1. THE WAR WITH MEXICO

2. OBJECTIVES Define or Identify: James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Stephen Kearny, Gadsen Purchase, Forty Niners, Gold Rush, Republic of California, Winfield Scott Summarize the conflicting attitudes on waging war with Mexico Describe key battles that helped the US win the War With Mexico Identify US territories gained from Mexico Explain the impact of the discovery of gold in California on the development of the West.

3. I. POLK URGES WAR Hostilities between the US and Mexico that flared during the Texas Revolution in 1836 came up again after the American annexation of Texas. The two countries might have solved this peacefully if not for the US president James K. Polk. Polk believed that war with Mexico would give us California and New Mexico as well, so he claimed the border was farther than what was agreed upon.

4. A. Slidell’s Rejection: 1844- Santa Anna was ousted as the Mexican President. In 1845 Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to purchase California and New Mexico and gain approval as the Rio Grande River as the border of Texas. Mexican officials wouldn’t even talk to him. Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to march to the Rio Grande and blockade the river, hoping to provoke a war. Mexicans saw this as a violation of their rights.

5. B. Sectional Attitudes Toward War The idea of war was well received in most parts of the country. Southerners saw it as a chance to extend slavery and increase power in Congress. Wilmot Provisio was a proposed amendment to a bill which prohibited Slavery in lands gained by Mexico and it began to intensify the discussion of Slavery. Some didn’t cheer the war. The North was mostly against it. They saw it as a plot to extend slavery.

6. II. THE WAR BEGINS As Taylor was at the Rio Grande, John C. Fremont led an exploration party through Mexico’s Alta California province. This forced the Mexican government to act. Mexico responded to Taylor by sending troops across the Rio Grande. A small skirmish killed 9 Americans. Polk used this to force Congress to declare war. The war resolution was passed, and we began to expand.

7. A. Kearny Marches West Steven Kearny marched from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He marched intent on war Once there, he met with upper-class Mexicans who wanted to join the US New Mexico fell to the US without firing a shot. B. The Republic of California In the mid 1840s, there were about 500 US settlers in California John C. Fremont seized the town of Sonoma in 1846 and created the Republic of California (also known as the Bear Flag Republic because of the Grizzly Bear on the flag) Kearny joined forces with Fremont and the Mexican forces were pushed back into Mexico

8. C. The War in Mexico American troops won victory after victory against the Mexican army. It was plagued with poor leadership During this war our finest commanders got their start (like Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grand) The American invasion of Mexico lasted about a year and generals like Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott pushed to control Mexico. Polk tried to sneak Santa Anna back into control of Mexico if he agreed to certain conditions.

9. Santa Anna agreed and was able to get control of the government and the army…and in February 1847 attacked Zachary Taylor’s forces in a double cross. Scott’s forces took advantage of the failed strategy of Santa Anna and captured Veracruz. This allowed him to move on Mexico City which they captured in September of 1847 Scott’s army had not lost a single battle

10. III. AMERICA GAINS THE SPOILS OF WAR The Mexican War lost the Mexicans at least 25,000 soldiers and nearly half it’s land. America lost about 13,000 and only 2,000 died of wounds…the rest was from yellow fever, but it increased the US size by 1/3 A. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo On February 2, 1848, the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande as the border and ceded New Mexico and California to the US. The US paid Mexico 15 million dollars for all of the territories. In 1853, James Gadsen was sent by President Franklin Pierce to buy the territory marked by the Gila river to establish the border between US and Mexico. It was called the Gadsen Purchase

11. B. Taylor’s Election in 1848 Zachary Taylor was elected during a major fight about Slavery. Seen as the moderate candidate he won easily

12. IV. THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH In 1848, James Marshall discovered Gold at Sutter’s Mill and the word spread like wildfire A. The Rush Begins Soon after news reached San Francisco, residents traveled to the Sacramento Valley to pan for gold. People left jobs, farms and even the city of San Francisco was said to be empty except for people who make shovels and pickaxes. As Gold Fever spread, people migrated to California. In 1848 400 people had come to California In 1850 it was 55,000 Prospectors who came to California were called forty-niners (most of them came in 1849)

14. B. The Impact of Gold Fever San Francisco became a “pandemonium of a city.” The entire economy of San Francisco was based on supplying people for the Gold Rush. C. Gold Rush Brings Diversity In 1849 California’s population exceeded 100,000 people. The Chinese, Free Blacks, Europeans, Mexicans all came to California Slaves were allowed until 1849 when the State Constitution outlawed Slavery. California’s application for Statehood was a huge sore point between Northerners and Southerners…In 1850 California was allowed to become a state.