Mexican%20War

1
Mexican War

• 1846-1848

Unit Objective examine the cause and effects of
Independence Movements west south of the United
States investigate and critique U.S.
expansionism under the administrations of Van
Buren, Harrison, Tyler, Polk.
2
Mexico did not declare war as it had threatened
to do if the U.S. annexed Texas. However, a
boundary dispute soon arose that brought tensions
to the breaking point.
3
When Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845,
Mexico broke off all diplomatic relations with
the United States. Mexico was angry because they
still considered Texas their territory
4
Mexico said that its boundary line with Texas was
the Nueces RiverThe U.S. said the boundary line
was the Rio GrandeBoth sides said they owned the
land between the two rivers.
5
On the mapLabel the Rio Grande Nueces River
6
During this time, many American citizens were
complaining that the U.S. should force Mexico to
pay them 3,000,000 for property that had been
taken or destroyed by the Mexicans.
7
Other Americans were ready for war because they
believed it was the Manifest Destiny of the
United States to expand to west as far as the
Pacific Ocean
8
The U.S. had troops stationed north of the Nueces
RiverMexico stationed troops south of the
Rio Grande
9
On the Map Key

• Using a colored pencil, pen, or marker
• Color American troop movement arrow one color
• Use the same color for the battle symbol for an
  American victory
• Use a different color for the battle symbol for a
  Mexican victory

10
On the Map

• Next to the numbers print the following in
  CAPITAL LETTERS
• UNITED STATES
• TEXAS
• MEXICO
• DISPUTED AREA
• Lightly shade the DISPUTED AREA

11
President James K. Polk decided (without Congress
knowing) to have General Zachary Taylor move his
3,000 troops from the Nueces River to the Rio
Grande
12
Just north of the Rio Grande Mexican forces
attacked and defeated a small force of U.S.
cavalrymen
13
Using a colored pencil, pen, or marker

• Color the battle symbol between the Nueces River
  the Rio Grande to show a Mexican victory
  (where American cavalrymen were defeated)
• Next to the battle symbol print April 1846 First
  Battle

14
President Polk, who anticipated this response
from Mexico, used the incident to ask Congress to
declare War on Mexico
15
Polk neglected to tell Congress that the troops
were attacked inside the disputed area.One
congressman spoke out insisting that the U.S.
should investigate the incident before rushing
into war. That Congressman was Abraham Lincoln.
16
Without investigating further, Congress declared
war on Mexico on May 13, 1846
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On the Map

• Next to the United States print
• May 1846 Congress declares war on Mexico

18
Americans under the command of Stephen Kearny
left Fort Leavenworth and marched into Mexican
territory where they occupied Santa Fe
19
On the Map

• Trace the route of Stephen Kearny from Fort
  Leavenworth to Santa Fe and San Diego to show
  American troop movement
• Print Stephen Kearny next to it

20
Kearny took some of his men on to California.
About this time a small band of American settlers
in Mexicos California Territory overthrew the
Mexican government in Sonoma, north of
present-day San Francisco
21
The rebels in Sonoma declared California an
independent republic and created a flag with a
single star and a grizzly bear
22
The revolt became know as the Bear Flag Revolt
and is the reason California has a grizzly bear
on its flag
23
On the Map

• Print Bear Flag Revolt next to the battle symbol
  at Sonoma (just north of San Francisco)
• Color the battle symbol to show an American
  victory

24
The real conquest of California was carried out
further south by Stephen Kearny, John C. Frémont
and navy commander Robert F. Stockton
25
These 3 men joined forces and won battles near
San Diego and Los Angeles. Their victories ended
Mexican rule in California
26
On the Map

• Color the battle symbol at San Diego to show an
  American victory
• Trace the arrow from San Diego to Los Angeles to
  show American troop movements
• Print Kearny Frémont next to the arrow

27
On the Map

• Trace the arrow from Monterey to Los Angeles
• Print Robert F. Stockton next to the arrow
• Color the battle symbol at Los Angeles to show an
  American victory

28
Meanwhile, General Zachary Taylor crossed the Rio
Grande and after a hard fought battle captured
the city of Monterrey (in present-day Mexico)
29
5 months later Gen. Taylor defeated Santa Anna
and a large Mexican army at the Battle of Buena
Vista
30
Santa Anna at the time was the president of
Mexico as well as the commander of the armed
forces
31
On the Map

• Trace the arrow across the Rio Grande to
  Monterrey and Buena Vista to show American troop
  movements
• Color the battle symbols to show American
  victories
• Next to Buena Vista print Zachary Taylor defeats
  Santa Anna

32
Taylors great victory at Buena Vista made him a
hero in the United States and helped him win the
presidency in 1848
33
Under the command of General Winfield Scott a
10,000-man army crossed the Gulf of Mexico and
landed at Veracruz on the east coast of Mexico
34
Scotts invasion followed a 3-week bombardment of
the city by American gunboats. When Veracruz
surrendered, the American army moved inland
toward Mexico City
35
After a series of battles, General Scott marched
triumphantly into the Mexican capital.
36
On the Map

• Trace the arrow from New Orleans to Veracruz and
  Mexico City to show American troop movements
• Print Winfield Scott next to it

37
On the Map

• Color the battle symbols at Veracruz and Mexico
  City to show American victories
• Next to Mexico City print Sept. 1848 Last Battle

38
A short time later, the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo was signed ending the Mexican War
39
On the left side of the map print

• Causes of the Mexican War
• Texas becomes a state and Mexico ends relations
  with the U.S.
• The U.S. claims the Rio Grande as its boundary,
  but Mexico says it is the Nueces River
• American citizens demand that Mexico pay them
  3,000,000 for property damage
• Many Americans believe it is the manifest
  destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory west

40
On the right side of the map print

• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends Mexican War
• The U.S. obtains the Mexican Cession from Mexico
• Mexico recognizes the Rio Grande as the southern
  boundary of the U.S.
• The U.S. pays Mexico 15,000,000 and assumes
  3,000,000 in debts that Mexico owed to American
  citizens
• Mexicans living in the Mexican Cession promised
  full rights of citizenship

41
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed
February 2, 1848

• February 24, 1848 Gold was Found in the American
  River near Sacramento, CA

42
Mexican Cession