1. The State of Texas - 1845

2. December 15, 1845 James Pinckney Henderson – first governor of Texas Thomas J. Rusk and Sam Houston – first two U.S. Senators of Texas

3. Treaty of Velasco Mexico refused to honor the treaty that Santa Anna had signed. His life was in danger so they claimed it was not valid They still considered Texas Mexican territory They saw U.S. intervention as an attempt to take Mexican territory They warned that the annexation of Texas could mean war

4. Border disputes U.S. – Rio Grande River Mexico – Nueces River U.S. wanted Manifest Destiny This was the belief that they could maintain and own all of the land between Texas and the Pacific Ocean.

5. John Slidell Slidell was sent by the president to make a deal with Mexico U.S. citizens had claims against Mexico for damage to their property. Slidell offered to waive those claims for Texas and all of the land west of Texas. Mexico was offended that the U.S. would expect them to give all of their land for $$$.

6. Mexican War – 1846-1848 President Polk sends Zachary Taylor and troops to the Nueces River and then later further south to the Rio Grande. Fighting broke out just north of the Rio Grande in 1846. After the battle of Palo Alto, the U.S. declared war on May 13, 1846. General Taylor marched his army into Mexico and won at the battles of Buena Vista and Monterrey.

7. Winfield Scott The Commander, Winfield Scott took his men across the Gulf of Mexico into Veracruz from the east and then into Mexico City (a much easier route). Scott’s men faced heavy opposition in trying to take Mexico City at a fort known as Chapultepec. Many Texas Rangers fought with the Americans in the Mexican War.

8. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - 1848 1. War was over 2. Texas belonged to the U.S. 3. They gave all land west of Texas – Mexican Cession 4. U.S. paid Mexico $15,000,000 5. U.S. waived all land claims and agreed to respect the rights of Spanish speaking people