Texas War for Independence

• Steps leading to war: – Mexico won their independence from Spain in

1821• Wanted trade with the U.S. and encourage U.S.

immigration to Texas (a part of Mexico)

– Stephen Austin leads a group of Americans to TX• Main job of Americans = farming cotton• By 1835, over 30,000 Americans in TX

– More Americans = harder for the Mexican government to control them

Texas War for Independence

• Outbreak of War– After Mexico threatens to abolish slavery,

Americans in TX declare independence– Mexican government strips Americans of their

rights and mobilizes an army– Mexican troops led by General Santa Anna attack

the Alamo• Americans try to stall; know they will lose, but fight

their hardest

The Alamo

• The Alamo– An old, abandoned mission (site of former Spanish

atrocities towards the Mexicans)– Americans are forced to surrender– Santa Anna gives the order for all Americans

remaining to be killed– Leads to the battle cry- “Remember the Alamo”– One of the most notorious battles in American

history– Alamo still standing in San Antonio, Texas

Texas War for Independence

• While Americans are buying time fighting at the Alamo, Sam Houston is able to organize a Texan army

• He leads the Americans to victory in numerous locations

• Battle of San Jacinto: with American victory here, Santa Anna is captured and forced to grant TX their independence from Mexico

Aftermath of the War

• Texas wants to become a state in the U.S. after the war

• Congress says “no” because– Worried Mexico did not really consider the war over– Did not want to go to war with Mexico– Northern states did not want to add another slave state

• Texas remains an independent country for over 10 years- known as the “Republic of Texas” and the “Lone Star Republic”

James K. Polk: Expansionist President

• Ran with the platform of expansion and slogan “54040’ or Fight”- referring to the Oregon Territory

• When he is elected, he decides it’s a mandate from the people (a mandate is an informal command)

• He begins to add to the size of the U.S.

Oregon

• Even though he ran with the slogan “54040’ or Fight,” he ends up peacefully settling the dispute with England– Instead of taking all the territory, we split it in half

with England…keeping the established border of the 49th parallel

What the U.S. wanted

What the U.S. and Britain agreed on

What Britain wanted

Oregon

Texas

• He annexes Texans in 1845, making it the 28th state• Mexico, as predicted, becomes upset• Mexico organizes troops near the Texas/Mexico

border• Polk sends Zachary Taylor to Texas with American

troops• In an argument over the “true” border, Taylor

claims Mexican troops attacked his men and asks Polk to declare war on Mexico

Mexican War

• Began as an argument over the annexation of Texas and the border between Texas and Mexico

• Many Americans (especially those in the South and West) are in favor of the war in order to gain more land

• At the end of the war, we gain: California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, etc.

Mexican War Chart

• Use your textbook to complete the Mind Map provided.

• You have 30 minutes- use your time wisely. • Use both the Red and the Blue books.