Studied by 17 people
Mexican American War, California, Nueces River, Rio Grande, Zachary Taylor, Stephen Kearney, Bear Flag Republic, John C. Frémont, Winfield Scot, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexican Cession, Wilmot Proviso
President Polk sent John Slidell as an envoy to Mexico (1845) to try to …
buy Mexico’s California and New Mexico territories → Mexico refused to sell
settle the Mexico-Texas border → Mexico insisted on the Nueces River while Polk and Slidell believed it to be the Rio Grande
immediate causes of the Mexican American War
Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to move toward the Rio Grande and into disputed territory
Mexico killed 11 members of the U.S. army patrol
Polk’s war resolution was approved by Congress despite Whig party disapproval
invasion of Mexico
General Stephen Kearney takes New Mexico territory and South California
John C. Frémont overthrows Mexican rule in North California and forms Bear Flag Republic
General Zachary Taylor drives Mexican army from Texas and crosses into Northern Mexico (1847)
General Winfield Scott invades Central Mexico and captures the capital city
consequences of the Mexican American War
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) and Wilmot Proviso
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Mexico recognizes the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas
U.S. takes possession of Mexican Cession (California and New Mexico) for $15 million
South of the Missouri Compromise line
Wilmot Proviso (1846)
a bill proposed by David Wilmot to prohibit slavery in the Mexican Cession
appealed to white settlers who didn’t want to compete with slave labor
passed twice in the majority north House, defeated in majority south Senate
mountain men
considered heroic for “bringing civilization and democratic institutions to a wilderness area”
