1. Mexican-American War Worktime: America: Story of Us Homework: GR 9.4
Chapter 9 Quiz [10 question]

2. Background
Pres. Polk's goal: acquire Cali
US willing to pay Mex $30 million for:
- Texan boundary Rio Grande
- New Mex territory
- Cali
Mex gov’t not interested
- refused to see US representative (John Slidell)
Polk resolved to fight Mex

3. Causes
1845: Gen. Zachary Taylor (future POTUS) marched to Rio Grande w/ 4,000 troops
Mex POV: US invaded
Polk hoped to defend disputed area w/ armed force
- knew any attack on troops might get Congress to declare war
May of 1846, Mex army fired on soldiers

4. War Begins
Congress declared war  invasion of US
- "shed American blood on American soil!"
at start, US Army 8,000 troops
- 60,000 volunteers joined
gov’t provided stable, capable leadership
economy of US better than Mexico’s
morale high

5. Mexican Lands in the West
John Fremont controlled Cali
- declare independence "Bear Flag Republic" (1846)
Stephen Kearny controlled New Mex
- troops into Santa Fe  governor of New Mex fled (1846)
- city captured w/o a casualty

6. Opposition to the War
N Whigs complained about war
- misled/unconst by Polk
abolitionists feared expansion of slavery
writer Henry David Thoreau imprisoned for refusing to pay taxes
- essay, Civil Disobedience,  peaceful resistance

7. End of the War
war formally ends w/ Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
“Mexican Cession” US gets
- disputed Texan territory
- New Mex territory
- Cali
Mex gov’t was paid $15 million
US wins every battle, but 13,000 killed
Mex lost half its territory
for $10 mil buys final piece of land Gadsden Purchase

8. Oregon Territory
Mexican Cession
Gadsden Purchase

9. Gold in Cali
Jan. 1848, gold discovered at Sutter's Mill
“Gold Rush”  80,000+ "forty-niners" to Cali
- some got rich, most did not
immigrants (Asia, Mex, South Am, Europe)
Cali granted statehood in 1850
- CA constitution banned slavery
sectional divisions continued to grow