Chapter 16
Causes of the War
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Many Mexicans unhappy about the U.S. annexation of Texas.
Some Americans wanted to be paid for damages done to their
businesses and _property_ in Mexico.
Boundary Dispute*:
 Texas and U.S. claimed the _Rio Grande River as the
boundary between Texas and Mexico.
 Mexico claimed the _Nueces River as the boundary.
American settlers were moving into _California_, and
Mexico ordered them to leave.
Causes of the War
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
November 1845, President Polk sent John Slidell to
Mexico to settle the boundary dispute.
Slidell was authorized to offer _$30_ million if:
 Mexico would accept the _Rio Grande River_ as
the border and
 Mexico would sell _California_ and one-half of
_New Mexico_ to the U.S.
 Mexican officials refused to meet with him.
Fighting Breaks Out

President Polk ordered _General Taylor and thousands of U.S.
soldiers to TX.

They built Fort Brown on the Rio Grande River in March 1846.

Early April, Mexican General Arista ordered General Taylor
and troops to move back to the east side of the Nueces River.

General Taylor refused to leave.

Mexican cavalry crossed Rio Grande and attacked U.S. soldiers.

President Polk said, “American blood had been shed on American
soil” and Congress declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846.
Major Battles
Battle
Date
Palo Alto
May
1846
Resaca de la
Palma
May
1846
Important Information
First battle of the war
Second battle between General Taylor and Mexican
General Arista near the Rio Grande
Who
Won?
U.S.
U.S.
Major Battles
Battle
Date
Monterrey
Sept.
1846
Important Information
General Taylor and troops fight against Santa Anna;
Texas Rangers also fought in this battle.
Who
Won?
U.S.
Major Battles
Battle
Date
Important Information
Who
Won?
Buena Vista
Feb.
1847
General Taylor forced Santa Anna’s troops to retreat after 2
days of fighting
U.S.
Major Battles
Battle
Date
Veracruz
March
1847
Important Information
General Scott takes control of city after a long
artillery battle
Who
Won?
U.S.
Did you know Santa Anna had a wooden leg?


http://www.roadside
america.com/story/1
8808
http://www.history.co
m/news/historylists/6-things-youmay-not-know-aboutsanta-anna
Major Battles
Battle
Mexico City
Date
Important Information
Who
Won?
Sept.
1847
Fighting takes place in streets and on
rooftops. The city falls and U.S. troops raise
flag over National Palace in victory.
U.S.
 On September 14, 1847, Mexico City fell, and the U.S. wins the war.
Battles Map
Results of the War
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Out of 116,000 American soldiers, nearly 13,000
lost their lives.
Most of these soldiers died not in battle but from
disease.
The war cost the U.S. $98 million
In Mexico, countless lives were lost and much
property was destroyed.
Texans in the War
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Many Texans joined the army for a chance to fight against their old
rival, Santa Anna.
Some 6,000 Texans volunteered to fight in the Mexican-American
War.
Well-known Texans who fought in the war:
 Governor James Pinckney Henderson temporarily left office
to serve
 Former Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar
 Revolutionary Albert Sidney Johnston
 Juan Seguin fought for Mexico
Texans in the War
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Several Texas Rangers joined the war:
John
S. “Rip” Ford
Jack Coffee Hays
Ben McCulloch
The Mexicans feared the Texas Rangers
and called them “the los diablos Tejanos”,
the Texas devils.

Mexican officials met with Nicholas Trist, an
American diplomat, in Guadalupe Hidalgo on
Feb. 2, 1848 to create a treaty to officially end
the war.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Mexico agreed to:
 recognize
Texas as part of the _United
States__
 give up all claims to the territory between
the _Nueces River_ and the Rio Grande
(accepted the Rio Grande River as the
border)
 cede all territory between western Texas
and the Pacific Ocean to the U.S. (known as
the Mexican Cession)
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

U.S. agreed to:
 pay
Mexico $15 million for the land
 grant all the rights of U.S. citizenship to
Mexicans living in the Mexican Cession
region
 pay $3.25 million in _claims U.S. citizens
had against Mexico
Addition of new territory, reignited debates about
slavery
Pro-slavery states/legislators wanted to allow
slavery in the new territories
 Anti-slavery wanted to end slavery
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Borders of Texas
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Texans claimed all land west_ of the Rio Grande
including 1/2 of New Mexico (Santa Fe)
People of Santa Fe rejected TX claim
 Most people in Santa Fe opposed
slavery
 Issue had to be settled by U.S. and
Congress was divided over the issue
Compromise of 1850
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Henry Clay led Congress to work out the border conflict and
slavery issue
 U.S. paid Texas $_10_ million in exchange for giving up
claims to New Mexico
 TX voters approved to pay off debts
 Compromise used Senator James Pearce's plan (Pearce Act)
for the new western boundaries of TX
California was admitted as a free state
Rest of territories (Utah and New Mexico) gained from Mexico
would make their own decision regarding _slavery__
The Five States of Texas
Click to see "Breakup of Texas" Plans