Chapter 12, Section 3 War with Mexico

The New Mexico Territory Included all of present-day New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming When Mexico gained its independence in 1821, it inherited New Mexico from Spain The Spanish were afraid Americans might try to take the Spanish settlement of Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Trail The trail left the Missouri River near Independence, Missouri William Becknell was the first American settler to reach Santa Fe People began heavily using the trail to get to the new land

The Santa Fe Trail

California’s Spanish Culture The Spanish set up missions in California to colonize it and to convert Native Americans to Christianity Many people viewed these missions as large farming communities where the Native Americans acted as slaves

California After 1821 After Mexico gained its independence, California became a state in Mexico The missions were soon abolished and replaced with ranchos The rancheros treated their Native American workers like slaves

Manifest Destiny and California People had visited California many times, but now they were considering adding it to the United States John C. Fremont, an army officer who had made several trips to California, wrote of the region’s mild climate, scenic beauty, and abundance of natural resources

War with Mexico President Polk was determined to acquire New Mexico and California The United States insisted the Rio Grande was the border between the U.S. and Mexico, while Mexico considered the Nueces River to be the border Polk sent John Slidell to offer $30 million for California and New Mexico in return for Mexico accepting the Rio Grande as the border In addition, the Americans would take over payments of Mexico’s debts

Border Dispute

Conflict Begins Mexico refused the offer General Zachary Taylor (U.S.) was ordered to march his soldier into the disputed territory (between Rio Grande and Nueces) Mexican soldiers attacked a small force of Taylor’s soldiers Polk told Congress that Mexico had “invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.”

American Attitudes Toward the War Many northerners believed expansion was just a way to expand slavery, so they opposed the war Abraham Lincoln said that the attack had clearly taken place in Mexico and Polk had no grounds for declaring war Frederick Douglass, an African American leader in the antislavery movement, called the war “disgraceful” and “cruel”

Polk’s War Plan 1. American troops would drive Mexican forces out of the disputed border region 2. The U.S. would seize New Mexico and California. 3. American forces would capture Mexico City, the capital of Mexico Taylor easily accomplished the first goal

California and the Bear Flag Republic In 1846, a group of Americans had seized the town of Sonoma, north of San Francisco, and proclaimed it the Independent Republic of California They called it the Bear Flag Republic because its flag had a bear and a star on a white background The Californios wanted to revolt

Bear Flag Republic

Naval Intervention After capturing San Diego, the United States had full control of California in 1847.

The Capture of Mexico City General Winfield Scott led the task of capturing Mexico City Scott captured Veracruz after a 3 week siege, then set out to march 300 miles to the capital The U.S. won, though the war cost them $100 million The war cost Mexico half of its territory

The Peace Treaty The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Mexico gave up all claims to Texas and agreed to the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico

The Peace Treaty The Mexican Cession Mexico ceded its provinces of California and New Mexico to the U.S. for $15 million

The Peace Treaty The Gadsden Purchase U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for a strip of land along the southern edge of the present day states of Arizona and New Mexico. With this purchase, the U.S. mainland reached its present size.