THE MEXICAN

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• THE MEXICAN
• WAR ITS AFTERMATH

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CAUSES OF WAR

• Manifest Destiny
• the prevailing expansionist spirit
• confidence from overwhelming advantages of size
  wealth

• Mexicos default on debts owed the US

• Break in diplomatic relations with Mexico
  when U.S. annexed Texas, 1845

• Dispute over the southern boundary of Texas
• U.S. - at the Rio Grande River
• Mexico - farther north (150 miles) at the Nueces
  River

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Polk ordered Gen. Zachary Taylor to defend Texas
boundary
Taylor 1500 troops go to Corpus Christi on the
Nueces in July 1845 wait on negotiations
(Slidell offers 25 mill for CA NM)
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THE SPARK!

• Negotiations with Mexico fail Gen. Zachary
  Taylor takes troops (4,000 now) down to Rio
  Grande River by March, 1846
• Mexicans crossed river on April 25 attacked.
• What were Rep. Lincolns spot resolutions in
  1847?

• Polk tells Congress
• War Exists!

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Mr. Polks WarPOLKS 3-PART STRATEGY

• 1) INVADE NORTHERN MEXICO

GEN. ZACHARY TAYLOR - to clear Mexicans from TX
occupy northern Mexico
Old Rough Ready pushes 300 miles deep into
Mexico
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2) TAKE POSSESSION OF CA NM
GEN. STEPHEN KEARNY - takes Santa Fe, NM then
Los Angeles, CA
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• 3) TAKE THE CAPITAL, MEXICO CITY
• GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT
• Scott lands in Vera Cruz in March,
• 1847 it surrenders in less than 3
• weeks

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Battle of ChapultepecSeptember 13, 1847

• U.S. forces assaulted the Mexican Military
  Academy, a fortress known as Chapultepec, which
  guarded the gates to Mexico City.
• One of first major engagements for the Marines.
• Mexicans inside fought valiantly but were
  outgunned, out-numbered, overrun and nearly all
  killed..
• Six young cadets refused to surrender or retreat,
  fighting to the end they have been immortalized
  as the "Niños Héroes," or "Hero Children" in
  Mexico.
• One even wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and
  leapt to his death from the walls, just so that
  the Americans would not be able to take it in
  battle.

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The San Patricios (St. Patricks Brigade)
The San Patricios were former U.S. soldiers who
left the American army and fought for the
Mexicans. Most were Irish Catholics who felt that
they should be fighting for Catholic Mexico
instead of the USA. The Battalion had been
crushed at the Battle of Churubusco on August 20
all of its members were dead, captured or
scattered in and around Mexico City. Most of
those that had been captured were tried and
sentenced to death by hanging. 30 of them had
been standing with nooses around their necks for
hours. As the American flag was raised over
Chapultepec, the men were hanged it was meant to
be the last thing they ever saw.
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SCOTTS TROOPS OCCUPY MEXICO CITY, 1847 It had
taken 6 months of fighting to take the capital.
Scotts forces included young military officers,
Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee
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The Halls of Montezuma

• On September 14, Gen. Winfield Scott marched his
  army into Mexico City and raised the American
  flag over the Mexican National Palace-the "Halls
  of Montezuma" later celebrated in the famous
  Marine's Hymn.
• For the first time in U.S. history, the Stars and
  Stripes flew over a foreign capital.
• Santa Anna fled.

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Santa Annas Leg
Santa Anna lost his leg in 1838 in a battle
against French forces in Mexico and thereafter
used a cork leg. (His real leg was given a state
funeral!) In April, 1847, Santa Anna fought a
bloody battle against the Americans where 1,000
Mexican soldiers were killed and 3,000 wounded.
Santa Anna was forced to retreat, and in the
process, he failed to bring his artificial leg
with him.
An Illinois regiment captured Santa Annas cork
leg and proudly carried it back to their home
state where it resides today. The Mexican
government continues to request the return of
Santa Annas leg.
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• Americans were outnumbered in every major
  engagement in this war, but always took more
  casualties than the Mexicans did.
• Polk had to deal with anti-war sentiment during
  this war.
• From who?
• Why opposed?

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TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO

• Mexico lost over 50 of its territory and 1 of
  its population in this cession
• US gets full title to TX, with southern boundary
  at the Rio Grande River
• US pays 15 million for CA NM
• US assumes 3,250,000 of Mexican governments
  debts
• Treaty negotiated by Nicholas Trist

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EFFECTS OF THE WAR

• HUGE NEW TERRITORY!
• ZACHARY TAYLOR, Old Rough Ready, WHIG, WINS
  ELECTION OF 1848
• Against Democrat Lewis Cass Popular Sovereignty
• FREE SOIL PARTY IS FORMED (ran Van Buren)

"An Available Candidate." General Zachary Taylor,
Presidential Candidate Perched Atop a Pyramid of
Skulls. (1848).
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• "Justice, Union, Peace" (1848).
• First Presidential Campaign Poster in U.S.
  Politics
• Taylor had no platform
• 1st election he ever voted in!

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• MORE MANIFEST
• DESTINY!
• GOLD RUSH, 1849
• DRESS REHEARSAL FOR CIVIL WAR LEADERS
• U.S. PRESTIGE EUROPE , LATIN AM.
• SLAVERY SECESSION ISSUES RESURFACE
• WILMOT PROVISO! what did it say?
• COMPROMISE OF 1850
• GADSDEN PURCHASE, 1853
• US purchases strip of NM AZ for 10 million
• low part of the Rockies
• US can now build a railroad route to CA

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COMPROMISE OF 1850
Old and feeble, Henry Clay presents his 1850
compromise to the Senate, Future President
Millard Fillmore (presiding), John C. Calhoun
(right of Fillmore), and Daniel Webster (head in
hand) listen intently. Drawing by Peter
Rothermel. Public domain image
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COMPROMISE OF 1850

• California sought admission as a free state
  would have upset balance of power in Senate
• S threatens secession
• Compromise designed by Henry Clay
• PROVISIONS FAVORING THE NORTH
• California admitted as a free state
• Free states now outnumber slave states
• Territory disputed by TX NM surrendered by TX
  to NM
• All future slave TRADING prohibited in
  Washington, D.C.

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• PROVISIONS FAVORING THE SOUTH
• Slave ownership still allowed in D.C.
• Stronger Fugitive Slave Law
• Designed to suppress the Underground RR
• Slave owners didnt have to prove ownership to
  get slaves returned
• Slaves had no right to testify
• North totally opposed passed personal liberty
  laws which forbade the capture and return of
  runaway slaves
• TX receives 10 million (compensation for NM
  land)

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Provision that could benefit either the North or
the South

• Mexican cession would be divided into 2
  territories UT NM
• Slavery would be decided in these 2 territories
  by popular sovereignty
• Stephen Douglas responsible for passage of
  Compromise of 1850
• P Taylor opposed the Compromise
• But, Taylor died in July 1850
• P Fillmore signs bill

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