The Mexican American War

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The Mexican American War Territorial
Acquisition
http//dig.lib.niu.edu/mexicanwar/about.html
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Annexation of Texas

• Many Texans want to join the U.S. after it became
  independent.
• Mexico warned the U.S. to not annex, or take
  control of, Texas
• President Polk offered to buy California
• Mexicans were convinced the U.S. intended to take
  the entire continent.
• They refused to sell California.

President Polk
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The War Begins

• April 25, 1846 Mexican and American forces
  clashed in disputed territory
• Texas boundary dispute
• 11 American soldiers killed
• U.S. declared war two days later
• American armies moved into California, New
  Mexico, and Texas to defend territories
• California and New Mexico surrendered

http//www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/flags/eaglemt.htm
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Mexican American War Invading Mexico
Zachary Taylor at his encampment during the
Mexican War

• Zachary Taylor led 6,000 U.S. troops into Mexico
• Santa Ana led an army of 20,000
• Both met near Monterey in 1847
• Santa Ana retreated

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Battles

• Winfield Scott led navy to Vera Cruz and captured
  it on March 27 with 10,000 troops
• Mexican army made a last stand at Chapultapec
  Castle, Sept. 13, 1847
• Los Niño's Heroes
• Mexico surrendered February 2, 1848

Battle of Vera Cruz fought in March of 1847
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The Mexican-American War, 1846-1848
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American Territorial Acquisition
Emigrant party on the road to California
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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Officially ended the Mexican-American War in 1848
• Mexican Cession included present-day California,
  Nevada, and Utah, parts of Arizona, New Mexico,
  Wyoming
• Mexico was paid 15 Million
• Another 3 million in debt was forgiven
• Increased Size of the U.S. by almost 25

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Settlement

• Mexicans in the cession areas were protected in
  the free enjoyment of their liberty and property,
  and secured in the free exercise of their
  religion.
• Americans began to flood into the Southwest
• Discrimination forced many Mexicans out of the
  territory
• High Taxes Racism

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Mexican Cession
http//cla.calpoly.edu/lcall/204/mexican_cession.
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Oregon

• Britain agreed to split Oregon territory with the
  U.S. in 1846 along the 49th parallel
• Oregon becomes a territory in 1848

http//z.about.com/d/geography/1/0/d/B/5440map.jpg

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Gadsden Purchase of 1853

• U.S. paid Mexico 10 million for southern parts
  of present-day Arizona and New Mexico.
• This land was needed
• for the expansion of
• the Railroads.

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en_Purchase.gif
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Manifest Destiny is FulfilledThe belief that the
United States, having the best government and
culture in the world, had the right and duty to
control all lands from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. It was also based on racism, that
Americans were superior to Indians and Mexicans,
which meant they had the right to these lands.
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Questions

• How did President Polk avoid war with Britain
  over Oregon?
• What were the causes result of the
  Mexican-American War?
• How was the United States able to fulfill its
  Manifest Destiny through the Mexican-American
  War?