5.3: The Mexican-American War

Background

  • Texas had declared independence, but Mex mad

  • Texans WANTED to be annexed by the US

  • President James K. Polk took office in 1845

    • Promised annexation of TX

  • John Tyler led the process to annex TX on the way out

    • Saw from Polk’s election that ppl wanted this

Rising Tensions

  • Polk sent a diplomat named John Slidell to Mexico City

    • Ask Mexican government to sell even more land to the US (NM and CA)

    • Settle southern border of Mexico

    • NO!

  • Mex thought border ran along Nueces river (higher, more Mexican land)

  • Americans thought it ended at the Rio Grande (lower, more American land)

  • Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to station troops along the Rio Grande

    • Mex troops killed them

War and Effects

  • May 13, 1846: Mexican-American War declared

  • CA and NM claimed by relatively small number of troops

  • General Winfield Scott led Americans to conquer and occupy Mexico City

  • 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

    • Rio Grande is southern border of Texas

    • Mexican Cession: CA and NM ceded to US for $15 million

  • Gadsden Purchase 1863: even more southwestern land ceded

  • Congress had already thought US would win

  • Wilmot Proviso back in 1846: no slavery in lands gained from Mexican-American War (voted down)

    • Politicians who voted for it were free-soil people

    • More of an economic thing; ppl can acquire land without competition from slaveholders

  • Mexicans and NAs still living in the territory

    • Treaty of GH said all Mexicans there would be granted US citizenship

    • No such provision for NAs

    • Still, voter discrimination and educational segregation

Question

Answer

What was the state of Texas around President Polk’s election?

Texas had already declared independence and fought battles. It wanted to be annexed by the US.

Who led the process to annex Texas, and why?

President John Tyler (on his way out of office). He saw from Polk’s campaign and win that ppl wanted this

What were John Slidell’s two responsibilities?

1. Ask the Mexican government to sell NM and CA to the US

  1. Settle the southern border of Mexico

What was the border dispute between the US and Mexico?

Mex: border ends at Nueces River

US: border ends at Rio Grande

Which event incited the Mexican-Amerian War?

General Zachary Taylor’s troops were killed along the Rio Grande

When was the war declared?

May 13, 1846

What did American troops do?

Claimed CA and NM

General _____ led Americans to conquer and occupy _____.

Winfield Scott, Mexico City

Which treaty ended the war?

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

What were its provisions?

Rio Grande is southern border of Texas

Outlined the deal for the Mexican Cession, ceding CA and NM to the US for $15 million

This southwestern land was added to by the __________.

Gadsden Purchase

What did the Wilmot Proviso of 1846 (during war) propose?

No slavery in territories gained from the Mexican-American War

Which emerging political party supported it, and what were their beliefs?

The Free-Soil Party, which wanted no expansion into western territories

More of an economic thing; ppl could acquire and farm land without competition from slaveholders/plantations

What happened to the Mexicans and “Indians” living in the new land?

Mexicans were granted citizenship, but NAs were not.