Mexican - American war notes
1846 to 1848, James K Polk
1830
Mexico gained independence from spain in 1821
Armed conflict that lasted over a decade
The country was in total chaos
At the time, mexico was larger than what we know today
The country was stretched out, and one of the biggest at the time
Dire straights after 11 years of war
There were no plans or guidelines established by the revolutionaries
Internal struggles over how to control the government, also on who should be in control
Complete lack of funds to organize a country that big
Faced threats of both internal rebellions, and invasion by spanish forces
Spain had a base in Cuba
The government was not ready for international conflict when war broke out 2 decades later
Manifest destiny
The americans wanted to explore into the south west
Distinct ideology
Taking mexican territory was fore-ordained for americas
Texas was the first annexation needed to fulfill that destiny
It rose to popularity around the time the texas revolution occurred
Can be seen with the Louisiana purchase
Bought huge territory from the french
Opportunity for more expansion in mexico
Due to mexico's internal problems, several regions rebelled and tried to break away from the nation
Texas gained independence in 1836
Initially the US declined to incorporate texas into its union
At the time , their northern political interest were against the addition of a new slave state
Mexican gov encouraged border raids
Also threatened that any attempt at annexation would lead to war
Mexicans still considered texas as part of their land
Annexation still continued after the election of Polk in 1841
He claimed that texas should be re annexed
He also wanted california, new mexico and
He offered to buy that land, but mexico refused
Slidell was sent into mexico to make an offer for texas and California
He instigated conflict by moving troops into a disputed zone between the Rio Grande and the oasis river
Both countries had previously recognized this land as part of the mexican state
Tension grew more and more over the disputed land
Texas was annexed shortly after
The United state inherited the border disputes that Texas had
Southern and western
Refused to recognize texas' independence from mexico
US offered to purchase this territory , mexico refused
Tensions transformed into a war
Mexico sent Calvary to attack american officers in the disputed zone April 1846
Killed about a dozen
Polk told congress that "the cup of forbearance had been exhausted"
They "shed american blood upon american soil"
May - American Congress declared war
No official declaration of war ever came from mexico
Likely because they were ill prepared
mexico was weaker, but the US did not want to look like a bully
Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana
Initially did not support mexican independence ce from spain
Eventually fought in support of it
Served 12 presidential terms over 22 years
At the time, he did not want his presidency but wanted to use his military prowess to reclaim texas for mexico
Came out of exile in cuba
The president at the time only accepted because he was desperate
American support for the war
Was a source of national pride - feeding into manifest destiny
Many supporters believed it would spread republican ideals
A lot of southerners supported the war, as they thought any land won would become american slave states
Causes summary
Manifest destiny
Annexation of texas
Boundary disputes over texas
Opposition to the war
Many members of the Whig party thought the conflict was unjustified
The Whig Party was a political party active in the middle of the 19th century in the United States. Alongside the slightly larger Democratic Party, it was one of the two major parties in the United States between the late 1830s and the early 1850s as part of the Second Party System.
Northern abolitionists feared that those new states would be organized into slave states
John Quincy Adams - Massachusetts Rep - "a bigger pen to cram with slaves"
Texas already had legal slavery
Mexico had a system of slavery through captive raiding
Some people saw it as an immoral war, even though mexico had spilled blood first
Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln wrote the “Spot Resolutions” in 1848– asking Polk to show the spot where American blood had been shed on American soil
He claimed it was an act of war for the US to set foot into that disputed territory
Annex mexico?
Many opposed due to cultural differences
A lot of people felt it would cause too much instability
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Was forced on Santa Anna and Mexico
The southern boundary of texas was set at the Rio Grande 7
The US gained over 900 thousand sq ft of land for 15 million dollars
This was half of what they had ordered
The US also gained
Territory to the west of Rio grande
Present-day states of California, Nevada, and Utah
Most of Arizona and New Mexico
Gave the us control over these states
Parts of Colorado and Wyoming
Some americans thought the treaty was actually a loss
This all came at great monetary loss
The US also offered to pay mexico's debts to get the land
These people felt betrayed by the limited amount of territory that the US had annexed
They thought the US should annex all of mexico
Some conflicts started in what remained of northern mexico
Long history of disputed territory, revolts, and tensions