Mexican-American War

Years and Cause of Conflict

• Years of Conflict: 1846-1848

• Cause: American overpopulation of Mexican lands, Mexican failure to uphold contract between Mexican and American governments

The President, His Stance, and His Military Strategy/Purpose/Rationale

• President: James K. Polk

• Stance: Wanted war with Mexico as justification to take their lands

• Rationale: Americans had been killed on American soil, European colonization, Monroe Doctrine protection and upholding

• Provocation strategy: Station troops near Rio Grande border to get Mexicans to attack

• Military strategy: Limited warfare in California and Mexico

• Purpose: Gain Mexican lands to prevent European land holdings, expand to Pacific Coast

War’s Effect on Domestic and Foreign Policy

• Domestic– Gave Americans land

• Manifest Destiny

• Future expansion and development

• Creation of new states

• Foreign– Gave Mexicans in

Mexican Cession American citizenship

– Gave more international respect to the American military

Citizens’ Reaction to Conflict

• Mexican– Wanted to make a point– Wanted to embarrass

Americans– Wanted to free Southern

slaves– Upset over loss of land– Happy to see that ceded

lands helped to cause Civil War

• American– Northerners were

apathetic to the Mexican War because they only wanted lands in Canada and the Oregon Country

– Southerners pushed for war because they wanted to extend slavery and gain more Congressional representatives

Battle Date US Leader Mexican Leader

Palo Alto May 8, 1846 Samuel Ringgold Mariano Aristo

Santa Fe August 15, 1846 Stephen W. Kearney

Manuel Armijo

Buena Vista

February 22-23, 1847

Zachary TaylorJohn E. Wool

Antonio López de Santa Anna

Veracruz March 9-29, 1847 Winfield Scott (Army)

David Connor (Navy)

Matthew C. Perry (Navy)

Juan Morales

Mexico City

September 8-15, 1847

Winfield Scott Antonio López de Santa Ana

Military Result

• Mexico utterly destroyed• Mexican cession of vast territory– Mexico halved in size– United States doubled in size (again…)

Lessons Learned• Military

– Importance of the use of thorough reconnaissance

– Value of siege– Swift flanking movements– How to conduct a strong

blockade• Political

– Not to let one president’s views destroy the party

– Constitutionality of Congress’s abilities to determine a state’s slave status

• Personal– Don’t fight back against

the big bully– The greed of one person

can lead to the troubles of many

• General– Being nice may not

always get you what you want

Long Term Effects/Consequences

• Domestic– Issues over slavery

rekindled– Allowed more direct

connection with California– US extended to Pacific

Ocean– Bounty of ports, minerals,

and natural resources

• Foreign– Mexican leaders struggled

to reorganize and revive their nation (turmoil, civil war, foreign intervention)

– New leaders inspired to unite Mexico, force out foreign invaders, and establish the foundations of a modern state

– Uneasy Mexican-American relations afterwards