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Bellwork
• Why didn’t the United States Congress
support the annexation of Texas?
American History
Section 8, Unit 2
American Expansionism
Objectives
• List the events that led to the war between
the U.S. and Mexico.
• List the territories did the United states gain as
a result of the war.
• Describe the impact of the Mexican War on
Mexican citizens.
• Describe how Polk was able to expand the
boundaries of the United States under his
presidency.
Oregon Country
• Long before the issues
concerning Texas
annexation (which we will
discuss again soon)
merchants had been
trading in the Far West–
as far back as 1790.
• After Mexican
independence in 1821,
trade increased with the
Mexican government as
they promoted trade with
the U.S.
Oregon Trail
• Trails, such as the Santa
Fe Trail– a 700 mile trail
from Missouri to Santa
Fe– opened the East to
new markets in the West.
• As trade spread, between
1811 and 1813, trappers
and mountain men in the
Rockies blazed a new
route known as the
Oregon Trail.
• The Oregon trail opened
up new routes for farmers
and religious
missionaries.
Oregon Trail
• Despite the benefits of
the new trail, there were
issues:
1.
2.
3.
Native American groups
in the area blamed
missionaries for
spreading disease in the
region that severely
reduced Native
population.
Native American attacks
had occurred, although
rare.
The journey– considering
the time- was extremely
rigorous and dangerous.
Expansion
• With all this new western land available,
expansionists, primarily southerners and
Democrats, hoped to add Texas, Oregon
Country, and northern Mexico to the United
states.
• As we will see, this war would have a long
term impact on the Mexican citizens left in the
U.S.
Annexation
• Between 1836 and 1845, the question of Texas
annexation did not die.
• Many believed the citizens of Texas should be
part of the Union.
• The issue was hotly debated in Congress.
Questions:
1. What was “manifest destiny”?
2. Why didn’t Congress want to allow Texas in at first?
Debate over annexation
• Supporters argued that if Texas was not
admitted, Britain might gain influence.
• Opponents argued that Texas joining the
union would increase the South’s power in
Congress and upset the balance of slave and
free states.
Annexation
• The issue of western
expansion became an
issue into the 1844
presidential campaigns.
• In these campaigns,
Whig party candidate
Henry Clay faced
against Democrat James
K. Polk.
Known as “Young Hickory”, James K. Polk
was the protégé of Andrew Jackson and
was actually endorsed by Jackson when he
ran for House Speaker and when he ran for
the 1844 Election.
Annexation
• Polk, a Tennessee
politician, called for the
annexation of Texas and
Oregon.
• Clay’s platform,
however, did not
mention Texas at all.
• With this, Polk won
with 170 electoral votes
to Clays 105.
Annexation
• Polk was an expansionist who was successful
at “negotiating” with Britain at dividing
Oregon country at the 49th parallel (the
modern Canadian boundary).
• In reality, Polk forced Britain’s hand by
declaring that all of Oregon to Alaska was the
United States if he wasn’t given Oregon
country.
Question: Do you think taking Oregon Country would be enough for
Polk? If not, what else would he want?
Annexation
• Polk’s call for Texas
annexation caused
tensions with Mexico.
• Mexico had warned
that annexing Texas
would be akin to
declaring war against
them.
Tensions rise
• Polk fueled the tensions by
demanding that it
recognize the Rio Grande as
Mexico’s northern border–
100 miles south of where
they originally had their
border.
• To back up his demand,
Polk ordered troops under
General Zachary Taylor to
move to the disputed
territory.
– Polk was well aware that
such as action would provoke
an armed clash with Mexican
troops.
Tensions rise
• Polk ordered General Taylor to move deeper
into disputed area.
• Publicly, Polk made it seem as if he was
protecting American territory, but he was
hoping Mexico would commit an act to justify
a war.
Question: Why do you think Polk wanted a war?
Polk had hoped for a war to give him a chance
to finally expand American territory into the
West.
The Mexican War
• In 1846, the Mexican troops crossed the Rio
Grande and attacked a U.S. patrol.
• Polk sent his war message to Congress:
“Mexico has invaded our territory and shed
American blood upon American soil.”
• On May 13, 1846, Congress declared war.
The Mexican War
• Some Americans
criticized called the
war “Mr. Polk’s war”.
• They charged that the
war was aimed at
trying to get more
slave territory.
The Mexican War
• While the opposition to
the war was great, most
Americans– especially
southerners and those
in the west– wanted
Mexican lands for
agriculture.
• Many began to enlist in
the military to help
support the war effort.
The Mexican War
• In 1846, led by General
Stephen Kearny, a U.S.
military force took
Santa Fe and won
control of New Mexico.
• After that, Kearny
marched into California
where U.S. settlers
revolted against
Mexican rule.
The Mexican War
• In what became known as the Bear Flag Revolt,
Californians raised a flag bearing a grizzly bear on it
and declared California an independent republic
from Mexico.
• The American military also aided these rebels in
fighting back against Mexico.
The Mexican War
• As the war continued, American troops
captured San Pasqual near San Diego, and
after several battles, U.S. troops defeated
Mexican troops near Los Angeles.
• The victory near Los Angeles sealed the defeat
for Mexico in California.
The Mexican War
• In the final campaign of
the war, the U.S. engaged
in a bold plan to take
Mexico City.
• U.S. troops succeeded in
reaching the National
Palace, which President
Santa Anna had
abandoned.
• Ultimately, the U.S.
troops assaulted and
captured the capital
September 14, 1847.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• By the end of September, U.S. forces held
California and New Mexico; General Taylor’s
forces occupied much of Northern Mexico
while General Scott controlled Mexico City.
• In February, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo ended the war on terms dictated by
the U.S.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• Mexico gave up all claims to Texas and what
was known as the Mexican Cession:
California, Nevada, Utah and parts of Arizona,
Colorado, and New Mexico.
• In return, the U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $15
million.
Question: While we won the war, why might it have been a good
idea to still pay the Mexican government for the land?
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• As well, the treaty also
promised full citizenship
to Mexican citizens who
are affected by the
Mexican Cession and
that Americans would
respect their religious
beliefs and property
rights.
Mexican Cession
Look carefully, what didn’t Americans get?
Gadsden Purchase
• In 1853, U.S. diplomat James Gadsden
negotiated a deal with Mexico to buy a strip of
land in present day Arizona and New Mexico
for $10 million.
• The Gadsden Purchase was the last territorial
acquisition of the continental United States.
Gadsden Purchase
What is shaded
in yellow was
the Gadsden
Purchase.
Territories–
including those
we haven’t
talked about
yet
Mexican Americans
• The war resulted in about 80,000 Spanishspeaking people becoming part of the U.S.
instantly.
• However, many of these new citizens left,
feeling like “foreigners in their own land”.
Mexican Americans
• For many MexicanAmericans– many of
those who had already
been in contact with
U.S. citizens– the
adjustments were fairly
easy.
• Despite the guarantees
in 1848, however, many
Mexican Americans lost
their land.
Mexican Americans
• Many Americans looked down on the culture
of the region, which blended Spanish,
Mexican, and Indian culture together.
• The resulting atmosphere and discrimination
against many Mexican Americans sparked
rebellions in the southwest.
Mexican Americans
• One such rebellion was lead
by Juan Nepomuceno
Cortina, a Tejano rancher
and politician.
• He led a rebellion in 1859
after shooting and
wounding a Texas marshal
who used excessive force on
another Tejano.
– Cortina fled south of the Rio
Grande but continued to
spark small rebellions in the
area well into the 1870’s.
Mexican Americans
• In response to such rebellions (and later issues
ensuing), Americans in the region began to
intimidate Mexican American communities
through harassment, beatings, and even
murders.
• The bitter issues that were raised during the
Mexican War took a long time to subside.
New Lands
• With new lands available to the Americans,
people slowly began to stream into the West,
seeking fortune and fame that awaited them
in the new states– primarily California.
Closure
• Take sides:
– Give 1 reason why someone would have
supported the Mexican War.
– Give 1 reason why someone would have opposed
the Mexican War.
Questions to Consider: (1) What did the U.S. gain from the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo? (2) How were Mexican Americans treated in the
regions gained? (3) What was the Gadsden Purchase?
Review Objectives
• What issues and events led to the war
between the U.S. and Mexico?
• What territories did the United states gain as a
result of the war?
• What was the impact of war on former
Mexican citizens?
• Describe how Polk was able to expand the
boundaries of the United States under his
presidency.
Questions?
• If you have any questions, please ask now.
Next lesson
• In the next lesson, we will begin discussing the
prelude to the Civil War.
Review
1. Briefly explain what led up to the Mexican War.
2. How were Mexican Americans supposed to be treated
under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? What
happened in reality?
3. What modern states did the United States gain in the
Mexican Cession?
4. Why did some Americans criticize the Mexican War?
5. Why did some Americans support Texas annexation?
Why did others oppose it?
6. How did Anglo-Americans react to Mexican Americans
rebelling against them?
7. Some politicians referred to the Mexican War as “Mr.
Polk’s War”. Do you think they are a fair point when
they referred to it as such? Why or why not?