Aim: What was the outcome of the
Mexican-American war?
What does this document
resemble?
Why do the Texans say
they moved to Texas?
What has Mexico done
that is causing them to
declare independence?
Causes of Texas Independence
• Mexico attains
independence from Spain
in 1821
• Faces attack by N/A in
North, encourages
Americans to settle Texas
territory as buffer
• Very liberal Constitution
• Thousands of Americans
move to Texas territory
• What do you remember
about Mexican culture?
• Mexicans attempt to
convert Texans to
Catholicism (most
are Protestant) and
to speak Spanish
• Mexico bans slavery,
most Texans are
slaveholders
• Mexico in chaos,
Santa Anna writes
new Constitution
limiting rights
• Texans suffer a defeat
at the Alamo, but
eventually defeat
Santa Anna and
petition the U.S. for
Statehood
• April 21, 1836- Texas
becomes
independent and
requests to join the
U.S.
• What are the pros
and cons of Texas
joining the US?
Sam Houston’s letter to Andrew
Jackson, 1843
• Now, my venerated friend, you will perceive that Texas
is presented to the United States, as a bride adorned
for her espousal. But if, so confident of the union, she
should be rejected, her mortification would be
indescribable. She has been sought by the United
States, and this is the third time she has consented.
Were she now to be spurned, it would forever
terminate [Texas' willingness to be annexed]. What is
Sam Houston threatening if the U.S. refuses to take
Texas again?
Causes of the Mexican-American War
• President Polk believes
firmly in Manifest Destiny
• December 29, 1845: Texas
joins the U.S. as a Slave
State
• Americans try to bribe
Mexican government for
more land, Mexico
responds by launching an
attack into Texas, killing
several American soldiers
• April 25, 1846- America
declares war
• What groups in the U.S.
would support the war?
Oppose?
Mexican-American War
• Demoralized and
turbulent Mexico no
match for Manifest
Destiny driven
Americans
• Mexican California
and Pacific coast
quickly captured
• Winfield Scott leads attack from the sea,
capturing Mexico City
Aftermath of the War
• U.S. soundly defeats Mexicans, but suffer
enormous casualties thanks to disease
• Debate: How much land do we take from Mexico?
• Pros and cons of annexing most Mexican land?
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Feb 2, 1848)Ends the war and the United States gains the
Rio Grande as Texas’s border and are granted
the American West (including California)
• Gadsden Purchase (1853)- Final addition to
the U.S. mainland, purchased from Mexico to
help build a southern Transcontinental
Railroad
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