neither side wanted a fight so the line was

drawn at the 49th parallel longitude

Oregon • After the border was drawn, Oregon became a

U.S. territory in 1848

Texas • Americans continued to move into Texas

• The Mexican government was angry and said it was “stolen”

• Became a state in 1845

California Under Mexico

• Missions forced Native Americans to work on farms and ranches (though some came willingly)

• Still, they were not allowed to leave once they got there and had to adopt a different religion

California Under Mexico• When Mexico won its independence the mission system ended• Land given to wealthy settlers- they created ranches and

vaqueros (cowboys) managed the herds

The Native Americans still had to work hard on ranches in order to survive

The Califorinos

• This was the term for early California settlers (only around 3,200)

• Hospitable and skilled horse riders

The Mexican-American War• The US involvement in California and Texas

created tensions with Mexico

Conflict Breaks Out• Tensions grew

when the US and Mexico could not agree where the border was

• President Polk sent an army into the disputed area and a diplomat to settle the dispute

• The Mexican government refused to talk to Sidell- the diplomat

• A fight broke out along the border between the two armies

The War Begins• Congress and Polk declare war on Mexico

The U.S Army

• Better weapons• Outnumbered• Full of young volunteers• Supported by many Americans • Not supported by Whigs or abolitionists

• A battle ensued and the U.S took Santa Fe and claimed the New Mexico territory to now be theirs

The Califorinos

• Who were they?• In California there were 500 Americans in

contrast to the 12,000 Califorinos

The Bear Flag Revolt• A small group of Americans seized the town of

Sonoma in California and declared California to be an independent nation

• The bear flag revolt did not last long, however, as naval forces arrived in California and raised their flag

• Several cities were taken by the US and after some resistance from the Califorinos they surrendered

War’s End• General Taylor (US)

v. Santa Anna (Mexico)

• Fought at Buena Vista

• US won, Taylor became a hero

• General Scott (US) won at Veracruz

Wars End Continued• Scott also took Mexico City

American Settlement in the Mexican Succession

• The was ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Mexico had to give up much of its northern territory: we got California, Nevada, Utah and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming (next slide)

The US helps Mexico• We paid $15 million for the land and $3

million for damages

The Gadsden Purchase• We paid $10 million in exchange for the

remaining parts of New Mexico and Arizona (the yellow area)