Mexican cession
THE ORANGE PART OF THE MAP SHOWS THE REGION OF THE MEXICAN CESSION
THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW:
Polk wanted more land so he followed his gaze among the huge areas known as California and New Mexico. He was determined to have them both-by purchase if possible, by force if necessary. These areas were first colonized by Spain but became Mexican territories when Mexico won its independence in 1821. Both were thinly settled, and the Mexican government had long neglected them. This was enough reason for Polk to hope they might be for sale. He sent a representative to Mexico to try to buy the territories. But the Mexican officials refused to even see Polk’s rep.
When congress voted to annex Texas, Mexico saw the annexation as an act of war. To make matters worse, Texas and Mexico couldn't agree on a border. On April 25, 1846, Mexican soldiers fired on U.S. troops who were patrolling along the Rio Grande. Sixteen Americans were killed or wounded. This was just the excuse for war that Polk had been waiting for. Mexico, he charged, “has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.” Two days after Polk's speech, Congress declared war on Mexico. The Mexican-American War had begun.
A few months later, General Stephen Kearny led the Army of the West out of Kansas. He told his troops to occupy New Mexico and then continue west to California. Mexican opposition melted away in front of Kearny's army. The Americans took control of New Mexico without firing a shot. Meanwhile, a group of Americans launched a rebellion against Mexican rule in California. The rebels had arrested and jailed General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and then raised a crude flag showing a grizzly bear sketched in blackberry juice. California was now the Bear Flag Republic. When Kearny reached California, he joined with the rebels. Within weeks, all of California was under U.S. control.
The conquest of Mexico itself was far more difficult. U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor battled their way south from Texas. After 6,000 U.S. troops took the Mexican city Monterrey they had found that General Santa Anna had marched north to meet Taylor. Santa Anna also brought with him an army of 20,000 Mexican troops. In February 1847, the two forces met near a ranch called Buena Vista. After two long days of hard fighting, Santa Anna reported that “both armies had been cut into pieces.” Santa Anna then retreated south refusing to lose his remaining forces. The war in northern Mexico was over. A month later, U.S. forces led by General Winfield Scott landed at Veracruz. For the next six months, his troops fought their way to Mexico City. Outside Mexico’s capital, the Americans met fierce resistance at the castle of Chapultepec. About 1,000 Mexican soldiers and 100 young military cadets fought bravely to defend the fortress. Six of them are now known as the boy heroes because they decided to die fighting rather than surrender. Despite such determined resistance, Scott's army captured Mexico City in September 1847.
Early in 1848, Mexico and the United States signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Mexico agreed to give up Texas and a vast region known as the Mexican Cession. Under this agreement, Mexico gave up half of all its territory. In return, the United States agreed to pay Mexico 15 million dollars. It also promised to protect the 80,000-100,000 Mexicans living in Texas and in the Mexican Cession. Most of those promises were not kept.
Polk wanted more land so he followed his gaze among the huge areas known as California and New Mexico. He was determined to have them both-by purchase if possible, by force if necessary. These areas were first colonized by Spain but became Mexican territories when Mexico won its independence in 1821. Both were thinly settled, and the Mexican government had long neglected them. This was enough reason for Polk to hope they might be for sale. He sent a representative to Mexico to try to buy the territories. But the Mexican officials refused to even see Polk’s rep.
When congress voted to annex Texas, Mexico saw the annexation as an act of war. To make matters worse, Texas and Mexico couldn't agree on a border. On April 25, 1846, Mexican soldiers fired on U.S. troops who were patrolling along the Rio Grande. Sixteen Americans were killed or wounded. This was just the excuse for war that Polk had been waiting for. Mexico, he charged, “has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.” Two days after Polk's speech, Congress declared war on Mexico. The Mexican-American War had begun.
A few months later, General Stephen Kearny led the Army of the West out of Kansas. He told his troops to occupy New Mexico and then continue west to California. Mexican opposition melted away in front of Kearny's army. The Americans took control of New Mexico without firing a shot. Meanwhile, a group of Americans launched a rebellion against Mexican rule in California. The rebels had arrested and jailed General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo and then raised a crude flag showing a grizzly bear sketched in blackberry juice. California was now the Bear Flag Republic. When Kearny reached California, he joined with the rebels. Within weeks, all of California was under U.S. control.
The conquest of Mexico itself was far more difficult. U.S. troops under General Zachary Taylor battled their way south from Texas. After 6,000 U.S. troops took the Mexican city Monterrey they had found that General Santa Anna had marched north to meet Taylor. Santa Anna also brought with him an army of 20,000 Mexican troops. In February 1847, the two forces met near a ranch called Buena Vista. After two long days of hard fighting, Santa Anna reported that “both armies had been cut into pieces.” Santa Anna then retreated south refusing to lose his remaining forces. The war in northern Mexico was over. A month later, U.S. forces led by General Winfield Scott landed at Veracruz. For the next six months, his troops fought their way to Mexico City. Outside Mexico’s capital, the Americans met fierce resistance at the castle of Chapultepec. About 1,000 Mexican soldiers and 100 young military cadets fought bravely to defend the fortress. Six of them are now known as the boy heroes because they decided to die fighting rather than surrender. Despite such determined resistance, Scott's army captured Mexico City in September 1847.
Early in 1848, Mexico and the United States signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Mexico agreed to give up Texas and a vast region known as the Mexican Cession. Under this agreement, Mexico gave up half of all its territory. In return, the United States agreed to pay Mexico 15 million dollars. It also promised to protect the 80,000-100,000 Mexicans living in Texas and in the Mexican Cession. Most of those promises were not kept.