Mexican War 1846 1848 Manifest Destiny JOHN GASTS

Mexican War 1846 -1848

Manifest Destiny. . . JOHN GAST‘S - "AMERICAN PROGRESS, " (1872)

Issues of the Mexican War n n n Manifest Destiny 1845 Texas Annexation by the United States Boundary dispute between Mexico and the U. S.

Issues of the Mexican War n Nueces River vs. Rio Grande n n n Mexico still claimed Nueces as official national border Texas and US claimed Rio Grande Area between the two called the “Nueces Strip”

Rio Grande boundary Nueces River boundary

Steps to War n Late 1845 - John Slidell goes to Mexico to offer $25 million for: n n Rio Grande border New Mexico California Mexico unable to negotiate John Slidell

Steps to War n n Polk orders General Taylor into Nueces Strip (disputed territory) April 25, 1846 n n n 2000 Mexican cavalry attack 70 US patrolmen in Nueces Strip 16 Americans killed Polk sees opportunity…

Support of the War n n n For many Americans the war led to greater national pride Many people who supported the war believed it would spread republican values Many southerners supported the war, thinking any territory won would be organized into slave states

Opposition to the War n n n Many members of the Whig Party thought the conflict was unjustified Northern abolitionists feared any territory gained in the war might be organized into slave states 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

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) n n n Forced on Santa Anna and Mexico Southern boundary of Texas set at the Rio Grande U. S. gained: n n Present-day states of California, Nevada, and Utah Most of Arizona and New Mexico Parts of Colorado and Wyoming U. S. agreed to pay $15 million to Mexico and pay debts of Mexico to U. S. citizens

Oregon Territory Dispute • “Fifty-four Forty or Fight!” President Polk • Campaign slogan • President instead compromised to settle territory at 49 th parallel • 1846 Senate approved treaty because of war in Mexico • North angry that war in Mexico but not in Oregon – proslavery move