The Mexican-American War

Texas

Mexico

Mexican Independence ● Texas/Mexico ruled by Spain 300+ years ● Mexico gains independence from Spain 1821 ● Mexican gov’t gives away land in Mexico to officials and ranchers

Texas Land Grants horse thieves and Native Americans menaced Mexican settlers in Texas to solve the problem Mexican gov’t encourages Americans to settle in Texas (thinking Amer. Gov’t would intervene if American property was stolen) 1821; 1823; 1824 Mex. Gov’t sold large plots of land to Amer. Settlers for cheap in exchange for pledge to obey Mexican laws

Stephen Austin

Stephen Austin (con’t) Stephen Austin attracted 297 American families: became known as Texas Old Three Hundred Americans established a colony in central Texas Americans soon outnumbered Mexicans in Texas

Texas Revolution Cultural Differences in Texas: most Americans did not speak Spanish Most Americans in Texas wanted slavery 1829 Mexico outlawed slavery Mexicans wanted Americans in Texas to free their enslaved Africans: they refused

Texas Revolution (con’t) 1830 Mexico sealed its borders: No more Americans In Texas! Americans ignored: Americans in Texas doubled Over 1000 American families came per month 1830 Mexico put heavy tax on importation of American goods

Stephen Austin and Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana Austin Santa Ana

1833 Stephen Austin meets with Mex. Pres Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana Santa Ana had Austin jailed for inciting revolution Santa Ana took power away from local gov’t in Texas 1835 Austin returns to Texas convinced war was only way for Americans to have self rule in Texas

Santa Ana (con’t) Santa Ana determined to have Americans obey Texas laws ● marched a 4,000 troops to San Antonio, TX ● in response Austin called on Americans to arm themselves

“Remember The Alamo!” ● San Antonio, TX: Americans move troops into a mission: The Alamo ● February 23-March 6, 1836 Santa Ana attacked rebels at the Alamo ● all 187 Americans killed

Texas Wins Independence Santa Ana executed 445 American rebels later in March 1836 Alamo and those executions whipped Americans into a frenzy March 2, 1836 Americans in Texas declared their independence from Mexico

Sam Houston

Sam Houston (con’t) Americans’ leader in Texas led a group of 900 men in surprise attack of Santa Ana’s troops near San Jacinto River six weeks after the Alamo killed 630 Mexican troops: captured Santa Ana

Treaty of Velasco Texans only released Santa Ana after he signed treaty which granted independence to Texas Mexican gov’t refused to recognize forced treaty Great Britain and France did recognize: gave aid to Texans against Mexican gov’t July 1836 Sam Houston elected president of Texas

Texas Joins the Union ● Most Texans wanted US to annex (take over) Texas ● Southerners wanted to add another slave state: Texas allowed slavery ● Northerners did not want to add another slave state there was an even number of slave states to free states

President James Polk

Election of 1844 James Polk (a slave owner) elected President of the US Polk wanted US to annex Texas to add another slave state

War With Mexico Mexico calls their ambassador back from Washington DC (pissed over Texas) President Polk believed war with Mexico would allow US to take New Mexico, California, and Texas from Mexico Texas and Mexico argued over borders November 1845 US offered Mexico $25 million for CA, NM and to allow Texas to win its border dispute with Mexico Mexico Refused November 1845 President Polk sent Gen. Zachary Taylor to Texas to push Mexican troops south of the Rio Grande River (in TX)

Rio Grande Natural border between Mexico and Texas

Americans divided Southerners wanted to add Texas as quickly as possible (another slave state) ● Northerners did not support war with Mexico for Texas did not want to upset the slave- free state balance

The Mexican-American War Begins ● 1846 Gen. Taylor already in Mexico ● Gen. John C. Fremont led American troops into California: violation of Mexico’s rights

Mexico Had Enough!! Mexican troops cross the Rio Grande (Texas) kill 11 US troops 1846 U.S. Congress declares war on Mexico many Northerners objected the war

The Bear Flag Republic 1846

Bear Flag Republic (con’t) ●June 1846 John C. Fremont led a group of American settlers in siege of Sonoma, CA ● they proclaimed independence from Mexico: they declared CA the Bear Flag Republic ●US Navy arrived to provide support to the Americans in CA ● Mexican troops gave up on CA: returned to Mexico

General Winfield Scott

General Winfield Scott (con’t) ● (US) captured Mexico City September 14, 1846 ●Mexican army was weak from fighting on three fronts: TX, NM, CA

Conquest of Mexico City 1846

Results of the War Mexico lost 50,000 troops Mexico lost half its land in the war America lost 13,000 troops ● America increased its land by 1/3 from the war

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ● Mexico/America signed February 2, 1848 ●Mexico agree to Rio Grande River as southern border of Texas ● Mexico gave America TX, NW, CA, NV, UT, AZ, parts of Colorado, and Wyoming ●US gave Mexico $15 million

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (con’t)

Gadsden Purchase US gave Mexico $10 million more Mexico gave US southern portion of AZ

Gadsden Purchase (con’t)