Mexican-American War

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Mexican-American War
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Causes of the conflict

• December 29, 1845, Texas formally allowed into
  the Union.
• US unsuccessfully tries to buy Mexican territory.
  (30 million)
• Southern boundary of the US (Nueces v. Rio
  Grande.
• Manifest Destiny.
• Slavery?

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It begins

• January 13, 1846, Polk sends General Taylor into
  Texas to set up defensive position on Rio Grande
• U.S. Navy blocked mouth of Rio Grande
• US troops attacked and shed American blood on
  American soil.

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General Zachary Taylor
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The fight

• War is fought in Texas and moved south.
• California is secured by Fremont. Bear Flag
  Republic.
• Mexico refuses to surrender until Mexico City is
  captured.

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Interestingly interesting

• U.S.s first foreign war.
• 1st war to be photographed.
• Considerable Naval action.
• Robert E. Lee, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson,
  Braxton Bragg, Ulysses S. Grant, George Meade,
  George McClellan, Jefferson Davis William T.
  Sherman.
• Disease killed more men than the bullets.

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Storming of Chapultepec
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The Hall of Montezuma
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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Made Rio Grande as boundary of Mexico
• California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah,
  and parts of Colorado and Wyoming was given to
  U.S. for 15 million.
• Dispossessed thousands of Mexicans of their
  rightful land. Leads to decades of resentment
  lasting even today.

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Consequences

• US gains New Mexico territory and California.
  (Wilmot Proviso)
• Issue of slavery is reborn with vigor.
• Training ground for the Civil War.
• Political opposition. Whigs, Civil Disobedience,
  religious reasons.

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The San Patricios

• A question of loyalities.
• Religion, high pay land grants.
• Over 200 served. Fifty will be hanged at the
  conclusion of the war.

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