Cause and Effect The Mexican-American War

1. Cause and EffectThe Mexican-American War Objective : Determining the causes of the Mexican American War

2. James Monroe John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson Martin Van Buren William H. Harrison John Tyler James K. Polk Democrat James K. Polk won the election of 1844 & became the “Manifest Destiny” president: He urged Congress to make Texas the 28th U.S. state in 1845 He wanted to end British claims to Oregon

3. Election of 1844 • President John Tyler favored the annexation of Texas. But Tyler proved unpopular. • In 1844, the Whigs nominated Henry Clay for President instead. Clay hoped to avoid the issue of annexation. • But the democratic candidate, James K. Polk, called for the annexation of both Texas and Oregon. At the time, Oregon was jointly held by Britain and the United States. Polk demanded that the British withdraw from all territory south of latitude 5440’N. Polk, the candidate of expansion, won the election. Shortly before Polk took office, • Tyler asked Congress to annex Texas. Congress voted for admission of Texas as a state in 1845, three days before Tyler left office. A convention of • Texan delegates quickly met and voted for annexation. In keeping with his campaign promise, President Polk negotiated a treaty with Britain to divide • Oregon. The United States got the lands south of latitude 49N. Eventually, this territory became the states of Washington, Oregon, and part of Idaho.

4. U.S.-Mexico Disputes • The Annexation of Texas by the U.S. angered the Mexican Government. • Mexico never acknowledged Texas as independent and felt the U.S. had no right to take its territory. • Mexico also did not acknowledge the Treaty of Velasco which set the southern border of Texas as the Rio Grande.

5. The loss of Texas will inevitably result in the loss of New Mexico and the Californias. Little by little our territory will be absorbed until only an insignificant part is left to us.... Our national existence... will end like those weak meteors that, from time to time, shine fitfully in the firmament (sky) and disappear. -José Maria Tornel y Mendivil

6. The U.S. and Texas considered the Rio Grande as the Southern border. For Mexico it was the Nueces Area in Dispute Nueces River Rio Grande River

7. Why would the Mexican government not accept the treaty of Velasco? • Santa Anna only signed the treaty of Velasco because his life was in danger.

8. Manifest Destiny • Another issue with Mexico was Manifest Destiny. • The land that the United States desired out west (California especially) was all controlled by Mexico.

9. The U.S. Perspective • Most Americans sympathized with Texas during the Texas revolution and republic days because most Texans were former Americans. • As a result of the brutal fighting (at the Alamo, Massacre at Goliad, and other times) the American public developed negative stereotypes against the Mexican people and government Stereotype: A belief that is incorrectly attributed to an entire group of people

10. Effort to ease the tensions • After Texas Annexation, Mexico threatened war. • U.S. President James K. Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to work for better relations between the two countries. John Slidell

11. Slidell’s Mission 1)Get Mexican recognition of the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and the United States 2) To forgive about $4.5 million owed to U.S. citizens by Mexico from the Mexican War of Independence 3) To discuss the purchase of the New Mexico and California (offered 30 million) • The Mexican government refused to talk with Slidell which angered the U.S.

12. The Thornton Affair • A company of U.S. Calvary commanded by Captain Seth Thornton got into a skirmish with Mexican forces near the Rio Grande. • Thornton was ordered to scout an area about twenty miles northwest of what later became Brownsville, Texas. In April 1846, the Calvary, investigated an abandoned hacienda (Ranch). • Some two thousand Mexican soldiers were encamped in and around the hacienda, and a firefight occurred. Both sides fought ferociously, but the greatly outnumbered U.S. force was forced to surrender after several hours of skirmishing. Thornton was outnumbered By about 1900 men. Skirmish: A small battle

13. Presidents Polk’s Response • President Polk asked for a declaration of war before a joint session of the United States Congress, summing up the need for war by famously stating: • "American blood has been shed on American soil". Member opposed war: such as Abraham Lincoln “Spot Resolution” ( Can you tell the exact spot blood was shed? Was it on American or Mexican soil? Or Ulysses S. Grant- ploy to get land for America (greed) and extension of slavery. • Congress declared war on Mexico, despite protests by the Mexican government that Thornton had crossed the border into Mexican Texas — a border that Mexico claimed as the Nueces River. the ensuing Mexican-American War was waged from 1846-1848 and witnessed the loss of many thousands of lives and nearly half of the territory of Mexico.

14. Further Discussion-Think-Pair-Share General Ulysses S. Grant, who later commanded the Union forces during the Civil War, called the Mexican War .one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation.. He viewed the annexation of Texas as a conspiracy to acquire territory out of which slave states might be formed for the American Union.. He also believed the Mexican Wars, he wrote, .The Southern rebellion was largely the outgrowth of the Mexican War. Nations, like individuals, are punished for their transgressions. We got our punishment in the most sanguinary and expensive war of modern times.. Questions Did the Mexican War move America toward freedom? Why or why not? Do you agree with General Grant? Why or why not?

15. Mexican Problems with US. 1) Mexico felt that Texas was being stolen from them. 2) Mexico didn’t believe in Manifest Destiny and didn’t want to give away their land. • US Problems with Mexico 1) Americans had a negative view of Mexico because of the Texas Revolution 2) Mexico owed the U.S. money for the Mexican Revolution against Spain

16. Vote no-not to Declare War • Will expand slavery • Manifest Destiny is unfair to Mexico • Treaty of Velasco is a sham and not valid • Annexation is illegal without Mexico approval. Vote Yes-Declare War • Treaty of Velasco is valid • Belief in Manifest Destiny • Texas Annexation is legal

17. The War

20. 1845 1846

21. 1846

22. 1847 Meanwhile, Polk hatched a bizarre scheme with Santa Anna, who had been living in exile in Cuba. If Polk would help him sneak back to Mexico, Santa Anna promised he would end the war and mediate the border dispute. Polk agreed, but When Santa Anna returned to Mexico, he resumed the presidency, took command of the army and abandoned plan with Polk

23. 1848 1853

24. Conclusions • By the end of the 1840s, the USA had achieved its Manifest Destiny • America had a “continental” empirefromtheAtlantictoPacific • Westward expansion stimulated the economy, spread democracy, & increased U.S. nationalism • But as America spread West, sectionalissuesoverslaverygrew

25. The California Gold Rush • The discovery of gold in San Francisco led to a flood of Americans to California in 1849: • “Forty-Niners” hoping to strike it rich came from the East, Latin America, Europe, & Asia ( Chinese largest group) • The Californiagoldrushledtoapopulation boom in the West and exceeded 100,000. • State drew up state constitution that outlawed slavery and provoked fiery protest in Congress. • Compromise of 1850 would end sectional arguments from 1850-1854.