1. Struggle to Become a State

2. 5 Things that prevented us from becoming a state
General ignorance about the territory and the citizens
Corrupt political and business leaders
National politics interfered in the process
Indian Wars
The territories image of being the “Wild West”

3. Mexican-American War
1846- NM claimed as US land by Stephen Watts Kearny
Revolt of 1847 targeted individuals sympathetic to the new US govt.
US Sent troops to up rebellion down, were successful
1848- US gets control of NM with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexico ceded (gave up) NM, AZ, CA, NV, UT! Half of their territory!

4. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexican citizens were allowed to keep their Mexican citizenship
They could move back to Mexico if they wanted
The Protocol of Queretaro
Extension to treaty
Protected property rights of former Mexican citizens who had received land from Mexico or Spain
Ownership was hard to prove, many lost all land when US took over

5. New Mexico Becomes a U.S. Territory
A convention of representatives met to draft the state constitution
Ratified with a vote of 8,371 to 39!
Henry Connelly was elected governor, Manuel Alvarez as lieutenant governor
U.S. govt rejected constitution, NM would have to wait
Compromise of settling the issue of slavery in the US
Admit Cali as a free state
Allow NM and UT territories to decide if they wanted to allow slavery
End the slave trade in Washington D.C.
Pass a new Fugitive Slave law
US paid TX $10 million to drop land claims in NM

7. Civil War in NM Pushed NM statehood out of consideration
War began in 1861
Slavery, economic issues, states rights
TX joined the south
Confederates saw NM as a link to CA
Summer of 1861 Texas troops invaded, took control of southern NM
1862, confederates move north along Rio Grande Valley
Battle of Valverde = southern victory
South then occupied ABQ and SF, looking to take Fort Union
Union cut them off at Glorieta Pass, Union wins

9. Indian War and Defeat of the Navajo and Mescalero Apaches
Indian raids on pueblo peoples and white settlers in NM increased
US govt. built military forts
Also established Indian agencies near where Indians lived
Navajo continued to raid
1863- Navajos told to surrender peacefully or crops and livestock would be destroyed
“Kit” Carson followed through
Navajo were forced to move to Bosque Redondo (Navajo Long Walk)
Apache also sent to Bosque Redondo
Bosque Redondo was a disaster, many died of disease and starvation
Eventually Navajos were allowed to return home, apache given different reservation

12. Law and Disorder in the Territory
Many saw NM as a lawless land filled with gunslingers
Had high levels of murder, bank robberies, etc.
Lincoln County Wars:
Competing men trying to get control over military posts and Indian reservations
Tunstall Vs. Murphy
Each hired men to fight for them, Tunstall hired Billy the Kid
War began when Tunstall was murdered, ended when Billy the Kid was killed

13. Overcoming the Obstacles to Statehood
What helped improve our image?
Introduction of the railroad
New Mexicans helped fight in the Spanish-American War
End of the Santa Fe Ring
Violence in the territory died down
New Mexicans thought joining AZ would improve chance of becoming a state in 1906
Voters approved the idea in NM, AZ voters rejected it