2. Before you start make a copy of this document
1. What states were carved out of the Oregon Territory?
2. Why did Congress finally pass legislation to admit Texas to the Union?
3. Why were Americans upset that Mexico would not sell California and
New Mexico to the U.S.?
4. Why was Taylor sent to occupy disputed territory?
5. What was the immediate cause of the Mexican American War?
6. What American general led the attack at Buena Vista?
7. Who won the Battle of Veracruz?
8. What American general took control of southern California?
9. What was the name of the independent California Republic?
10. Where did young Mexican soldiers make a last stand against the
Americans?
11. How much did the U.S. pay Mexico for
the Mexican Cession?
12. The U.S. paid $10 million for a small strip of land in what two states to
complete a rail line to the Gulf of California?
3. Oregon
• The United States and Great Britain signed the treaty in 1846 that
established the Oregon boundary at latitude 49 N. The United States got
the land south of the line and Britain got the land north of the line.
• The area was named the Oregon Territory. Eventually the territory was
divided into the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
Question: What states were carved out of the
Oregon Territory?
4. Annexing Texas
• In 1844, the United States signed a treaty with Republic of Texas
president, Sam Houston.
• The U.S. Senate refused to ratify the treaty
• Houston threatened to ally Texas with the British
• Congress passed a joint resolution to admit Texas to the Union in 1845
Question: Why did Congress finally pass legislation to
admit Texas to the Union?
5. The United States and Mexico Clash
• The Mexicans were furious about the annexation of Texas
• They feared that the Americans would encourage rebellions in New
Mexico and California
• Americans were angry that the Mexicans refused to sell New Mexico and
California to the U.S.
• Many Americans believed that Mexico was preventing the United States
from accomplishing its goal of controlling all territory from the Atlantic to
the Pacific.
Question: Why were Americans upset
that Mexico would not sell California
and New Mexico to the U.S.?
Disputed territory
6. A Border Dispute
Mexico severed relations with the United
States after the annexation of Texas.
President Polk sent an envoy to negotiate
the purchase of California and New Mexico
but the Mexican president refused to
see him.
Polk was so angry that in January, 1846 he
sent General Zachary Taylor to occupy
the disputed area between the Nueces
River and the Rio Grande.
Question: Why was Taylor sent to occupy
disputed territory?
7. War Begins
• On April 25, 1846 Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and clashed
with American troops stationed there killing or injuring 16 men
• On May 9, Polk asked Congress for a declaration of war because “…Mexico
had invaded out territory and shed American blood on American soil.”
• Congress declared war on Mexico on May 13
• Thousands of young Americans volunteered to fight
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/resources/video_library.html
Click on The United States Declares War on Mexico
Question: What was the immediate cause of the
Mexican American War?
General Zachary Taylor
8. Battle of Buena Vista
• General Taylor crossed the Rio Grande into northern Mexico
• His 5,000 men encountered Santa Anna and his 15,000 troops outside of
Monterrey, Mexico
• Using heavy artillery Taylor was able to turn back Santa Anna’s army
• The Mexicans retreated with 1,800 killed or wounded.
• The Americans had 673 killed or wounded.
• Both sides claimed victory.
Question: What American general led
the attack at Buena Vista?
9. Veracruz
• General Winfield Scott landed south of the city of Veracruz in March 1847
• Veracruz was considered the most heavily fortified city in the Western
Hemisphere during the early 19th century.
• Bombardment from Scott’s forces and several American naval vessels off
the coast caused the Mexican commander to demand a ceasefire.
• After three days of negotiation, Mexican General Morales, agreed to
surrender the city of Veracruz.
• Scott had 13 men killed and 54 wounded and Morales between 350-400
soldiers killed, as well as, 500-600 civilians.
Question: Who won the Battle of Veracruz?
Landing at
Veracruz
10. Revolt in California
• General Stephen Kearny was given orders to take 1,700 American soldiers
known as the “Army of the West” and invade western Mexico and California
• He captured Santa Fe without firing a shot.
• He left some soldiers at Santa Fe then proceed west to California.
• After a long difficult journey across the desert he was able to take
control of southern California in 1847.
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/resources/video_library.html
Click on : Kearny’s Army marches west to Conquer New Mexico
and California
Question: What American general took control of
southern California?
11. The Bear Flag Republic
• At dawn on June 14, 1846, thirty-three armed Americans gathered at the
home of Mexican General Vallejo, in present-day Sonoma, California.
• They knocked on the general’s door and he invited them in. He told the
men he thought that Mexico was incapable of ruling California and he also
expressed the opinion that the U.S. should annex California.
• To show that they control the area the man created a new flag to replace
the Mexican flying over Sonoma plaza. The flag had a star, and a grizzly
bear. They called their new independent nation the Bear Flag Republic.
• John C. Fremont drove Mexican troops out
northern California.
Question: What was the name of the
independent California Republic?
12. The Final Battle
• General Scott reached Mexico City by early September 1847
• To capture the city Scott would have to capture Chapultepec Castle, home
to the Mexican military academy
• The castle is located at top of a 200 foot hill on the western side of Mexico
City.
• After bombarding the castle for days, men with ladders stormed the walls
of the castle.
• The boy heroes, as the cadets were
called, put up much resistance but the
castle and the city fell to Americans
forces.
Question: Where did young Mexican
soldiers make a last stand against the
Americans?
Chapultepec Castle
13. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• The agreement that ended the Mexican American War was called the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• Under the terms of the treaty Mexico agreed to cede, or give up, all of
California and New Mexico to the United States.
• The U. S. agreed to pay Mexico $15 million and agreed to respect the
rights of Spanish-speaking people in the territory.
• The new ceded to the U.S. was called the
Mexican Cession.
Question: How much did the U.S. pay Mexico for
the Mexican Cession?
14. Gadsden Purchase
• In 1853, the United States paid Mexico $10 million for a strip of land in
present-day Arizona and New Mexico
• The Southern Pacific Railroad needed land to complete a railroad line to
the Gulf of California because the land in the Mexican Cession was too
mountainous for a railroad route to the Gulf of California
• Ambassador James Gadsden negotiated the purchase with the Mexican
government
Question: The U.S. paid $10 million for
a small strip of land in what two states
to complete a rail line to the Gulf of
California?
