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Manifest Destiny. War With Mexico p. 362 - 368. Manifest Destiny and California. Many Americans wanted to expand to the Pacific Ocean for trade with Asia and so the nation would be safely bordered by the sea instead of a foreign power.
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Manifest Destiny War With Mexico p. 362 - 368
Manifest Destiny and California • Many Americans wanted to expand to the Pacific Ocean for trade with Asia and so the nation would be safely bordered by the sea instead of a foreign power. • The U.S was willing to give $30 million for Mexico to accept the Rio Grande as the boundary and cede, or give up, California and West New Mexico, but Mexico refused. • President Polk plotted to pull the Mexican provinces in the Union through war. • He wanted to provoke Mexico into taking military action first. • This way Polk could justify war to Congress.
Conflict Begins • Mexicans did not recognize the Rio Grande as the boundary- Mexico insisted the boundary was the Nueces River. • Polk used the dispute in Texas over the boundary line to help the war. • President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to move his troops across the Nueces River to the Rio Grande. • Mexican forces attacked a small force of Taylor’s soldiers. • President Polk declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846 because he declared that, “Mexico… shed American blood upon American soil.” • Congress passed a declaration of war against Mexico.
American Attitudes Toward the War • The American people were divided over the Mexican War. • Northern abolitionist accused Democrats of waging the war to spread slavery.
Polk’s War Plan • Polk had a three-part plan for the war with Mexico: • First, American troops would drive Mexican forces out of the disputed border region in Texas and make the border secure. • Second, the United States would seize New Mexico and California. • Finally, American forces would take Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. • Americans captured New Mexico’s capital, Santa Fe, without firing a shot.
California and the Bear Flag Republic • In June 1846, a small group of Americans had seized the town of Sonoma north of San Francisco and proclaimed it the independent Republic of California. • They called the new country the Bear Flag Republic because their first flag showed a bear and a star on a white background. • John C. Fremont declared that he would conquer California. This outraged many Californios, Mexicans who lived in Mexico. • By January 1847, California was fully controlled by the United States.
The Capture of Mexico City • With their victories in New Mexico and California, the Americans met their first two goals in the war. • President Polk then launched the third part of his war plan – attack on Mexico City. • By mid-September in 1847 the Americans had taken Mexico City. • The Mexican government surrendered.
The Peace Treaty • The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in February 1848. • Mexico gave up all claims to Texas and agreed to the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico. • Mexico gave its provinces of California and New Mexico to the United States as part of the Mexican Cession. • In 1853 the U.S. paid Mexico and additional $10 million for the Gadsden Purchase. • With this purchase, the U.S. mainland reached its present size.
