The Mexican-American War

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The Mexican-American War
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The US and SpainA Dispute over Borders

• In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase had set the US
  border with Spain at the Rio Grande River.
• Spain claimed that the border was closer to San
  Antonio and the Sabine River.
• While the two countries argued over territorial
  rights, American settlers entered the disputed
  area (known as the Tejas region) to grow cotton,
  sell horses to settlers in the new territories,
  and to trade along the Gulf Coast.

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and_grants.jpg
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Spanish Control

• In 1819, to appease Spain and to purchase FL, the
  US relinquished all claims to the Texas
  territory. The Tejas territory was then wholly
  controlled by the Spanish, who allowed more than
  300 more families to move into the area to
  continue their business ventures.

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Mexican Independence

• In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain
  after 11 years of rebellion. The new Mexican
  government allowed Americans to continue to
  settle the Tejas territory, but under certain
  conditions, including

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Mexican Rule

• Each new settler had to convert to Roman
  Catholicism
• Meet high standards of moral character
• Become a Mexican citizen
• Change their names to Spanish equivalents.

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Mexican Rule

• Each were given over 4,000 acres of land. The new
  settlers were called Texians. The colony
  flourished and three years after it was started
  (1824), its population had grown to 18,000.

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US interest in Mexico

• As more settlers entered the Tejas region (both
  legally and illegally), US interest in purchasing
  the land increased.
• Both John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson offered to
  purchase the land for upwards of 5 million.
• Mexico rejected both offers, and became weary of
  US interests in their newly freed country.

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Friction between Mexico and the Texians

• As more and more Americans populated the northern
  territories of Mexico, they became increasing
  independent.
• Disillusionment with Mexican rule increased as
  revolutions in Mexico upset the politics of the
  land, settlers had no choice of religion, slavery
  and the sale of slaves was made illegal, tariffs
  were increased, and Texians had little contact
  (or say) in their local government.

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Santa Anna

• In 1833 Santa Anna was elected president of
  Mexico, though he quickly abolished the fragile
  democracy that had been built and declared
  himself dictator. Fearing the increasing
  presence of Americans in northern Mexico, he
  abolished the local militias in the northern
  territories and ordered all illegal immigrants
  out of the country.

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Seeds of Revolution

• By 1835, the Texians were threatening rebellion,
  but out of fear or loyalty, remained obedient.
• The spark that started the rebellion began when
  disarming Mexican soldiers were sent to disarm
  the local militia units in the area, and young
  man was bludgeoned to death by a Mexican soldier.
  Under Stephen Austin, the Texians revolted.

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Early Skirmishes

• Early skirmishes took place in and around San
  Antonio, Gonzales, and Concepcion in 1835.
• The army was just over 1,000 large, and was led
  by William Travis, Jim Bowie, Sam Houston, and
  others.
• A Spanish mission in San Antonio had been
  selected as a base of operations, and was to be
  re-made as a fort, complete with 18 cannon. The
  mission was called the Alamo.

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Mexican Response to the Rebellion

• In response to the northern rebellion, Santa Anna
  raised an army of over 6,000 soldiers, and sent
  them to Texas (Tejas) to put down the revolt.

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The Alamo

• The Alamo housed approx. 200-250 men, women, and
  children, including Travis, Bowie, and David
  Crockett, a frontier legend and former
  Congressman from TN. Their mission was to be the
  first line of defense against the Mexican army as
  it marched towards San Antonio and the rest of
  the rebellion.

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The Battle of the Alamo

• Mexican troops arrived at the Alamo on February
  23, 1836. They laid siege to the fort for
  thirteen days, and finally an assault of over
  1,600 soldiers overran the fort.
• Approx. 400 Mexican soldiers died during the
  conflict, and approx. 200 American soldiers were
  killed. About two dozen women and children were
  released.

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Texas Independence

• On April 21, 1836, under the battle cry of
  Remember the Alamo, Sam Houston and 1,000
  soldiers defeated Santa Anna and his provisional
  army of 1,250 soldiers at San Jacinto. Santa
  Anna was captured, and Texas was granted its
  independence.

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Unresolved Conflict

• Though Texas was granted its independence, Mexico
  and the United States argued bitterly over the
  borders for the new territory for the next nine
  years.
• The US maintained the Rio Grande River as the
  southern border, while Mexico claimed the Nueces
  River as the border. In 1845, President Polk
  ordered Gen. Zachary Taylor to occupy the area in
  question until a resolution could be found.

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War

• Claiming that the US had invaded Mexico by
  ordering Taylor into the area in question, the
  Mexican army captured an American detachment.
  This act of hostility prompted Polk to declare
  war on Mexico on May 13, 1846.

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War

• While battles were waged in Mexico in Monterrey,
  Buena Vista, and Veracruz, Polk also sent
  soldiers to occupy the territories of California
  and New Mexico (in anticipation of an American
  victory, and to squash any hopes for countries
  such as Great Britain to lay claim to the lands.)

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War

• US soldiers under General Winfield Scott captured
  Mexico City in 1847. The Treaty of Guadalupe
  Hidalgo, signed February 2, 1848, ended the war
  and gave the US claims to TX, CA, NV, UT, CO, AZ,
  NM, WY.
• Over 13,000 soldiers died in the conflict, though
  over 95 died from disease and unsanitary
  conditions during the war.

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A Divided Nation?

• A division between the Northern and Southern
  states began with the annexation of the new
  lands. The Northern abolitionists saw the war as
  an attempt by the South to broaden the appeal of
  slavery in the new territories, while Southerners
  felt that Northern opposition to the war was an
  attempt to stem the expansion of slavery and
  eventually end it.