APUSH AMSCO Unit 5.3 (5A)

explain the causes and effects of the Mexican– American War

Mexican-American War

Polk ordered Taylor to move his army toward the Rio Grande —> 11 Americans were killed —> Polk declared war

Nueces River

Mexico argued this was the boundary of Texas

Rio Grande

the U.S. argued this was the boundary of Texas

Zachary Taylor

won at Buena Vista with 6,000 men

Stephen Kearney

won New Mexico and southern California with 1,500 men

John C. Frémont

several dozen soldiers overthrew northern California and declared it a republic

Bear Flag Republic

due to the California grizzly, they called Caifornia this

Winfield Scott

went into central Mexico and took Vera Cruz along with Mexico City

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Mexico recognized Rio Grande as the Texas border and the U.S. paid $15 million for New Mexico and California while assuming all claims

Mexican Cession

the U.S.’s gain of Texas, New Mexico, and California

Wilmot Proviso

he saw this war as a war of expansion as they saw it as an effort to expand slavery; he created a bill that forbid slavery in any land from Mexico (passed in the House, failed in the Senate)

mountain men

overcame a hostile environment and pioneered the frontier