US HISTORYChapter 12Section 3

More Land

New Mexico – land between Texas and California territories Considered Spanish property Santa Fe – mission area set up by the Spanish Mexico inherited the territory when they won their

independence Mexico soon allowed American traders into Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Trail – the trail from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe William Becknell – the first American trader to make the

trip Americans, idealized by Manifest Destiny, thought

New Mexico and the Spanish California should be American

The West Coast

The Spanish had colonized California with missions (over 21 of them by 1820) California – given to Mexico after independence 1833 – Mexican government abolished missions Ranchos – huge properties bought by settlers Rancheros – ranch owners Native Americans were forced to work as slaves in similar

conditions as in the Southern plantations John C. Fremont – wrote about the beauty and

resources of California Advantages = trade with Japan, access to the Pacific

Ocean, fertile land President Polk tried to buy New Mexico and California

from the Mexican government; they declined

Get the Land by War

How to get Mexico to attack first? Texas-Mexico border

US – Rio Grande Mexico- Nueces River

Polk sent John Slidell to offer $30 million to recognize the Rio Grande as the boundary and pay off war debt

General Zachary Taylor – sent to stop Mexico from claim more land than it deserved Mexican troops attacked Taylor troops Congress approved a declaration of war against Mexico

War? – Democrats wanted war with Mexico; Whigs opposed war Abraham Lincoln (Illinois congressman) and Frederick

Douglass opposed the war Newspapers supported the war, but anti-war sentiments grew

in the North

Polk’s Plan

Three-Part Plan: American troops would drive Mexican forces out of the disputed

area The United States would seize New Mexico and California American forces would capture Mexico City

Zachary Taylor accomplished the first goal Captured Matamoros and Monterrey After capturing Buena Vista, the border was secure

Stephen Watts Kearny – captured Santa Fe, New Mexico without firing a shot

Bear Flag Republic – small group captured Sonoma John C. Fremont and Kit Carson joined the Americans Californios – Mexicans who lived in California

Navy captured ports of Monterey, San Francisco, and San Diego

Polk’s Plan Part 2

With California conquered, the only part of the plan that was not accomplished was conquering Mexico City

Winfield Scott – charged to gain Mexico City Veracruz – conquered this port after 3 weeks and continued

marching to Mexico City Forced to fight armed citizens along the way, Scott eventually

conquered Mexico City Although the US lost 1,721 men to battle, 11,000 to

sickness, and $100 million, Mexico lost far more. And, Mexico lost half of its land

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – Mexico gave up rights to Texas Mexican Cession – Mexico gave up California and New Mexico to

the United States Ceded - gave

1853 – Gadsden Purchase – the US paid $10 million for Arizona and New Mexico

Click the mouse button or press the Space Bar to display the answers.

Checking for Understanding

__ 1. Mexican ranch owner

__ 2. huge properties for raising livestock set up by Mexican settlers in California

__ 3. to give up by treaty

__ 4. Mexicans who lived in California

A. rancho

B. ranchero

C. Californios

D. cede

Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on the left.

B

A

D

C