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Was America Justified in Going to War with Mexico? Explain
NOT JUSTFIED:
America was not justified in going into war with Mexico because America stole the land, Polk started it and sent the troops into the disputed territory, and America was just expanding slavery.
JUSTIFIED:
America was justified in going to war because of Manifest Destiny, Thornton Affair (retaliation/attacking Americans), and economic benefits.
What were the social, economic and political effects of the California Gold Rush?
Why were Mormons forced to move from place to place during the 19th century?
Summarize Mexican-American War
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The treaty that ended the Mexican-American war and was signed in Feb 1848. In this treaty, the U.S. will get 500,000 square miles including: California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Which was basically all of the territory we wanted. In addition, the Rio Grande river was declared the Southern border of Texas. Also, President Polk decided not to go to war with Great Britain about Oregon.
Border Dispute
Mexico believed the border was the Nueces river and America thought it was the Rio Grande. They each perceived these as their borders as it gave each country more land. (each of these borders gave the other country the whole disputed territory)
William Becknell
In addition to fighting over Texas and its border, President Polk also wants the New Mexico Territory. He wants it because a lott of our settlers live in those areas and he believes that he needs to protect them. William Becknell was the reason we had settlers living there because he was the one who established the Santa Fe Trail (2nd most popular trail, Oregon being first) Once he established that trail, initially used by merchants and military, settlers soon followed.
Ranchos/Rancheros
California was originally a colony of Spain, who then lost it in the Mexican War of Independence. But because Spain established it as a colony, they had established missions. Spain’s main motives included converting Native Americans to christianity, which is the same as Catholicism. Once Spain left, these missions become Ranchos (which we would call Ranches) that were run by Rancheros (the mexicans that owned these Ranchos)
Californios
mexicans living in california, equivalent to tejanos in texas
Polk Provokes Mexico
The Treaty that established Texas as independent, Treaty of Velasco, was illegitimate because General Santa Fe was forced into signing it. And, further provoking Mexico, he annexes into the union. Also, Polk knew that Mexico saw that the disputed territory as theirs yet he still sent troops.
Polk's Plan
Polk had a 3-step plan to win this war. 1. Drive Mexicans out of Texas (Tejanos) 2. Seize New Mexico territory and California 3. Capture Mexico City
John Slidell
Polk sent John Slidell, a special envoy, to Mexico City to try to buy California. Mexico ignored Slidell, which was seen as disrespectful to Americans. Polk saw Mexico’s treatment of Slidell as an opportunity to declare war.
John C Fremont
He was the one reason we knew sm about Cali. He wrote home by how beautiful Cali was and how its so rich of resources. After General Zachary Taylor quickly gets Texas, he goes down the Santa Fe trail to get the New Mexico Territory. In the process of securing New Mexico territory, before Kearney even gets to California, there is an American uprising led by John C. Fremont against the Mexican government, briefly making California an independent country. They called themselves the Bear Flag Republic.
James Marshall
Worker of the sutter mill for John Sutter. Discovered gold when walking the river.
John Sutter
Owned the sutter mill. James Marshall was his worker and when Marshall found gold, he wanted to keep it a secret.
Boomtown
towns that exploded in population overnight (everyone running to California to get the gold) which led to negative impacts such as: high crime rates, drinking, gambling, fighting, and no police.
49ers
people who traveled to California in 1849 to take advantage of the Gold Rush
Merchants
merchants made the most profit because they created shuttles and were able to make it any price they wanted. this resulted in inflation cuz merchants controlled the market
Levi Strauss
he made profit off of the miners by making jeans that could resist the mines’ mud and water
Vigilante
because of the increase in crime rates after the onset of immigration causing boomtowns, they had to control this crime rate. Their first step was to create vigilante justice– someone who takes the law in their own hands. these vigilantes eventually become corrupt and not only become the police but also the judge and jury and just execute people on the spot
Political Effects
The gold rush leads to California becoming a state which accomplishes President Polk’s goal, Manifest Destiny,
this throws off the balance in Congress and tensions with the North and South,
boomtowns also contributed because if it wasn’t for their increase in population, cali wouldn’t have became a state,
these boomtowns led to jigger crime rate which led to Vigilante which led to the organization of statehood
Social Effects
vigilante justice creates an environment of hostility and abuse of power,
the onset of immigration creates diversity and San Francisco becomes the most culturally and ethnically diverse place in the world,
women since most miners left their families at home and woman had to take care of the farm/business/family and along the journey the miners ended up dying,
both a social and economic effect bc more opportunities arose for women since miners need a place to to sleep wash their clothes eat etc so women started running rooming houses,
morals decline,
californios + native americans were treated poorly
Economic Effects
We increase the gold supply by 900 billion dollars
Merchants make the most profit cuz they created shuttles, they can make it any price they want. This created inflation cuz merchants controlled the market.
Levis Strauss used miners to get profit by making jeans that withstand the mud and water in the mines
Advancement in technology: the reason miners didn’t make much money was cuz big companies came in and industrialized mining (they created machines to do the work for their and did large scale mining that individuals couldn’t do) this lead to advancing our tech
further development of the railroad. we didn’t have transcontinental railroads but now we needed it because of the goldrush
leads to urbanization: cities will grow
Commerce/ Nauvoo
Church of Latter Day Saints
Joseph Smith
This time period of America is called the 2nd Great Awakening (kind of like a religious revival/rebirth in religious passion) During this time period, a new religion was born. Joseph Smith, in upstate NY, was visited by an angel in 1830 who basically gave him, what would later be known as, the Book of Mormon. This book is the scriptures of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. It’s said it was given to him on golden plates. He was told not to tell anyone of these plates so he buried them.
Brigham Young
Book of Mormon
Joseph Smith, in upstate NY, was visited by an angel in 1830 who basically gave him, what would later be known as, the Book of Mormon. This book is the scriptures of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. It’s said it was given to him on golden plates. He was told not to tell anyone of these plates so he buried them. Within this book, there were 3 main points:
build an ideal society (a utopia)
agree that all property was communal (all shared, belonged to the community)
Polygamy: Men could have multiple wives. IT started with JUST Joseph but the angel decided ALL men could have multiple
Persecution & Smiths Death
Mormon Migration
Polygamy
