Mexican-American War & Compromise of 1850 Texas History

Texas’ Annexation… Now what? The admission of Texas to the United States created hard feelings in Mexico. Santa Anna had agreed to the Treaties of Velasco, but the Mexican Government never recognized Texas’ Independence. It also confirmed Mexico’s fear that the United States were trying to take over more land.

Slidell goes to Mexico President Polk sent representative John Slidell to Mexico city to try to ease tension between the two countries. He also offered to buy California and all the land between Texas and California Mexico was offended and refused the offer

Mexican-American War Causes Admission of Texas to United States Mexican Government refused to recognize Treaties of Velasco Border dispute (Rio Grande vs. Nueces) Manifest Destiny (U.S. expansion to west coast) Fighting in disputed area (U.S. claimed that Mexico opened fire on U.S. soil)

Can’t find all the answers? Be sure to go to my website and watch the video about the War with Mexico Check the blue book starting on page 263 Check the brown book starting on page 270

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Secured peace between Mexico & U.S. Mexico recognized Texas as part of U.S. Mexican Cession (Mexico received $15 million for land between Texas and west coast U.S. took over claims against Mexico Respect rights of Spanish-Speaking people

We will learn about the Compromise of 1850 STOP We will learn about the Compromise of 1850 on another day

Compromise of 1850

Provisions of Compromise of 1850 Texas gave up land for $10 million (giving Texas the borders, shape it has today) California was admitted as free state New Mexico & Utah Territory admitted through popular sovereignty Slave trade was outlawed in D.C. Fugitive Slave Act (required citizens to help in the return of escaped slaves)

What did the Fugitive Slave Act mean? Of all the bills that made up the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial. It required citizens to assist in the recovery of fugitive slaves. It denied a fugitive's right to a jury trial. Also, there would be more federal officials responsible for enforcing the law. For slaves attempting to build lives in the North, the new law was disaster. Many left their homes and fled to Canada. During the next ten years, an estimated 20,000 blacks moved to the neighboring country.

For Harriet Jacobs, a fugitive living in New York, passage of the law was "the beginning of a reign of terror to the colored population." She stayed put, even after learning that slave catchers were hired to track her down. Anthony Burns, a fugitive living in Boston, was one of many who were captured and returned to slavery. Free blacks, too, were captured and sent to the South. With no legal right to plead their cases, they were completely defenseless. Passage of the Fugitive Slave Act made abolitionists all the more resolved to put an end to slavery. The Underground Railroad became more active, reaching its peak between 1850 and 1860.

The act also brought the subject of slavery before the nation The act also brought the subject of slavery before the nation. Many who had previously been ambivalent (indifferent) about slavery now took a definitive stance against it. The Compromise of 1850 accomplished what it set out to do -- it kept the nation united -- but the solution was only temporary. Over the following decade the country's citizens became further divided over the issue of slavery. The rift would continue to grow until the nation itself divided.