WAR WITH MEXICO

POLK URGES WAR

• Hostilities flared during Texas Revolution of 1836
• Reignited between US and Mexico over annexation of Texas

POLK URGES WAR

• Could have solved issues peacefully
• Instability of Mexican government made it difficult
• Also, territorial disputes of James K. Polk

SLIDELL'S REJECTION

• Santa Anna ousted
• Political situation confusing and unpredictable

SLIDELL'S REJECTION

• In 1845 Polk sends John Slidell to Mexico
• Tries to purchase California and New Mexico
• Tries to gain approval of Rio Grande as Texas border

Slidell's Rejection

• Hoped Mexican aggressions would unify Americans to fight
• Polk sends Zachary Taylor to blockade the Rio Grande
• Mexicans saw this as a violation of their rights

Sectional Attitudes Toward War

• Public supported war and celebrated
• Volunteers swarmed recruiting stations
• Media gave the war a romantic appeal

The War Begins

• Taylor positions forces at Rio Grande
• Fremont leads party through Alta California Province
• Violated Mexico's rights

The War Begins

• Mexican Goverment responds to Taylor's invasion
• Send troops across Rio Grande
• Near Matamoros, Mexicans killed nine US soldiers

The War Begins

• Polk immediately sends war message to congress
• Says Mexico started war
• Shed American blood on American soil

The War Begins

• Abraham Lincoln questions truthfulness of message
• Questions whose blood was shed
• Lincoln introduced a "spot resolution"
• Asked Polk to declare spot skirmish occurred

Kearny Marches West

• In 1846 plans to seize New Mexico and California
• Polk orders Stephen Kearny to march from Fort Leavenworth
• Travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Kearny Marches West

• Earned nickname "The Long Marcher"
• He and his men crossed 800 miles

The Republic of California

• By the turn of the 19th century
• Spanish settlers set up more than 20 missions in California
• Government took over the missions
• Just like in Texas

The Republic of California

• Late 1830s
• About 12,000 Mexican settlers migrated to California
• Wanted to set up cattle ranches with Native American workers

The War in Mexico

• American troops continuously winning battles in Mexico
• Mexico soldiers gallantly defended their own soil
• Army labored under poor leadership

THE WAR IN MEXICO

• US Soldiers served under nations best officers
• Captain Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant

America Gains the Spoils of War

• Mexico lost at least 25,000 lives
• Half its land marked ugly milestone in relations with US
• America lost about 13,000 lives

America Gains the Spoils of War

• Nearly 2,000 died in battle or from wounds
• more than 11,000 perished from diseases like yellow fever
• Enlarged US territory by approximately 1/3

TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO

• February 2, 1848, US and Mexico sign the treaty
• Mexico agrees to Rio Grande border
• US basically paid fifteen million dollars for certain states
• California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona

California Gold Rush

• Residents from states went to Sacramento Valley
• Numbers went from 400 in 1848 to 44,000 in 1850

Impact of Gold Fever

• Population skyrocketed
• People migrated from other countries