Texas and The War with Mexico

1. Texas and The War with Mexico

2. California and the Southwest • The Southwest • Belonged to Mexico (AZ, NM, NV, UT + CO, CA). • U.S. citizens began to settle after Mexico won its independence from Spain (1820).

3. Expansionism • Americans began to look towards the West • U.S. tried to buy Calif. From Mexico several times • Wanted ports off San Fran. And San Diego • Manifest Destiny • Strong sense of nationalism • It was the US’s “duty” to spread its rule all the way to the Pacific • Nationalism can sometimes lead to discrimination (thought U.S. was superior)

4. Expansionism cont… • Election of 1844 • Whigs: Henry Clay (famous and respected nat’l leader) • James K. Polk: little known candidate • Became known as the candidate who favored expansionism • 54º40’ or fight! • Regarding Oregon Country • Wanted the territory all the way to Northern border.

5. Texas Wins Independence

6. Texas • Part of the Spanish colony of Mexico when Americans began to live there (Moses Austin-to set up a colony) • Mexico wins its ind. From Spain in 1820 • Mex. let Stephen Austin and followers settle in Texas • Hoped Americans would develop the area=control the Indians • Gave Austin and other settlers huge land grants • 300 families moved to Texas • Some slave owners • By 1830-approx. 20,000 Am. Resided in Texas

7. Conflict with Mexico • Austin and settlers agreed to become Mex. Citizens and Catholic in exchange for land • However, did not feel loyalty to Mex. • In 1830 Mexico forbids any further settlers into Texas • Worried about Americans in Texas (wanted Tex as part of US) • US tried to buy Tex two times for 30 million dollars – and Mexico refused to sell it!!!

8. Conflict with Mexico cont… • Mexico requires Texans to worship Catholic church and bans slavery • Texans resented new laws • Mexican troops sent to enforce them • Santa Anna comes to power in Mexico– throws out Mexican constitution (rumored he wanted to throw Texans out of Mexico) • Santa Anna comes to Texas to fight, only 200 Texans remained to fight - retreated to an Old Spanish mission named The Alamo

9. The Alamo • Texans were poorly equipped (low amo, medicine, food, etc.) • 150 Texans vs. 6,000 Mexicans • William Travis-commander of Texas in mission • “victory or death!”—would not surrender for the Mexicans, asked for help from Americans • Held off Mex for 12 days • March 6, 1836—Mexican troops broke through the Alamo walls and killed all the Texans • Survivors, including Davy Crockett, were executed.

10. Texan Independence • Alamo set off cries for revenge • The fact that Mexican troops killed another several hundred Texan soldiers after they had surrendered only fed the fire some more. • Volunteers from Texas and the US joined Sam Houston’s army. • Houston surprises the Mexican army with an attack on April 21, 1836 (Battle of San Jacinto) • With cries of “Remember the Alamo!” • Lasted only 18 minutes • Texans killed 630 Mexicans and captured 700 more • April 22—capture Santa Anna • Forced him to sign treaty granting Texas its independence.

11. Lone Star Republic • Named after their flag with only one star. • Drew up a Constitution and elected Sam Houston as pres. • Faced several problems • Mex. Refused to accept the treaty signed by Santa Anna • Still claimed Texas as part of their country • Texas was nearly bankrupted a. Possible solution—become part of the US • Slavery--debate over annexation caused by the issue of slavery a. Anti-slavery sentiment in N.—did not want Texas to become a slave state (many Texans owned slaves) 4. Pres. Andrew Jackson worried that annexation of Texas would lead to war with Mexico

12. More land-How we got Oregon and half of Mexico

13. Oregon • Pres. Polk acts on campaign promise to take Oregon from Britain • 1846-Agreement b/w US and Britain—Oregon divided at 49ºN • Dubbed Oregon Territory (present day states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho)

14. Conflict with Mexico • Annexation of Texas made Mexicans furious • Never even accepted Texas’ independence • Worried the same might happen in CA and NM • Americans resented Mexico • Thought Mexico was getting in the way of Manifest Destiny • US tried to buy UT and NM—refused to sell • Border dispute sparks war • US claimed territory west as far south as the Rio Grande • Mex claimed US territory only west as far south as the Nueces River • Both nations claimed the land in b/w

15. Conflict with Mexico cont… • Jan 1846—Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to cross the Nueces River and set up posts in the disputed areas along the Rio Grande 1. April of 1846-Mexican troops cross the Rio Grande and had a brief fight w/ Am. Soldiers a. Polk asks Congress for a declaration of war once he gets the news b. Not everyone wants war (ie Abe Lincoln) c. At Polk’s urging, Congress declares war on Mexico.

16. Conflict with Mexico cont… • How Americans felt…(divided over the war) • North opposed the war a. Saw it as a Southern effort to add new slave state • South & West supported the war effort a. Wanted more land-easier to fight

17. Results of the War with Mexico • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) • Gave U.S. undisputed control of Texas, established the U.S.-Mexican border of the Rio Grande River, and ceded to the United States the present-day states of CA, NV, UT, CO, AZ, NM and WY. • Mexico received $15,000,000, — less than half the amount the U.S. offered Mexico before the war. • Acquisition was controversial. A leading U.S. newspaper, the Whig Intelligencer sardonically concluded that: • “We take nothing by conquest.... Thank God.” • Mexico lost more than 500,000 square miles (about 1,300,000 km²) of land, almost half of its territory. • The war may have been "unnecessarily and unconstitutionally begun by the President of the United States”, but General Zachary Taylor will become the next President of the U.S.