1. Section 3 – pg 328 Conflict with Mexico
Chapter 9
Section 3 – pg 328
Conflict with Mexico

2. Texas Wins Independence
Pg 328
Texas Wins Independence
In 1820, the Spanish governor of Texas gave Moses Austin a land grant to establish a colony in Texas
After his death, his son (Stephen Austin) led a group of 300 Americans into Texas
When Mexico won its independence, the
Mexican governor honored Austin’s claim
to the land
In return, Austin and the colonists agreed
to become Mexican citizens and worship
in the Roman Catholic Church

3. Growing Conflict Pg 328 Thousands of Americans flooded to Texas
Came in conflict w/ Mexican gov’t
New settlers were Protestants not Catholics
Many were slaveholders from the South and Mexico had abolished slavery
For a while, Mexico tolerated this
In 1830, Mexico banned further American settlement
Americans still kept arriving in Texas
Tensions grew as Mexico tried to enforce laws banning slavery and requiring settlers to worship in Catholic church
Mexico also began to levy heavy taxes on American imports

4. Declaring Independence
Pg 329
Declaring Independence
American settlers wanted more representation in the Mexican legislature
Some Tejanos, Texans of Mexican decent, also hoped for a more democratic gov’t that gave less power to the central gov’t
In 1833, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became president of Mexico
Wanted a strong central gov’t w/
himself as head
Overturned Mexico’s democratic
constitution and started a dictatorship

5. Austin urged Texas to revolt against the Mexican gov’t
Pg 329
Austin urged Texas to revolt against the Mexican gov’t
In 1836, Texans declared independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas

6. Texans at War Pg 329 Santa Anna responded with force
Troops laid siege to the Alamo, a mission in San Antonio where 185 Anglo-Americans and Tejanos gathered
Siege: an attack in which once force surrounds a city or fort
Defenders of the Alamo held out for 12 days under heavy cannon fire before being overrun and either killed in battle or executed afterwards
Inspired by what happened
at the Alamo, many Texans
volunteered to join
the army

7. Pg 329
The following April, the commander of the Texan forces (Sam Houston), led a small army in a surprise attack against Santa Anna’s army at San Jacinto
Texans shouted “Remember the Alamo”
Captured Santa Anna in 18 minutes
Forced him to sign a treaty recognizing Texan independence

8. Pg 330
Republic of Texas
Sam Houston became president of the new Republic of Texas
Wanted the US to annex (add on) Texas
Public opinion on Texas was divided
Southerners supported it being added as a slave state
Northerners opposed it, but still wanted the US to expand westward
President Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren refused to support annexation
Feared adding a slave state might spark huge political fight and the Union could split

9. Annexing Texas and Oregon
Pg 330
Annexing Texas and Oregon
A decade later, Texas annexation was still a issue
Become a major issue in the presidential election of 1844

10. Pg 330
Election of 1844
President John Tyler was unpopular for favoring annexation
In 1844, the Whigs nominated Henry Clay for president instead of Tyler
Clay wanted to avoid the issue
Democratic candidate, James K Polk, wanted both Texas and Oregon to be added
At the time, Oregon was held by both the US and the British
Polk demanded the British withdraw from territory south of latitude 54o40’N
Polk won the election

11. Pg 330
Annexation
Shortly before Polk took office, Tyler asked Congress to annex Texas
Congress voted for admission of Texas as a state in 1845, 3 days before Tyler left office
A convention of Texan delegates quickly met and voted for annexation
President Polk negotiated a treaty with Britain to divide Oregon
The US got the lands south of
latitude 49oN
This later became Washington,
Oregon, and part of Idaho

12. Tensions with Mexico Pg 330
The annexation of Texas increased tensions with Mexico
Mexico never formally recognized Texas independence
Treaty w/ Santa Anna set the southern boundary at Rio Grande
Mexican gov’t claimed it was at the Nueces River, farther north
Texas never controlled the area between
the rivers
President Polk put pressure on Mexico to
accept Texas’ claim to the area
Mexico refused

13. The Mexico-American War
Pg 331
The Mexico-American War
Polk knew that the Mexican gov’t needed cash
Offered to settle the claim for Rio Grande
Also offered to buy California and the rest of New Mexico
Angry, Mexico refused the offer
Polk tried to provoke a Mexican attack on US troops
Sent General Zachary Taylor south to the disputed land
Mexicans saw this as an act of war
Mexican troops ambushed an American patrol on the disputed land
Polk asked Congress for a declaration of war
“American blood upon American soil”

14. Pg 331
Opposition to War
The war with Mexico was very popular with Americans
Strongest among southerners and westerners who wanted more land
Many northerners argued that Polk provoked war
Referred to it as “Polk’s war” and claimed he was extending slavery
Abraham Lincoln, a member of the House of Representatives from Illinois, pointed out that the disputed land was not American soil
Claimed that Taylor’s troops invaded Mexico

15. Rebellion in California
Pg 331
Rebellion in California
Polk ordered troops under the command of Stephen Kearny to invade and capture Santa Fe, New Mexico
Went from there to California
Even before Kearny arrived in California, Sacramento settlers began their own revolt against Mexico
Raised a grizzly bear flag and declared California was a independent republic
John C Fremont took command of the Bear Flag Rebellion
Moved to join forces with Kearny

16. Pg 332 Mexico had very little military presence in California
Fremont’s forces quickly captured Monterey and San Francisco
Kearny’s troops captures Santa Fe and San Diego
United forces to occupy more of California
By early 1847, all of southern California was under American control

17. Pg 332
Invasion of Mexico
General Zachary Taylor captured the Mexican city of Monterrey
Santa Anna attacked at
Battle of Buena Vista
Santa Anna had more
troops, but Taylor’s
troops were better armed
Santa Anna retreated
General Winfield Scott captured Veracruz, an important Mexican port
Then marched to Mexico City and forced Mexican army into capital
Santa Anna would not surrender

18. Pg 332
Scott’s campaign ended at Chapultepec, a stone place above Mexico City
Mexicans fought to defend it
Most were killed
In Mexico, these soldiers
are still honored for their
bravery and patriotism
After Mexico’s defeat at Chapultepec, Santa Anna left Mexico City
Mexicans were unable to defend
their cities against American troops
US won the war

19. Achieving Manifest Destiny
Pg 333
Achieving Manifest Destiny
Polk sent representative, Nicholas Trist, to help General Scott negotiate a treaty w/ the Mexican gov’t
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo – 1848
Formally ended the Mexican-American War
Mexico recognized the annexation of Texas and the Mexican Cession (California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico)
US paid $18 million to Mexico
Gadsden Purchase of 1853
US paid Mexico $10 million for a
narrow strip of present day Arizona
and New Mexico
Achieved Manifest Destiny