Lesson 13.3: The War with Mexico

Lesson 13.3: The War with

Mexico

Today’s Essential Question: How did the idea of manifest destiny lead to the

acquisition of California?

Vocabulary

• philosophy – system of beliefs• manifest – complete, clear, and obvious• destiny – events that are sure to happen• cede – to transfer ownership of

something (especially land); to give up or surrender something

Check for Understanding

• What is today’s Essential Question?• Is a religion different from a philosophy?• What is the manifest reflection of your

efforts in school?• What does it mean if you cede a point in

an argument?

What We Already Know

American settlers in Texas fought for its independence and had asked that Texas

be added to the United States in 1836.

What We Already KnowCongress had voted against admitting

Texas to the Union, partly because they did not want to risk war with Mexico.

What We Already Know

Except for California, most of northern Mexico was home only to various Native

American peoples.

Americans feared foreign competition for western lands.

Many Americans believed that the

United States was destined to stretch across the continent from coast to

coast.

In 1845, newspaper editor John O’Sullivan used the term manifest

destiny to refer to this belief.

• Manifest destiny – It is God’s plan for the United States to expand westward all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Manifest destiny was based on three beliefs about the United States.

• Blessed and chosen by God• To bring democracy to the world• To spread American virtues and

institutions around the world

Get your whiteboards and markers ready!

8. What does manifest destiny mean?

A. Democracy was unique to the United States and was responsible for our greatness.

B. The United States would dominate the entire world someday.

C. Mexico would defeat the United States as part of God's punishment for slavery.

D. God wanted the United States to stretch westward across the continent to the Pacific Ocean.

As settlers, ranchers, and miners moved in to claim land, Indians fought back.

President Polk supported manifest destiny.

• By the 1840s, thousands of Americans had moved into the Oregon Territory.

• Since 1818, Oregon had been shared by the United States and Britain.

• In election his campaign, Polk had talked of taking over all of Oregon.

Rather than fight, Polk settled for a compromise with Britain.

• In 1846, the United States and Great Britain agreed to divide Oregon at the 49th parallel.

• This agreement extended the boundary line already drawn between Canada and the United States.

• Today this line still serves as the border between much of the United States and Canada.

Polk avoided war with Britain because he preferred war with Mexico.

9. What resulted from the doctrine of manifest destiny?

A. Oregon became part of the United States.B. The United States made several peaceful

treaties with various Indian groups.C. Canada became part of the United States.D. Mexico became part of the United States.E. The United States went to war with Mexico.

Choose ALL that are true!

In 1845, Congress annexed Texas as a slave state despite Northern

objections.• Mexico still claimed

Texas as its own and considered its admis-sion an act of war.

• The border of Texas was in dispute.

• With thousands of square miles at stake, Mexico was prepared to fight to defend its claim.

http://en.wikivisual.com/index.php/Image:Wpdms_republic_of_texas.png

10. What did the United States do in 1845 that angered Mexico?

A. Admitted New Mexico as a stateB. Admitted Arizona as a stateC. Admitted California as a stateD. Admitted Texas as a state

President Polk made one attempt to find a peaceful solution to the problem.

• Polk sent John Slidell, a Spanish-speaking ambassador, to Mexico.

• Slidell offered $25 million for Texas, California, and New Mexico.

• Mexico angrily rejected Slidell’s offer.

• He purposely ordered General Zachary Taylor to station troops on the northern bank of the Rio Grande.

• Viewing this as an act of war, Mexico moved an army into place on the southern bank.

Polk decided to force the issue with Mexico.

On April 25, 1846, a Mexican cavalry unit crossed the Rio Grande, ambushed an

American patrol and killed or wounded 16 American soldiers.

http://en.wikivisual.com/index.php/Image:CatonWoodvilleLightBrigade.jpeg

Polk used this clash as an excuse for war.

• Polk claimed “Mexico has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.”

• Two days later, Congress declared war, and thousands of volunteers, mostly from western states, rushed to enlist in the army.

A. He sent troops to attack a Mexican village just north of the Rio Grande.

B. He arranged for ambassador Slidell to insult the Mexican president.

C. He sent troops into the disputed Texas border area.

D. He destroyed and American warship and made look as if Mexico had done it.

How did Polk provoke a war with Mexico?

Americans had mixed reactions to Polk’s call for war.

• Some, like Illinois representative Abraham Lincoln questioned the truthfulness of the president’s message and the need to declare war.

