1. Unit 2: Westward Expansion

2. Entry Task
Take out your ‘Indian Removal Act’ & ‘Trail of Tears’ worksheets please.
Turn & talk to your partner:
Why was the Indian Removal Act approved?
What (if anything) surprised you about the Act and/or Trail of Tears?

3. Definitions What do the following words mean? Ceded: Annexed:
to give up
Annexed:
to add or take

4. Florida 1819 Spain & U.S. sign the Adams-Onis treaty
Gives Florida to U.S.
Sets U.S./Mexico border

5. Mexico! 1821 Mexico gains independence from Spain 1823
Mexico offers cheap land in Texas to attract American immigrants

6. Mexico! 1824 Americans travel on Santa Fe Trail to settle Texas 1835
Mexico bans slavery
American settlers declare independence from Mexico in protest

7. American Divisions Americans divided because of two issues:
Another potential slave state
Could lead to war with Mexico
Mexican leader Santa Anna warned that Texas annexation would be “equivalent to a declaration of war against the Mexican Republic.”

8. Resolution
1845
Outgoing President Tyler signs resolution to annex Texas
Polk (a strong supporter of expansion) takes over as President
June 16, Texas votes to join the U.S.
Congress approves annexation

9. Prediction Question
How do you think Mexico will respond?

11. Steps to War
July of 1845: President Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to Texas

12. Sourcing Consider the source of what you are reading Who wrote it?
When was it written?
Why might they write it?
What is their point of view? Are they biased at all?

13. Who Started the Mexican-American War?
Primary Source
Who is your source?
Whose fault was it?
Who do you trust more? Why?
What are their credentials?
What was their role at the time?

14. Who started the Mexican-American War?
Did they attack us or did we attack them?
Secondary source: Textbook from 1849
Secondary source: Textbook from 1995

15. Who started the Mexican-American War?
#7: Compare the two stories, how are they different? #8: Which story is more believable? #9: Which source is more believable?

16. Exit Ticket
Based on the information you now have, what do you think? Who started the Mexican American war? Explain your reasoning.