CH. 9-3 WAR WITH MEXICO
AMERICAN HISTORY
THE ANNEXATION OF TEXAS
 People admired Texans for fighting for their freedom
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against Mexico
Southerners wanted Texas admitted because they
allowed slavery
Others were worried about the large Texas debt
Constitution didn’t say anything about admitting an
independent nation as a state
Texas an independent nation for 9 years
Fall of 1845 Texas voters decided on becoming a state
Result: Yes: 7,600+, No: 430
Texas became part of the USA December 29, 1845
Last day as an independent nation: Feb. 19, 1846
TENSIONS BETWEEN USA AND MEXICO
 Mexico unhappy with annexation
 Mexico breaks off diplomatic relations with USA
 POLK AND MANIFEST DESTINY
 President Polk wanted to add more territory between
Texas and Pacific Ocean
 THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE
 Mexicans wanted Nueces River as boundary but the USA
wanted the Rio Grande River farther south
 USA claimed Mexico owed American citizens $3 million
for loss of property and life
 SLIDELL’S TRIP
 President Polk sent a special envoy to Mexico, John
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Slidell
Cancel $3 mill. Debt if Rio Grande is border
Also pay $30 million to acquire NM and CA
No one would meet with Slidell
He recommended that Mexico be punished
THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR
 Polk ordered Gen. Zachary Taylor to advance into
the territory between the rivers
 Polk requested Congress declare war on Mexico
 Declaration of War: May 13, 1846
 FIGHTING THE WAR
 Americans used aggressive strategy to win war
 Republic of California June 14, 1846
 California uprising called THE BEAR FLAG REVOLT
 US Navy takes control of California
 Gen. Winfield Scott marches into Mexico City in
September 1847
 RESULTS OF THE WAR
 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
 Mexico turns over huge tract of land (Mexican
Cession)
 US pays Mexico $15 million and drop $3 million in
damage claims
 1853—Gadsden Purchase clarifies treaty boundary
and transferred more territory to the USA
 President Polk was pleased with victory
 Historians believe that this war was a clear
expression of manifest destiny
 THE END