Key Events Leading to the Mexican-American War

These flashcards provide definitions and explanations of key terms and events that led to and occurred during the Mexican-American War.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the expansion of the US across the Americas was both justified and inevitable.

The Caroline Incident

An event where an American ship carrying supplies to Canada was burned by Canadians, leading to tensions between the US and Britain.

The Gadsden Purchase

A 1853 agreement in which the US paid Mexico $10 million for land that would later become part of Arizona and New Mexico.

Texas Annexation

The incorporation of the Republic of Texas into the United States, which led to increased tensions with Mexico.

54-40 or Fight

A slogan used by expansionists who claimed the US should control the entire Oregon territory up to latitude 54°40′.

The Donner Party

A group of American pioneers who set out for California but were stranded in the Sierra Nevada during the winter of 1846-1847, resorting to cannibalism to survive.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican-American War, ceding California and New Mexico to the United States.

Santo Anna

The Mexican general who led forces against the US in the Mexican-American War and was known for his role in Texas.

Zachary Taylor

The US general who led troops in the Mexican-American War and later became the 12th President of the United States.

Battle of Buena Vista

A key battle in the Mexican-American War where General Taylor's forces defeated a much larger Mexican army.

Los Niños Héroes

The young Mexican cadets who died defending Chapultepec Castle during the Mexican-American War.

American Blood on American Soil

Phrase used by President Polk to justify the Mexican-American War after a skirmish at the Rio Grande.

General Winfield Scott

An American general who led the successful campaign to capture Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.

Oregon Territory

Land claimed by the United States, Britain, and several other countries, leading to conflicts over its ownership.

Mexican War Casualties

About 13,000 US casualties from the war, with a majority resulting from disease rather than battle.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the expansion of the US across the Americas was both justified and inevitable.

The Caroline Incident

An event where an American ship carrying supplies to Canada was burned by Canadians, leading to tensions between the US and Britain.

The Gadsden Purchase

A 1853 agreement in which the US paid Mexico $10 million for land that would later become part of Arizona and New Mexico.

Texas Annexation

The incorporation of the Republic of Texas into the United States, which led to increased tensions with Mexico.

54-40 or Fight

A slogan used by expansionists who claimed the US should control the entire Oregon territory up to latitude 54°40′.

The Donner Party

A group of American pioneers who set out for California but were stranded in the Sierra Nevada during the winter of 1846-1847, resorting to cannibalism to survive.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican-American War, ceding California and New Mexico to the United States.

Santo Anna

The Mexican general who led forces against the US in the Mexican-American War and was known for his role in Texas.

Zachary Taylor

The US general who led troops in the Mexican-American War and later became the 12th President of the United States.

Battle of Buena Vista

A key battle in the Mexican-American War where General Taylor's forces defeated a much larger Mexican army.

Los Niños Héroes

The young Mexican cadets who died defending Chapultepec Castle during the Mexican-American War.

American Blood on American Soil

Phrase used by President Polk to justify the Mexican-American War after a skirmish at the Rio Grande.

General Winfield Scott

An American general who led the successful campaign to capture Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.

Oregon Territory

Land claimed by the United States, Britain, and several other countries, leading to conflicts over its ownership.

Mexican War Casualties

About 13,000 US casualties from the war, with a majority resulting from disease rather than battle.

James K. Polk's Presidency

The 11th US President, known for his commitment to Manifest Destiny, presiding over the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War, significantly expanding US territory.

Mexican-American War (Border Dispute)

The conflict arose from the US annexation of Texas and a dispute over the Texas-Mexico border, which the US claimed as the Rio Grande and Mexico maintained was the Nueces River.

Mexican Cession

The vast region of present-day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the US in 1848 through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Bear Flag Revolt

A short-lived rebellion in 1846 during the Mexican-American War by American settlers in California against Mexican rule, leading to the creation of the Bear Flag Republic.

Wilmot Proviso

A proposed 1846 amendment that sought to ban slavery in any territories acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War, igniting a major national debate.