THe War with Mexico

Polk Urges War 

• James K. Polk wanted to go to war with Mexico
• James K. Polk 
• He thought it would bring Texas, New Mexico, and California into the Union
• He supported Texas on the dispute of the border between Mexico and Texas

John Slidell

• Sent by Polk to purchase California and New Mexico
• He was also sent to approve of the Rio Grande and Texas Border
• When he arrived in Mexico, Mexican officials refused to see him

Zachary Taylor

• Sent by Polk to march to the Rio Grande and block the river
• Mexicans justified that blocking the river was a violation of their rights
• Slavery would soon emerge as the main issue of the complicating the debate

Attitudes toward war

• Southerners saw war as a way to expand slavery
• The Wilmot Proviso prohibited slavery in lands that Mexico might gain 
• Debate on war shifted to a debate on slavery 
• Northerners opposed the war 
• The war would insure southern domination of the Union and expand slavery

The war begins 

• John C. Frémont led an Exploration party through Mexico
• John C. Frémont led an Exploration party through Mexico
• Mexico said that it was another violation of their rights
• Mexico said that it was another violation of their rights
• Mexico responded by sending more troops across the Rio Grande
• Mexico responded by sending more troops across the Rio Grande
• Mexico killed 9 U
• Mexico killed 9 U.S. soldiers in the U.S.
• Mexico officially started a war 

Stephen Kearny 

• Polk ordered Kearny to march to New Mexico  
• Polk ordered Kearny to march to New Mexico  
• He marched 800 miles with his men
• He marched 800 miles with his men
• When he arrived in New Mexico, Mexicans wanted to join the U.S.
• When he arrived in New Mexico, Mexicans wanted to join the U.S.
• New Mexico 
• New Mexico fell to the U.S. without a single gun shot

Republic of California

• Polk offered to buy California but only upset the Mexican government
• Polk offered to buy California but only upset the Mexican government
• Frémont led a group of settler to Sonoma in 1846
• Frémont led a group of settler to Sonoma in 1846
• He hoisted up a flag with a grizzle bear on it 
• He hoisted up a flag with a grizzle bear on it 
• They declared independence from Mexico the nation became known as the R
• They declared independence from Mexico the nation became known as the R
• The nation became known as the Republic of California 
• the nation became known as the R

Winfield Scott

• Scott and Taylor attacked and captured Monterrey, Mexico
• The Mexican garrison escaped in 1846

Promise with Santa Anna

• Polk would help Santa Anna sneak back into Mexico
• Santa Anna promised to end the war
• When he returned to Mexico he resumed presidency 
• He ordered an attack on Taylor's troops at Buena Vista
• Taylor's troops pushed Anna's forces back into inner Mexico

AMERICA GAINS SPOILS OF WAR

• Mexico losing the war was huge
• Mexico lost 25,000 lives and most of their land.

AMERICA SPOILS CONTINUED

• In contrast 13,000 American lives were lost
• 2,000 died in battle, the rest from disease or wounds.
• The U.S. also increased its size from gaining land from Mexico

TREATY OF GUADELOUPE HIDALGO

• The treaty set up agreements that would satisfy Mexico and the U.S.
• Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande being the border of U.S. and Mexico
• The U.S. agreed to pay $15 million dollars for the Southwest part of U.S.

TREATY CONTINUED

• President Franklin Pierce gave Mexico another $10 Million
• The money was used to buy land along the Oregon settlement.
• The Gadsden Purchase established the lower 48 states

GOLD RUSH

CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH

• James Marshall was the first to find gold in the west
• He was working on John Sutter's property when he found gold.

RUSH BEGINS

• People from all over traveled to the San Fran valley to pan for gold
• The News Paper, the Californian, had to stop production
• Workers of the news paper were panning for gold 

Rush Continued 

• As gold fever traveled eastward so did the population
• As gold fever traveled eastward so did the population
• From 1848 to 1850 the population jumped from 400 to 44,000
• From 1848 to 1850 the population jumped from 400 to 44,000
• The people that moved during the 1849 gold rush were called forty niners
• The people that moved during the 1849 gold rush were called forty-niners

Impact of Gold Fever

• San Francisco 
• San Francisco soon became very congested because of the gold rush
• The San Francisco harbor became crowded with over 35,000 people in 1850

Gold Rush Brings Diversity

•  1849 the population of California became 100,000
• The Chinese were the largest group of people 
• Followed by the freed african americans and the Irish 
• The fastest growing population was the Mexicans

Conclusion 

• California application for statehood started up another slave debate
• The Northern and Southern people had a goal to win the argument 
• However California won statehood in 1850 and became the 31st state