Causes of the Mexican American War

May 13, 1846

"American blood shed on American soil", U.S. Congress declared war on Mexico.

Wilmot Proviso

1846 proposal that outlawed slavery in any territory gained from the War with Mexico

California

49ers can into California for the amount of Gold located there and helped the United States economy.

Slavery

American citizens in the South wanted more slave states to strengthen the Southern economy.

President James K. Polk

Believed in Manifest Destiny for the US. Believed that there were many riches in California. Placed soldiers near the Rio Grande in territory that Mexico said was theirs.

Spot Resolutions

Congressman Abraham Lincoln supported a proposition to find the exact spot where American troops were fired upon, suspecting that they had illegally crossed into Mexican territory.

Andrew Jackson

Indian Removal Act of 1830 is similar to the was and he also proposed a 5 million dollars to buy Texas from Mexico before the war occurred

US Popular Opinion about going to War with Mexico

It was very popular in the South because the South wanted more slave states to help the economy.

April 24, 1846: Mexico starts War with US Troops

Mexican Troops fired on American soldiers and begins conflict in the Mexican-American War.

Rio Grande River

Mexico refused to sell California to US thinking that Texas' southern border was on the Nueces River; Polk and special envoy to Mexico City John Slidell, asserted that the border of TX is to the south, along the Rio Grande

Mexican popular opinion about war with the US

Never declared war, and wanted wanted peace, but still wanted to support their newly Independent Country

Thornton Affair 1846

Polk sends soldiers to Mexico, and soldiers die on American soil (disputed land), so he wants a war resolution. Wages Mexican American War

Nueces River

River that Mexico claimed as the Texas-Mexico boundary, crossed by Taylor's troops in 1846

Treaty of Velasco

Signed to give Texas to America, but was voided because Mexico still wanted Texas, causes tension (Ended Texas Revolution)

Mexican Government policies regardig Texas

Texas began to want independence and the end of slavery. This lead to the Texas Revolution.

Texas Annexation

Texas was originally part of Mexico, but US wanted it and was admitted to the Union in 1845.

Slidell Mission

This was a last ditch attempt to gain California for America. Polk sent Slidell to offer a maximum of $25 million for it, but it was rejected by the Mexicans. This prompted Polk to provoke war with the Mexicans.

Economics

US and Mexico argued over land in California and how much money California is really worth (Did US steal land?)

John C. Calhoun

Voice of slavery expansion in the Western land and opposed War against Mexico

Texas War for Independence

the 1836 rebellion of Texans against Mexican rule that resulted in Texas becoming an independent nation

Manifest Destiny

the 19th-century doctrine or belief that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.