1. War with Mexico
Objective: Students will learn the causes that led to the war with Mexico

2. Causes of the War with Mexico
Two causes to the War with Mexico
Manifest Destiny
Texas Revolution/Annexation of Texas: border issues

3. Manifest Destiny
Polk believed that the United States had a “Manifest Destiny” to reach from the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of the Pacific.
Polk made offers to the Mexican Government to buy California, parts of New Mexico, and to settle disputed territory in Texas.

4. President James K. Polk

5. Border Dispute
The U.S. and Mexico had a different opinion on where the border between Texas and Mexico

6. Causes of the war with Mexico
2. Texas Revolution/Annexation: border issues
 Texas, and now the United States, claimed the border at the Rio Grande River.
Mexico claimed territory as far north as the Nueces River.

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

8. General Zachary Taylor

9. 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...”

10. Bear Flag republic
Americans captured the town of Sonoma and proclaimed it independent Republic of California
They called the new country Bear Flag Republic
John C. Fremont declared he would seize California
This outraged Californios

11. U.S. army goes all the way to Mexico City
The U.S army went all the way to Mexico City. Once this happened, Mexico had no choice but to surrender.

12. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed ending the war.

13. Mexican cession Gave up all claims to Texas
Agreed the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico
Mexico ceded, gave up California and New Mexico
U.S gave Mexico 15 million

14. 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.

15. Territorial Expansion

16. 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.