1. Mexico threatens War!!

2. Texas - Disputes U.S. Mexico
Accepts Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas
Mexico
Never accepted Texas’ independence
Still claims all of Texas
Southern border was the Nueces River
Texas belongs to us!!!
The Mexican government felt that Santa Anna was coerced into signing the Treaties of Velasco; therefore, it is not valid.
They still considered Texas to be a territory of Mexico.

3. Other Disputes U.S. wanted California and all land in between
Manifest Destiny - the belief or doctrine that it was the destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory over the whole of North America and to extend and enhance its political, social, and economic influences.
Mexico had all of the land west of Texas and the U.S. wanted it.
Manifest Destiny – U.S. citizens saw this as something that was destined to happen. But Mexico didn’t want to give up Texas or the land west of it.

4. Mexico Threatens War
The State of Texas
Slidell to Mexico
Mexico threaten to go to war if the U.S. annexed Texas
John Slidell goes to Mexico
U.S. residents file claims against Mexico
Slidell offers to pay them
Mexico would have to accept Texas as a state of the U.S. and give up the land to California

5. Mexico Offended Mexico refused to work with Slidell U.S. gets mad
Mexico is offended
How could the U.S. think that they would give up their land for money?
Some U.S. citizens felt that the reason the U.S. government wanted this territory was to expand slavery.

6. War Erupts
Mexico’s refusal to work with Slidell led President Polk to send troops to Texas
Fighting breaks out between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande