War with mexico

Learning Objective: We will understand

the causes and effects of the Mexican

American War.

T

wo causes to the War with Mexico 1. Manifest Destiny 2. Texas Revolution/Annexation of

Texas: boarder issues

Causes of the War with Mexico

Manifest Destiny

Polk believed that the United States had a “Manifest Destiny” to reach from the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of the Pacific.

Polk to make offers to the Mexican Government buy California, parts of New Mexico, and to settle disputed territory in Texas.

President James K. Polk

Border Dispute

The U.S. and Mexico had a different opinion

on where the border between Texas and

Mexico was as you will see on the map that

follows.

 Texas, and now the

United States, claimed

the border at the Rio

Grande River.

Mexico claimed

territory as far north

as the Nueces River.

Causes of the war with Mexico

2. Texas Revolution/Annexation:

border issues

War of Aggression

President Polk sent General Taylor to the area

that the U.S. considered it’s border.

Predictably, Taylor’s troops were attached by the

Mexican army.

Polk had what he wanted, a war with Mexico.

General Zachary Taylor

Polk’s message to Congress“...after reiterated menaces, Mexico has passed

the boundary of the United States, has invaded

our territory and shed American blood upon

the American soil. She has proclaimed that

hostilities have commenced, and that the two

nations are now at war...I invoke the prompt

action of Congress to recognize the existence

of the war, and to place it at the disposal of the

Executive the means of prosecuting the war

with vigor...”

Bear Flag republic

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mericans captured the town of Sonoma and proclaimed it the

independent Republic of California

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hey called the new country Bear Flag Republic

J

ohn C. Fremont declared he would seize California

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his outraged Californios , Mexicans

U.S. army goes all the way to Mexico City

The U.S army went all the way to

Mexico City. Once this happened,

Mexico had no choice but to surrender.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ending the war.

Mexican cession G

ave up all claims to Texas

A

greed the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and

Mexico

M

exico ceded, gave up California and New Mexico

U

.S gave Mexico 15 million

Territorial Expansion

Gadsden Purchase1853 agreement to buy a strip of land in what is now the

southern United States so that a railroad line could be built

to the Gulf of California. It cost $10 million.

Slavery

One major problem faced the United States

after the war with Mexico. Would slavery be

allowed in the new territories?

This would be a question that would have to be

answered. As you may imagine, there would be

a great deal of conflict over this issue.