Mexico Expansion1810-1856

1824

• A newly free Mexico wants to settle in their northern most regions

• Americans were living in this territory and the Mexican government wanted them to become Catholic

1835

Tejanos (Americans of Texas)• Miles and Sam Austin• Republic of Texas declares

Independence and begins a War with Mexico– Including the Battle at the

Alamo

• War ended in 1836

Mexican Government

1845Texas joins the United States of America

MANIFEST DESTINY IN THE UNITED STATES

1840’s: United States wants to extend the “boundaries of freedom”

Reasons for Expansion in the US• Higher birth rates and increases in population

due to immigration.– Nearly 4 million move west between 1820-1850

• Two economic depressions (1818 & 1839)• Frontier land was cheap (or free)• New areas for commerce and individual self-

advancement• Land ownership = personal power• Desire to trade on the West Coast

1845

• Mexico breaks off friendly ties with the United States after they make Texas a state (James Polk is US President)

• US General Zachary Taylor moves into Mexican land near the Rio Grande

• The Mexican American War begins!

• Interesting Fact! Ulysses S. Grant (against the war), Abraham Lincoln (against the war)

1847• Treaty of Guadalupe

Hidalgo– Mexico surrenders in

Mexico City– Mexico gives up over 1/3 of

it’s territory• Texas, California, Nevada,

Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming & Colorado)

• US was to pay $15 million (not completely paid)

Consequences of Conflict• 1. The United States acquired the northern half of Mexico. This

area later became the U.S. states of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

• 2. President Santa Anna lost power in Mexico following the war.• 3. U.S. General Zachary Taylor used his fame as a war hero to win

the Presidency in 1848. A true irony is that President Polk, a Democrat, pushed for the war that led to Taylor, a Whig, winning the White House.

• 4. Relations between the United States and Mexico remained tense for many decades to come, with several military encounters along the border.

• 5. For the United States, this war provided a training-ground for the men who would lead the Northern and Southern armies in the upcoming American Civil War.

War Casualities

• United States-- 13,780 dead, many more wounded.

• Mexico-- Much higher than the U.S. total. One figure put Mexican casualties at approximately 25,000.

Territory the United States Received in Treaty

All of the Mexicans living in this territory instantly became Americans. They had the choice to move or they could stay

Hispanics in the United States Today

• Hispanic and Latino are ethnic terms, not racial terms– Hispanics and Latinos can be of any race

• 16% of the US Population– 48.4 million people

• Largest ethnic minority in the United States– Black Americans are the largest racial minority

Statistics

• 49% of the total Hispanic population lives in either California or Texas– California, Texas, Florida, New York and Illinois (5

states with largest populations)

• 44% of the population in New Mexico is Hispanic– About 35% of the California and Texas’ population

are Hispanic

Origins

• 64% of all Hispanics in the United States today are Mexican– 9% Puerto Rican– 4% Cuban

• Close to 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States– 56% from Mexico; 22% from other Spanish

Speaking Countries