The Mexican War 1846

Causes of the War

• The government of Mexico never recognized the Republic of Texas and considered the annexation by the U.S. an insult.

Causes of the War

• Mexicans that had accepted Texas independence did not accept the boundary of the Rio Grande. Mexico claimed the Nueces as the boundary.

Causes of the War

• Another problem was westward expansion due to trading. Americans were trading in Mexican Santa Fe and California. The U.S. was using the port at San Francisco which also belonged to Mexico.

Causes of the War

• Mexico was supposed to have paid for property damage to Texas during the Revolution. They did not so the U.S. offered to pay this Mexican debt and give $30 million for Rio Grande River to be the boundary to Mexico and Texas, and the U.S. get all of New Mexico and California.

Causes of the War

• The U.S. sent John Slidell to Mexico to negotiate. Neither the old or new president would talk with Slidell because they thought it would make them look weak.

Causes of the War• In 1846, President Polk sent

General Taylor and his troops to the Rio Grande River. He met Mexican soldiers north of the Rio Grande. President Polk declared that “American Blood had been shed on American Soil.” So U.S. Congress declared war.

U.S. Victory

• The U.S. was far better equipped and better led than the Mexicans.

U.S. Victory

• General Taylor captured Monterrey and later defeated Santa Anna and a large army of Mexicans at Buena Vista.

U.S. Victory• General Winfield

Scott landed at Vera Cruz and captured Mexico City in 1847. Another army occupied Santa Fe and California.

1848 – Peace Treaty at Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Mexico abandoned all claims to Texas and accepted Rio Grande as the Texas – Mexican boundary.

1848 – Peace Treaty at Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Mexico gave up California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. In return, the U.S. paid $15 million to Mexico. This is known as the Mexican Cession.

1848 – Peace Treaty at Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Mexicans living in that territory had a year to decide if they would like to become U.S. citizens or return to Mexico.

The New Mexico Boundary Dispute

• During the period as the Republic, Texas claimed the Rio Grande as its southern and western border. This was half of New Mexico and included Santa Fe.

The New Mexico The New Mexico Boundary DisputeBoundary Dispute

People of Santa Fe did not People of Santa Fe did not want to be part of Texas and want to be part of Texas and wanted to be its own wanted to be its own territory of state. People territory of state. People from the northern U.S. were from the northern U.S. were afraid Texas would introduce afraid Texas would introduce slavery to this area.slavery to this area.

The New Mexico Boundary Dispute

• In the Pearce Act, a part of the Compromise of 1850, Texas agreed to surrender its claims in the disputed area and the U.S. gave $10 million to Texas. In 1853, the U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for the Gadsden Purchase, a strip of land along the edge of present-day Arizona and New Mexico.