Texas and Mexico

• Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821
• American traders traveled west along the Santa Fe Trail, which was owned by Mexico
• American settlers arrived in the province of Texas, which was also owned by Mexico
• Tensions grew between Americans and Mexico, leading to the brink of war
• "I'll give you this if you do as you're told" was said by Mexico to the Americans

Moses Austin and the Colony in Texas

• In 1820, Spain ruled the southwest and the Spanish governor of Texas gave Moses Austin land to start a colony of Americans
• After Moses Austin died, his son Stephen Austin led 300 Americans into Texas
• In 1821, Mexico ruled the area; Americans could claim land if they became Mexican citizens and worshipped in the Roman Catholic Church

Conflict in Texas

• Thousands of Americans went to Texas and there was conflict because settlers were Protestant instead of Catholic
• Many Americans were slave owners wanting to grow cotton, conflicting with Mexico's abolition of slavery
• Mexico banned further American settlements in 1830 after years of letting violations go unpunished
• Americans did not respect Mexico's new laws, and new settlers continued to arrive despite this
• Mexico tried to enforce bans on slavery and required settlers to worship in the Roman Catholic Church

Other Restrictions

• Mexico heavily taxed American imports
• General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was elected president of Mexico in 1833 and wanted a strong central government
• Stephen Austin urged Texans to revolt against the Mexican government in 1836
• Texas declared independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas

The Alamo

• President Santa Anna responded to the revolt with force
• On February 23, 1836, Mexicans laid siege to the Alamo, a church mission in San Antonio, Texas
• 185 whites and Tejanos were attacked, and the Texans fought back for 12 days before ultimately losing
• All 185 Americans and Tejanos at the Alamo died

Texas Independence

• American volunteers joined the Texan army, inspired by the Alamo's tough fighting spirit
• Sam Houston, the leader of the Texas army, led a surprise attack against Santa Anna's army at San Jacinto two months later
• The Texans shouted "Remember the Alamo!" during the attack
• In 18 minutes, the Texans captured Santa Anna and forced him to sign a treaty recognizing Texas independence

US involvement

• The Southern U.S. wanted to annex Texas, but the North didn't due to it being a slave state, so it remained an independent country
• Annexation of Texas was a major issue in the U.S. presidential election of 1844
• The candidates were Henry Clay and James Polk
• James Polk won the election of 1844
• Texas and Oregon were both annexed and became part of the United States
• Eventually, the Oregon area was broken up into the states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon

Border Dispute

• The annexation of Texas raised tensions with Mexico
• The U.S. and Mexico disagreed about the southern border of Texas at the Rio Grande

Failed Negotiations and War

• President Polk tried to solve the border problem by offering Mexico cash for land by the Rio Grande River (Texas), California, and the rest of New Mexico
• Mexico refused to cede the land to the U.S
• President Polk provoked Mexico by sending a general on Mexican soil, leading to a Mexican attack on U.S. troops
• Polk claimed Mexico had forced the war by shedding "American blood on American soil"

Public Opinion and Outcome

• Not all Americans supported the Mexican-American War
• Others felt the U.S. invaded Mexico and that land was not American soil
• The U.S. won the Mexican-American War

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848, officially ending the Mexican-American War

Key Terms of the Treaty

• Mexico recognized the independence of Texas
• Mexico ceded a vast amount of territory known as the Mexican Cession
• This area included the present states of California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico
• In return for the land, the U.S. paid Mexico $18 million

Gadsden Purchase

• The U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for the Gadsden Purchase in 1853
• This bought part of Arizona and New Mexico
• The U.S. achieved Manifest Destiny by owning all the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean