The Mexican War 1846-1848

1
The Mexican War1846-1848

• A War of Manifest Destiny or a War of Liberation
  and Self Defense?

2
1846

• In 1846 the United States went to war with
  Mexico. When the war started many observers
  expected the Mexican army to beat the forces of
  the United States but by the time the war ended
  in 1848 the United States had decisively defeated
  the Mexicans and had acquired a tremendous
  amount of land, including all or parts of
  California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and
  also Texas entry into the United States was
  validated by this war. How could the United
  States beat Mexico so convincingly and acquire so
  much land?

3
Texas Becomes A Focal Point

• In 1824 a revolution freed Mexico from Spain and
  the Mexicans tried to establish a democracy in
  which all of its people were protected by their
  constitution
• Mexico was one of the largest countries in the
  world at that time and communications with out
  lying regions were difficult
• Yankees from the United States begin to filter
  into the northern Mexican state of Texas in the
  late 1820s and soon this trickle became a steady
  stream

4
Stephen Austin

• Stephen Austin made a deal with the Mexicans to
  allow Americans to enter Texas if they became
  Roman Catholic, obeyed all of the laws of Mexico,
  and became Mexican citizens

5
The Alamo

• The Alamo was a former mission of the Jesuits.
  By 1835 it was used as a military station and was
  garrisoned by Mexican soldiers. In late 1835 the
  Texicans rebelled against the Mexican government
  and captured the Alamo.

6
The Mexican Reaction

• The Mexicans could not allow the Texans to rebel
  and soon a Mexican army was marching across the
  plains of northern Mexico and southern Texas to
  crush the rebellion
• The Mexicans were led by their president, Santa
  Anna, who was actually a dictator
• The weather was bad and the march was tough but
  the Mexican soldiers were tough and they knew how
  to fight and how to die if necessary they
  were veterans of many battles

7
The Leaders at the Alamo

• Antonio
• Lopez
• de Santa
• Anna

• Davy
• Crockett

• William
• Travis

• Jim
• Bowie

8
The Siege of the Alamo February 23 March 6,
1836

• For 13 days the Mexicans besieged the old
  mission. Mexican artillery pounded the adobe
  walls. The Texicans huddled down behind the walls
  and hoped for the best. Colonel Travis sent
  couriers out with appeals for help. General Santa
  Anna prepared his army for a grand assault and
  early in the morning of March 6, 1836, the
  Mexicans attacked the Alamo. There was great
  valor and heroism on both sides but when it was
  over all of the defenders of the Alamo were dead.
  Crockett, Bowie, Travis and many others all
  gone.

9
Goliad

• Colonel William Fannin tried to go to help the
  Alamo but turned back when a wagon broke down. He
  stayed inside the walls of Goliad. After the
  Mexicans took the Alamo a large contingent moved
  toward Goliad. After a short fight Fannin
  surrendered, with the understanding of safety if
  he did surrender. Santa Anna countermanded his
  generals and ordered all of the Texicans to be
  killed. The Texicans were marched out onto the
  plains and executed by the Mexican soldiers

10
San Jacinto

• The Mexican army chased Sam Houston northward and
  Houston kept retreating. His men were furious
  with their general and many wanted to get rid of
  Houston. In April, 1836, Houston stopped along
  the San Jacinto River and allowed Santa Anna to
  catch up with the Texan army. Houston had the
  river to his back and Santa Anna knew that he
  had already won the battle. The Mexicans took a
  siesta and Houston attacked. The attack was a
  complete surprise and the Mexicans were
  slaughtered. Over 800 Mexicans were killed in a
  very short time and almost all of the rest were
  captured. Houston was wounded and Santa Anna was
  captured. Santa Anna was forced to sign a treaty
  allowing Texas to become a free and independent
  state.

11
The Republic of Texas Was Created

• Sam Houston became the first president of the
  independent country of Texas
• The Texans looked to the United States and many
  wanted to be annexed to the U.S.
• The boundaries of Texas were not clear, and the
  southern boundary (the one with Mexico) would
  cause trouble
• Texas claimed the Rio Grande as its southern
  boundary and Mexico said that the boundary was
  the Nueces River, almost 150 miles to the north
  of the Rio Grande

12
Manifest Destiny

• Many people in the United States believed that it
  was their God given right to expand to their
  natural boundaries.
• Where were, or are, our natural boundaries?
• Did God really give us this mandate?
• Were there any people in these lands already?

13
James K. Polk Becomes President

• James K. Polk was a STRONG believer in the
  Manifest Destiny of the United States
• Polk, a Democrat, was a dark horse candidate but
  he wins the election
• Before Polk can take office Congress annexes
  Texas to the Union and sets the stage for war
  with Mexico
• Polk offered Mexico 20,000,000 for California
  and New Mexico but naturally Mexico refused

14
The Border Issue

• Both Mexico and the United States sent troops
  into the area around the Rio Grande
• Mexican forces attack and capture an American
  patrol and the United States declares war on
  Mexico this was called the Thornton Affair
  President Polk said, American blood has been
  shed on American soil.

15
Americans Rush to Arms

• The war was strongly supported in the southern
  part of the United States but not in the northern
  states
• Over 90,000 men will be sent to Texas and Mexico
• The regular American army was relatively small so
  most of the soldiers were volunteers

16
Fighting Breaks Out In Texas and Northern Mexico

• April 25, 1846 The Thornton Affair
• May 3-8, 1846 Fort Texas Siege
• May Battle of Palo Alto
• May 9, 1846 Battle of Resaca de la Palma

17
The Yankees Take California

• The U.S. Navy helps the army to land in
  California
• Battles were fought at Dominguez Rancho on
  October 7, 1846, Tampico on November 14, Saltillo
  and Natividad on November 16, San Pasqual on
  December 6, Santa Clara on January 2, 1847, Rio
  San Gabriel and La Mesa on January 9. These last
  two secured Los Angeles for the Yankees
• Many Califorians of Spanish descent helped the
  Yankees
• The Bear Republic was set up by Americans early
  in this struggle as many Americans wanted to
  bring California into the Union

18
The Americans Attack Vera Cruz

• Vera Cruz was the spot where Cortez landed in
  1519 and started his conquest of the Aztecs
• On March 9, 1847 10,000 Americans land at Vera
  Cruz and lay siege to the city
• After 20 days of almost constant bombardment the
  city surrenders

19
Scott Moves Inland To Capture Mexico City

• Scott basically follows Cortezs old invasion
  route
• Battles are fought at Cerro Gordo on April 18,
  1847, at Contreras on August 20, at Churubusco on
  August 20, at Molino Del Rey on September 8,
  Chapultepec on September 13, Mexico City on
  September 13 and 14
• On September 15, 1847 American troops occupy
  Mexico City!

20
The March To Mexico City

• General Scotts army was outnumbered and
  dependent on a long supply line so Scott
  abandoned his supply line and bought food from
  the Mexican civilians the U.S. army paid cash
  for food and got along with the civilians pretty
  well
• Scott needed information on the area and one of
  his best scouts was Robert E. Lee
• Lee was an engineer and on Scotts staff
• Lee volunteered to scout the enemy positions and
  repeatedly risked his life to bring back vital
  information that allowed Scott to outfox the
  Mexicans and defeat them in every battle

21
The Americans Storm the Halls of Montezuma!

• Mexico City was well defended by troops and
  stonewalls
• American infantry scale the walls and carry the
  Stars and Stripes over the ramparts

22
American Heroes In The Mexican War

• Winfield Scott Jefferson Davis
• Robert E. Lee Zachery Taylor
• Thomas J. Jackson James Longstreet
• U.S. Grant Braxton Bragg
• George Pickett Don Carlos Buell
• Stephen Kearny William Hardee
• Commodore Perry George McClellan
• John Reynolds George Meade
• Pierre Beauregard John Pemberton
• Do you recognize any of these names? Do they play
  a role in any other chapter in our history?

23
The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

• On September 15, 1847 the American Army occupied
  Mexico City
• On February 2, 1848 The Treaty of
  Guadalupe-Hidalgo was signed this treaty
  established peace between the two countries and
  gave a vast amount of land to the United States
  California, New Mexico, Arizona, parts of Utah
  and Nevada, and acknowledged that Texas was part
  of the U.S.
• The treaty established the southern boundary of
  Texas as the center of the Rio Grande River
• The United States paid the Mexicans 15,000.000
  to help them rebuild their country and forgave
  Mexican debts against American citizens
• This treaty was negotiated for the U.S. by
  Nicholas Trist who was the Chief Clerk for the
  State Department

24
Some Results of the Mexican War

• The United States gained a vast amount of land
  (almost one third of the continental U.S.)
• Mexico lost a vast amount of land and its
  government fell several times during the war
• American Manifest Destiny was validated
• Thousands of American soldiers were trained in
  this war and they would use that knowledge in the
  American Civil War
• New markets were created for the American economy
• Boundary disputes would continue
• The acquisition of all of this land would force
  the United States to deal with the question of
  the expansion of slavery into the territories
  and the question of slavery itself