CAUSE: Texas Revolution CAUSE: Texas Revolution • American expansionist American expansionist

seeking new territoryseeking new territory• Texas was most vulnerable to Texas was most vulnerable to

U.S. expansion.U.S. expansion.•Newcomers sought economic Newcomers sought economic

opportunity of food farmlandopportunity of food farmland

CAUSE: Texas Revolution CAUSE: Texas Revolution • Relations between Anglo-Texans, Relations between Anglo-Texans,

American settlers, and the Mexican American settlers, and the Mexican government soured by 1830.government soured by 1830.• American settlers ignore Mexico’s ban American settlers ignore Mexico’s ban

on slavery .on slavery .• Americans see opportunities because Americans see opportunities because

Mexican government was unstable = Mexican government was unstable = military coups – try to overthrow military coups – try to overthrow Mexican governmentMexican government

CAUSE – Texas Revolution CAUSE – Texas Revolution • Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana seized Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana seized

power in Mexico city – he favored a power in Mexico city – he favored a strong strong centralizedcentralized government, government, dominated by the militarydominated by the military• Anglo-Texans and Tejanos, Hispanic Anglo-Texans and Tejanos, Hispanic

population living in Texas, wanted to population living in Texas, wanted to control their own affairs; like, allowing control their own affairs; like, allowing slavery because Antonio Lopez de Santa slavery because Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana didn’t like slaveryAna didn’t like slavery

Effect of Texas RevolutionEffect of Texas Revolution• Texans rebelled against Texans rebelled against

Mexican ruleMexican rule• Texas declares Independence Texas declares Independence

and adopted a republican and adopted a republican constitution.constitution.• Their new nation was called Their new nation was called

the Lone Star Republicthe Lone Star Republic

Effect of Texas RevolutionEffect of Texas Revolution• Sam Houston was Texas’ first presidentSam Houston was Texas’ first president• He quickly asked the United States to He quickly asked the United States to

annex, to take control of (a territory or annex, to take control of (a territory or place).place).• Texas entered the Union, in December Texas entered the Union, in December

of 1845.of 1845.

Cause Mexican-American WarCause Mexican-American War• Annexation of Texas inflamed the long-Annexation of Texas inflamed the long-

standing border dispute between Texas standing border dispute between Texas and Mexico.and Mexico.• James K. Polk, President, endorsed the James K. Polk, President, endorsed the

Texan claim to the land south and west Texan claim to the land south and west of the Nueces River as far as the Rio of the Nueces River as far as the Rio GrandeGrande

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/mex-war/mex-war-map.jpg

Causes of Mexican-American War• President James K. Polk, elected in President James K. Polk, elected in

1845, sent General Zachary Taylor 1845, sent General Zachary Taylor to occupy the contested borderland to occupy the contested borderland between the two riversbetween the two rivers• In May 1846, a Mexican Patrol In May 1846, a Mexican Patrol

clashed with American soldiers, clashed with American soldiers, killing eleven – Polk asks Congress killing eleven – Polk asks Congress to declare war.to declare war.

Causes – Mexican-American WarCauses – Mexican-American War• Mexicans see the clash differently: To Mexicans see the clash differently: To

them it was an American invasion that them it was an American invasion that shed Mexican blood on Mexican soilshed Mexican blood on Mexican soil• Democrats from South want warDemocrats from South want war• Whigs, from North, don’t want war.Whigs, from North, don’t want war.• The Whigs believed that Polk had The Whigs believed that Polk had

deliberately provoked war by sending deliberately provoked war by sending troops to Texas.troops to Texas.

Causes of Mexican-American WarCauses of Mexican-American War•Whigs feared Polk would not

settle for event the biggest version of Texas but to annex the adjacent northern Mexican provinces, including New Mexico and California

Effects of Mexican American WarEffects of Mexican American War• The treaty that ended the war was

called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Since the US won, they got to set the terms (conditions).•Mexico agreed to the treaty, and the

war was officially over on 2/2/1848.

Effects of Mexican-America WarEffects of Mexican-America War•Mexican Cession - Mexico sells land

to the US. US receives California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and part of Wyoming.• All Mexicans living in this area would

be allowed to become US citizens.

Effects of Mexican-American WarEffects of Mexican-American War• For the US, they gained huge For the US, they gained huge

new pieces of land. However new pieces of land. However the fight over what to do with the fight over what to do with it took center stage. Would it took center stage. Would these new lands be Slave these new lands be Slave states of Free states?states of Free states?