Lesson 13.3b: War with Mexico

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Lesson 13.3b War with Mexico

• Today we will discuss the causes and the effects
  of the war with Mexico.

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Vocabulary

• cede to give up or transfer ownership of
  something (especially land)
• event something that happens

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Check for Understanding

• What are we going to do today?
• What is an event?
• What does it mean to trace a series of events?

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What We Already Know

• In the 1840s, many Americans believe it was our
  nations manifest destiny to expand westward to
  the Pacific Ocean.

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What We Already Know

• American settlers in Texas fought for its
  independence and had asked to be added to the
  United States in 1836.

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What We Already Know

• Congress had voted against admitting Texas to the
  Union, partly because they did not want to risk
  war with Mexico.

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In 1845, Congress annexed Texas as the 28th
state despite Northern objections.

• Mexico still claimed Texas as its own and
  considered its admis-sion an act of war.
• The border of Texas was in dispute.
• With thousands of square miles at stake, Mexico
  was prepared to fight to defend its claim.

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10. What did the United States do in 1845 that
angered Mexico?

1. Admitted New Mexico as a state
2. Admitted Arizona as a state
3. Admitted California as a state
4. Admitted Texas as a state

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President Polk made one attempt to find a
peaceful solution to the problem.

• Polk sent John Slidell, a Spanish-speaking
  ambassador, to Mexico.
• Slidell offered 25 million for Texas,
  California, and New Mexico.
• Mexico angrily rejected Slidells offer.

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Polk decided to force the issue with Mexico.

• He purposely ordered General Zachary Taylor to
  station troops on the northern bank of the Rio
  Grande.
• Viewing this as an act of war, Mexico moved an
  army into place on the southern bank.

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On April 25, 1846, a Mexican cavalry unit crossed
the Rio Grande, ambushed an American patrol and
killed or wounded 16 American soldiers.
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Polk used this clash as an excuse for war.

• Polk claimed Mexico has invaded our territory
  and shed American blood upon American soil.
• Two days later, Congress declared war, and
  thousands of volunteers, mostly from western
  states, rushed to enlist in the army.

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How did Polk provoke a war with Mexico?

1. He sent troops to attack a Mexican village just
   north of the Rio Grande.
2. He arranged for ambassador Slidell to insult the
   Mexican president.
3. He sent troops into the disputed Texas border
   area.
4. He destroyed and American warship and made look
   as if Mexico had done it.

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Americans had mixed reactions to Polks call for
war.

• Some, like Illinois representative Abraham
  Lincoln questioned the truthfulness of the
  presidents message and the need to declare war.
• Many people were concerned about how many men
  might have to give their lives.

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Americans had mixed reactions to Polks call for
war.

• Many Northeasterners saw the war as an excuse to
  spread slavery.

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Americans had mixed reactions to Polks call for
war.

• Southerners saw expansion into Texas as an
  opportunity to extend slavery and to increase
  their power in Congress.

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11. Why were some people opposed to the War with
Mexico?

1. The war was fought over an event that may not
   have happened.
2. The war was an excuse to spread slavery.
3. Southerners believed the war could reduce their
   power in Congress.
4. Many worried about how many men would lose their
   lives in the war.

Which one doesnt help answer the question?
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General Stephen Kearny captured New Mexico.

• Not long after the war began, Kearny and his men
  left Fort Leavenworth and marched 650 miles in
  six weeks to New Mexico.
• The troops in New Mexico withdrew as Kearnys
  forces approached, and Santa Fe fell without
  firing a shot.
• Then Kearny and 300 soldiers marched on toward
  California.
• The rest of his force moved south toward Mexico.

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John C. Frémont led Californians to independence.

• In California, Americans rebelled against Mexican
  rule in the Bear Flag Revolt.
• They arrested the Mexican military commander and
  declared California independent of Mexico.
• U.S. troops soon reached California and joined
  forces with the rebels.
• Within weeks, Americans controlled all of
  California.

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Defeating Mexico proved difficult.

• The Mexican army was much larger than the
  American army.
• Its officers had gained military experience
  during the Mexican Revolution.
• It was fighting on home soil.
• But the Americans were led by well-trained
  officers.

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712. Why should it have been difficult for the
United States to defeat Mexico?

1. Mexicos army was larger.
2. Mexico was fighting on its own soil.
3. Mexicos officers had more wartime experience.
4. Mexicos officers had better training.

Select all that are true!
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American forces invaded Mexicofrom two
directions.

• General Zachary Taylor fought his way south from
  Texas toward the city of Monterrey in northern
  Mexico.

A second force led by General Winfield Scott
landed at Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico and
battled inland toward Mexico City.
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The Battle of Buena Vista

• In February 1847, Zachary Taylors 4,800 troops
  met General Santa Annas 15,000 Mexicans near a
  ranch called Buena Vista.

• After two days of bloody fighting, Santa Anna
  retreated, ending the war in the north of
  Mexico.

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Winfield Scott battled toward Mexico City.

• Scotts force landed at Vera Cruz on the Gulf of
  Mexico.

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Outside the capital, Scott met fierce resistance
at the castle of Chapultepec.
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• About 1,000 Mexican soldiers and 100 young boys
  from a nearby military academy bravely defended
  the fortress.

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Despite determined resistance, Mexico City fell
to Scott in September 1847.
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In February 1848, the war officially ended with
the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo.

• In this treaty, Mexico recognized that Texas was
  part of the United States.
• Mexico was forced to accept the Rio Grande as the
  border between the nations.

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The Mexican Cession

• Mexico also ceded a vast region known as the
  Mexican Cession.
• Including Texas, this land made up almost
  one-half of Mexico.

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The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• In return, the United States agreed to pay Mexico
  15 million for the Mexican Cession.
• The United States promised to protect the 80,000
  Mexicans living in Texas and the Mexican Cession,
  and offered them citizenship if they chose.

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Loss of the war and the loss of land left Mexico
very bitter.

• Many Mexicans felt that the United States had
  provoked the war in the hope of
  gaining Mexican territory.

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13. What did each country agree to in the Treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

1. Mexico recognized the Rio Grande as the Texas
   border.
2. The U.S. agreed to pay Mexico 15 million.
3. Mexicans living in the Mexican Cession would be
   protected by the U.S. government.
4. Slavery would not be permitted in the Mexican
   Cession.
5. Mexico would accept the annexation of Texas.

Which of one these is NOT true?
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The Gadsden Purchase completed the continental
United States.

• The Gadsden Purchase was a strip of land across
  what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona.
• The government wanted the land as a
  location for a southern transcontinental
  railroad.
• In 1853, Mexico sold the land to the United
  States for 10 million.

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14. Why did the United States acquire the Gadsden
Purchase?

1. To complete the nations manifest destiny
2. To secure a new route for a railroad
3. To provide land for a new Indian Territory
4. To ease American guilt for forcing the Treaty of
   Guadalupe Hidalgo on Mexico

Select all that are true!
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15. From what country did the United States
acquire most of its southwestern region?

1. Britain
2. Spain
3. Mexico
4. France