View
235
Download
1
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
War With MexicoWar With Mexico 1846 - 1848 1846 - 1848
Causes of the War
• Polk’s desire to expand the borders of the US
• Mexico’s refusal to sell California & New Mexico
• Texas boundary dispute – Nueces River vs. Rio Grande
• John Fremont’s independent incursion into California
• Border incident – Taylor’s forces blockade Rio GrandeProvocation ? Or attack by Mexico?
Major Players
11th President James K. PolkFavored war to bring Texas, New Mexico & California into union
Generals Zachary Taylor, ‘Rough & Ready’Winfield Scott, ‘Fuss & Feathers’
Won almost every battle vs. Mexicans that they fought.Led invasions of Eastern Mexico & Scott pushed to Mexico City.
PoliticiansSouth wants War to gain land to expand slavery
North opposes – Passes Wilmot Proviso prohibiting slavery in land won from Mexico in the war
Political Situation
• Pres. Polk tries to buy TX, NM, & CA
• Mexico weakened by leadership changes• General Herrera replaces Santa Ana as
President – NO SALE
• Polk favors war to take the land
• Disputes the border of Texas & Mexico – Nueces vs. Rio Grande rivers
Political Situation• North opposes war – fears expansion of slavery
• North sponsored “Wilmot Proviso” states any land from war would have no slavery.
• South opposes war but wants land and favors it after the “Wilmot Proviso” proposed.
• Polk sends troops to ‘see what will happen’
Generals andMajor Battles
Results of the War
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo- Rio Grande River becomes US border- New Mexico & California Ceded to US- Mexico gets $15 Million as compensation- Size of US increases by about 33%
• Gadsden Purchase - Enabled in 1853 by Pres. Pierce’s emissary James Gadsden- Made in anticipation of a railroad across the south.- Finalized the southern border of present day US.
California Here I Come!
On January 24, 1848, James
Marshall found this tiny
piece of gold in a stream
near John Sutter's sawmill in
northern California.
Gold Rush of 1849
MajorGoldStrikes1848
www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/map/index.html
In 1852 the take for the year was $80 million ($1.9 billion in 2005 dollars). This map shows some of the important mines of the gold rush.
Two miners on Weber Creek gathered $17,000 in gold in seven days;
six miners with 50 Indians took out 273 pounds of gold.
Recommended