Do Now Why was annexing Texas controversial in America? Why was annexing Texas controversial in Mexico?

The Mexican American War

Annexation of Texas President Polk Many Texans want to join the U.S. after it became independent. Mexico warned the U.S. to not annex, or take control of, Texas President Polk offered to buy California Mexicans were convinced the U.S. intended to take the entire continent. They refused to sell California. President Polk http://teachpol.tcnj.edu/amer_pol_hist/fi/00000098.jpg http://www.kwanah.com/txmilmus/flags/eaglemt.htm

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.

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

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 The Mexican government refused to talk with Slidell which angered the U.S.

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 Mexican Problems with US. 1) Mexico felt that Texas was being stolen from them. 2) Mexico didnt believe in Manifest Destiny and didnt want to give away their land.

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana

President James K. Polk

General Zachary Taylor

Border Dispute The U.S. and Mexico had a different opinion on where the border between Texas and Mexico was as you will see on the map that follows.

War of Aggression President Polk sent General Taylor to the area that the U.S. considered it’s border. Predictably, Taylor’s troops were attached by the Mexican army. Polk had what he wanted, a war with Mexico.

Polk’s message to Congress “...after reiterated menaces, Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil. She has proclaimed that hostilities have commenced, and that the two nations are now at war...I invoke the prompt action of Congress to recognize the existence of the war, and to place it at the disposal of the Executive the means of prosecuting the war with vigor...”

What did the U.S. want from war with Mexico? Land Remember manifest destiny? The U.S. wanted all the land west of Texas including California.

Political Opposition to War Many members of Congress opposed the war with Mexico. Some felt that the president had forced the U.S. into the war, which was wrong because only Congress can approve war. Others just thought it was wrong to take any territory from Mexico.

America Divided Northerners feel that the war is taking money away from improvements to the nation. Northerners feel that Polk wants to take over all of Mexico…they’re right Taxes increase for the war effort. Many Americans mad Senator John C. Calhoun is against acquiring Mexico because it will ‘taint’ the US

U.S. has huge technological advantage Artillery - superior large guns and better ammunition better rifles and handguns, including the colt revolver telegraph = better communications

U.S. has a huge population and economic advantage U.S. - 17 million people Mexico - 7 million people U.S. - growing economy Mexico - in debt

U.S. Soldiers Immigrants made up at least half of the enlisted men in the army 1/4 of the enlisted soldiers were Irish. The Mexicans made a strong appeal to these Catholics to switch sides arguing that they were more Catholic than American. 9,207 U.S. soldiers deserted during the war; 8.3%

Deaths during the war One out of ten American soldiers died in less than two years of service Disease accounted for 7/8 of the deaths. Crowded, unsanitary conditions and impure water led to dysentery, lice, and other diseases that spread rapidly. 12,518 American soldiers died during the war.

Map of Mexican War Battles

U.S. army goes all the way to Mexico City As you saw on the preceding map, the U.S army went all the way to Mexico City. Once this happened, Mexico had no choice but to surrender.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ending the war.

The Mexican Cession

Mexican Cession Mexico had to give up a great deal of land at the conclusion of the war. This territory included all of the present- day states of California, Nevada, and Utah and also parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Opposition As always…not everyone agreed. Northern Whigs opposed the treaty because they saw the war as an immoral effort to expand slavery. A few Southern Democrats disliked the treaty for the opposite reasons. They wanted the US to take ALL of Mexico.

Settlement Mexicans in the cession areas were “protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property, and secured in the free exercise of their religion.” Americans began to flood into the Southwest Discrimination forced many Mexicans out of the territory High Taxes & Racism

Gadsden Purchase 1853 agreement to buy a strip of land in what is now the southern United States so that a railroad line could be built to the Gulf of California. It cost $10 million.

Territorial Expansion

Slavery One major problem faced the United States after the war with Mexico. Would slavery be allowed in the new territories? This would be a question that would have to be answered. As you may imagine, there would be a great deal of conflict over this issue.

Manifest Destiny is Fulfilled The belief that the United States, having the best government and culture in the world, had the right and duty to control all lands from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was also based on racism, that Americans were superior to Indians and Mexicans, which meant they had the right to these lands.