Texas Independence and The Mexican War

Background Slavery is becoming a huge political issue South – if we enter Union, we can leave it

Territorial Expansion by Mid-19th Century Texas In 1821, Mexico won independence from Spain The new Mexican government encouraged Americans to come Thousands of U.S. speculators moved to Texas

Mexican Encouragement JQA and Jackson offer to buy Texas 12 cents an acre!!!!!! Control Indian Raids Need people/money Bring in technology Follow Mexican Customs Become Roman Catholic NO SLAVES “Anglo” / Mexican problems Ignored ban on slavery Refused to convert Wanted Self-Rule

Why Mexico Good farming soil Good for cotton 1830 – 20,000 whites 2,000 slaves 1834 – Ask Mexico to separate

Texas Independence Santa Anna becomes dictator of Mexico – views Americas as threat Americans are flooding in 6 – 1 ratio 1835 – Stephen Austin Successful, Wealthy and Industrious Leads armed rebellion 1836 – Unified Constitution for all Mexican land

Culture Wars….Today vs. The Past

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!!!!

The Fight for the Alamo 187 Texans Santa Anna – 3,000 men On the thirteenth day, Santa Anna ordered his men to storm the fortress. EVERYONE was dead. Santa Anna executes men who surrender. Bodies covered in oil and it on fire Texans shocked/angered by massacre

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Texans were defeated at the Alamo Texans were defeated at Goliad In May 1836, Santa Anna recognized Texas’ independence & its territory to the Rio Grande But…Texans won at San Jacinto & captured General Santa Anna

Texas and the United States Sam Houston – 1st President asked the US to annex Texas Jackson and Van Buren say NO – WHY???? SLAVERY North worried – upset balance Independent Nation for 10 years

Why did Mexico want Americans to settle in Texas? Why did Americans want to come to Texas? What brought American settlers into conflict with the Mexican Government? What happened at the Alamo? How did Americans Respond Why did the United States reluctant to annex Texas?

John Tyler and Texas Tried to Annex Texas in 1844 Needed the Votes – kicked of the WHIG party “Common Man” Said that England wanted Texas… Congress didn’t buy it – Said No Tyler not nominated in 1844 Election

James K Polk Last Jacksonian President Last strong president before the Civil War Only wanted to serve one term “Who is James K Polk?” – Whigs Died 4 months after leaving office

James K. Polk – First “Dark Horse” president

Polk’s Platform EXPANSION Slave owner/expansionist Annex Texas (Appealed to the South – SLAVES) 54, 40 – End US/British occupation of Oregon (Appealed to the North – NO SLAVES) Get California Polk won – Congress saw this the OK for expansion and Annex Texas Wants all Mexican land

Rio Grande boundary Nueces River boundary

Steps to War Polk tells Gen. Zachary Taylor to take US troops into the disputed area by Rio Grande Protect from possible Mexican Attack HOW WOULD YOU REACT IF YOU WERE MEXICO????

Steps to War Sends John Slidell Mexico City to negotiate the purchase California & New Mexico for $30 million Mexican officials refused to meet with Slidell

Beginning of the War March 1846 – General Taylor makes camp at the Rio Grand April 1846 – Mexican commander insisted U.S. troops must leave Taylor refused to move Mexican forces crossed the Rio Grande and attacked group of 63 U.S. soldiers 11 Americans killed Polk to Congress - “Mexico has shed American blood upon the American soil.”

Support of the War Leads to National Pride Spread American/Republican Values South loved the war – Any new territory would become slave states

Opposition to the War WHIGs – unjustified Northern abolitionists Abraham Lincoln wrote the “Spot Resolutions” in 1848 Asked Polk to show were blood was spilled

The Mexican-American War John C Fremont won in California The Mexican-American War The disputed area of Texas Zachary Taylor won in northern Mexico Stephen Kearney captured New Mexico Kearney captured New Mexico & Frémont took California Scott occupied Mexico City Winfield Scott captured Mexico City

The Rio Grande became the recognized U.S. southern border Ending the Mexican War The U.S. grew 20% by adding the Mexican Cession (present-day NM, AZ, CA, Utah, NV, & parts of CO & WY Added the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 to build a southern transcontinental railroad In 1848, U.S. & Mexico ended the war with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: The Rio Grande became the recognized U.S. southern border

Impact of the Mexican War 17 month war cost $100,000,000 and 13,000 American lives (mostly to disease) New territories brought into the Union is causes slavery to explode as a political issue (1 million square miles of land) Upset the balance between North and South Manifest Destiny is realized (for now)

Starts again in the late 1800’s – Early 1900’s

US Territorial Expansion When? A - 13 Original Colonies 1776 From Where? Great Britain Why? US declared independence from Great Britain 29

US Territorial Expansion When? B - Western Lands 1783 From Where? Great Britain Why? Part of results of Treaty of Paris (ended Revolutionary War) 30

US Territorial Expansion When? C - Louisiana Purchase 1803 From Where? France Why? Napoleon needed $ Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans He got all of this instead! 31

US Territorial Expansion When? D - Florida 1819 From Where? Spain Why? Andrew Jackson invaded Spain then sold it to us for $5 million D 32

US Territorial Expansion When? E - Texas 1845 From Where? Republic of Texas (Independent Country) Why? Texas independent from Mexico in 1836 Northerners feared it would become a slave state Fears finally overcome in 1844 Presidential election D 33

US Territorial Expansion When? F - Oregon Territory 1846 From Where? Great Britain Why? Claimed G. Britain, Russia, Spain, & US) Americans demanded “54° 40’ Britain compromised 49° & US accepted D 34

US Territorial Expansion When? G - Mexican Cession 1848 From Where? Mexico Why? In Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, US offers $15 million for G D 35