• Many people were concerned about how many men might have to give their lives.


Many Northeasterners saw the war as an excuse to

spread slavery.


Southerners saw expansion into Texas as an opportunity to extend slavery and to

increase their power in Congress.

11. Why were some people opposed to the War with Mexico?

A. The war was fought over an event that may not have happened.

B. The war was an excuse to spread slavery.C. Southerners believed the war could reduce

their power in Congress.D. Many worried about how many men would

lose their lives in the war.

Choose the answer that is NOT true!

General Stephen Kearny captured New Mexico.

• Not long after the war began, Kearny and his men left Fort Leavenworth and marched 650 miles in six weeks to New Mexico.

• The troops in New Mexico withdrew as Kearny’s forces approached, and Santa Fe fell without firing a shot.

• Then Kearny and 300 soldiers marched on toward California.

• The rest of his force moved south toward Mexico.

John C. Frémont led Californians to independence.

• In California, Americans rebelled against Mexican rule in the Bear Flag Revolt.

• They arrested the Mexican military commander and declared California independent of Mexico.

• U.S. troops soon reached California and joined forces with the rebels.

• Within weeks, Americans controlled all of California.

Defeating Mexico proved difficult.

• The Mexican army was much larger than the American army.

• Its officers had gained military experience during the Mexican Revolution.

• It was fighting on home soil.

• But the Americans were led by well-trained officers.

12. Why should it have been difficult for the United States to

defeat Mexico?

A. Mexico’s army was larger.B. Mexico was fighting on its own soil.C. Mexico’s officers had more wartime

experience.D. Mexico’s officers had better training.

Select all that are true!

American forces invaded Mexicofrom two directions.

General Zachary Taylor fought his way south

from Texas toward the city of Monterrey in northern Mexico.

A second force led by General Winfield Scott landed at Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico and battled inland toward

Mexico City.

The Battle of Buena Vista• In February 1847, Zachary Taylor’s 4,800

troops met General Santa Anna’s 15,000 Mexicans near a ranch called Buena Vista.

• After two days of bloody fighting, Santa Anna retreated, ending the war in the north of Mexico.

Scott’s force landed at Vera

Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico.

Winfield Scott battled toward Mexico City.

Outside the capital, Scott met fierce resistance at the castle of Chapultepec.

About 1,000 Mexican soldiers and 100 young boys from a nearby military

academy bravely defended the fortress.

Despite determined resistance, Mexico City fell to Scott in September 1847.

In February 1848, the war officially ended with the Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo.• In this treaty, Mexico

recognized that Texas was part of the United States.

• Mexico was forced to accept the Rio Grande as the border between the nations.

http://en.wikivisual.com/index.php/Image:Wpdms_republic_of_texas.png

The Mexican Cession• Mexico also ceded

a vast region known as the Mexican Cession

• cede – to give up or transfer ownership of something (especially land)

The Mexican Cession• Mexico also ceded

a vast region known as the Mexican Cession.

• Including Texas, this land made up almost one-half of Mexico.

• In return, the United States agreed to pay Mexico $15 million for the Mexican Cession.

• The United States promised to protect the 80,000 Mexicans living in Texas and the Mexican Cession, and offered them citizenship if they chose.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Loss of the war and the loss of land left Mexico very bitter.

Many Mexicans felt that the United States had provoked the war in the hope of gaining

Mexican territory.

13. What did each country agree to in the Treaty of Guadalupe

Hidalgo?A. Mexico recognized the Rio Grande as the

Texas border.B. The U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $15 million.C. Mexicans living in the Mexican Cession would

be protected by the U.S. government.D. Slavery would not be permitted in the Mexican

Cession.E. Mexico would accept the annexation of Texas.

Which of one these is NOT true?

The Gadsden Purchase completed the continental United States.

• The Gadsden Purchase was a strip of land across what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona.

• The government wanted the land as a location for a southern transcon-tinental railroad.

• In 1853, Mexico sold the land to the United States for $10 million.

14. Why did the United States acquire the Gadsden Purchase?

A. To complete the nation’s manifest destinyB. To secure a new route for a railroadC. To provide land for a new Indian TerritoryD. To ease American guilt for forcing the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on Mexico

Select all that are true!

15. From what country did the United States acquire most of its

southwestern region?

A. Britain B. Spain C. MexicoD. France

Lesson 13.3: The War with Mexico

Documents

Transcript of Lesson 13.3: The War with Mexico