Conflict with Mexico
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Transcript Conflict with Mexico
Conflict with Mexico
Stephen Austin owned land
in Texas, passed down from
his father
He led a group of 300
Americans to Texas to start a
small colony
Americans were told they
could stay IF they agreed to
become Mexican citizens
and worship in the Roman
Catholic Church
Growing Conflict
Thousands more flooded into Texas
Disregarded Mexican law
Brought slaves and were Protestants
1830 Mexico banned further U.S. settlement and
tried to enforce its laws
Began to levy heavy taxes on U.S. imports
Declaring Independence
In Mexico there was a
movement for a more
democratic
government
1833 General Antonio
Lopez de Santa Anna
took control of
government
Over turned constitution
and began a dictatorship
(one person rule)
1836, under urging
of Austin, Texans
declared
independence from
Mexico
What Did Mexicans
Want?
What did the
Americans want?
Texans at war
Santa Anna attacked the
Alamo, a mission where
Texans and Mexican
Texans (Tejanos) were
gathered
The Texans and Tejanos
held out for 12 days
under heavy cannon fire
before Mexican forces
overran it
All the defenders killed in battle or executed
afterwards
Inspired by their bravery, many American
volunteers joined the Texan Army
Later Sam Houston, commander of the Texan
Army led a surprise attack on Santa Anna at San
Jacinto
Captured Santa Anna and forced him to recognize
Texan independence
The Republic of Texas
Annexing Texas and Oregon
Election of 1844
Election was between Henry Clay (Whig) and
James K. Polk
Polk won by promising to annex Texas and Oregon
Annexation
Before Polk took office President Tyler called for
admission of Texas as state
As President, Polk negotiated a treaty with Britain
to divide Oregon (Now states of Washington,
Oregon, and parts of Idaho)
Tensions with Mexico
Mexico had never formally recognized
Texan independence
Treaty Santa Anna signed set boundary
at Rio Grande
Mexican government claimed boundary
was further north
Beginnings of the Mexican-American
War
Polk offered Mexican government cash to settle
the border dispute, purchase California and the
rest of New Mexico
This angered Mexico and they refused
Polk then tried to provoke the Mexicans
Sent General Zachary Taylor into the disputed
land
Mexicans ambushed them and Polk asked
Congress for a declaration of war
The MexicanAmerican War
Causes of the MAW
The Mexican American War
War with Mexico popular with
most Americans
Support was strongest among
Westerners and Southerners
who wanted more land
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/timeli
ne_flash.html
Why would Westerners want more land?
Why would Southerners want more land?
How would the belief in “Manifest Destiny” make people
support the war?
Many Northerners argued that Polk had provoked
the war
How had Polk “provoked” the war?
Rebellion in California
Polk ordered troop under the command of
Stephen Kearny to invade and capture Santa Fe,
New Mexico
Settlers near San Francisco had begun their own
revolt against Mexico
They raised a grizzly bear
flag and declared
California an independent
republic
John C. Fremont took
control of the “Bear Flag
Rebellion”
Quickly captured major
cities of California
(Monterey and San
Francisco)
He then moved on to join
forces with U.S. troops under
the command of Kearny
Kearny’s troops captured Santa
Fe and San Diego
United with naval units to
occupy all of southern
California
Invasion of Mexico
General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield
Scott swept through Mexico with stunning victories
even though they were often outnumbered
How do you think they still won?
Scott’s campaign ended at Chapultepec, a stone
palace above the capital of Mexico City
The Mexican troops fought bravely to defend
Chapultepec, but most were killed
How is this similar to the American experience
at the Alamo?
After Americans won the capital city, Santa Anna
fled
The U.S. had won the war
Achieving Manifest Destiny
The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo
Under the treaty, Mexico recognized the
annexation of Texas and gave the U.S. large
amounts of territory
Mexican Cession included present day California,
Nevada, Utah and parts of Wyoming, Colorado,
Arizona, and New Mexico
U.S. also paid $15 million for this land
In the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, U.S. paid
Mexico $10 million for a narrow strip of present day
Arizona and New Mexico
Effects of the MAW
The Mexican Cession
How did Each Person Help bring
Mexican land under u.s. control?
A. General Kearny
B. General Zachary Taylor
C. General Winfield Scott
D. John Fremont
E. President Tyler
F. President Polk
G. Stephen Austin
H. Sam Houston