🇲🇽Chicano History in the United States Unit 3 – Mexican-American War: Impact & Aftermath

Key Events and Timeline

• 1845: U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory, escalating tensions
• 1846: U.S. President James K. Polk sends troops under General Zachary Taylor to the Rio Grande, the border claimed by the U.S.
  • Mexico considers this an act of aggression and attacks Taylor's forces, initiating the war
• 1846-1847: Major battles take place, including the Battle of Palo Alto, the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, and the Battle of Buena Vista
• September 1847: U.S. forces capture Mexico City, effectively ending major combat operations
• February 2, 1848: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, officially ending the war

Causes and Motivations

• Manifest Destiny: The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the North American continent
  • This ideology fueled American expansionism and justified the war in the eyes of many Americans
• Territorial disputes: The U.S. claimed the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas, while Mexico maintained that the Nueces River was the boundary
• Economic interests: The U.S. sought to gain control over valuable resources and trade routes in the Southwest
• Political pressures: President Polk, a strong advocate for expansion, used the dispute over Texas to rally support for the war
• Slavery: Some Southern politicians saw the acquisition of new territories as an opportunity to expand slavery

Major Battles and Military Strategies

• Battle of Palo Alto (May 8, 1846): U.S. forces under General Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican troops near the Rio Grande
• Battle of Resaca de la Palma (May 9, 1846): Taylor's forces again defeated the Mexican army, forcing them to retreat
• Battle of Monterrey (September 21-24, 1846): U.S. forces captured the city of Monterrey after a hard-fought battle
• Battle of Buena Vista (February 22-23, 1847): Despite being outnumbered, Taylor's troops repelled a Mexican attack near Buena Vista
• Siege of Veracruz (March 9-29, 1847): U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott captured the port city of Veracruz after a naval blockade and bombardment
• Battle of Cerro Gordo (April 18, 1847): Scott's troops defeated Mexican forces under General Santa Anna, opening the way to Mexico City

Key Figures and Their Roles

• James K. Polk: U.S. President who led the country into war with Mexico and oversaw the conflict
• Zachary Taylor: U.S. general who led troops to victories in several key battles, later became the 12th U.S. President
• Winfield Scott: U.S. general who commanded the campaign that captured Veracruz and Mexico City
• Antonio López de Santa Anna: Mexican general and president who led Mexican forces during the war
  • Santa Anna's leadership was often criticized, and he was eventually exiled after the war
• John C. Frémont: U.S. military officer and explorer who played a role in the Bear Flag Revolt in California during the war

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Signed on February 2, 1848, the treaty officially ended the Mexican-American War
• Key provisions:
  • Mexico ceded a large portion of its northern territory to the U.S., including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming
  • The U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $15 million for the acquired territories
  • The U.S. agreed to assume $3.25 million in claims by American citizens against the Mexican government
• The treaty established the Rio Grande as the U.S.-Mexico border and guaranteed property and civil rights for Mexicans living in the ceded territories

Territorial Changes and Consequences

• The Mexican Cession: Mexico lost nearly half of its pre-war territory, which became the U.S. Southwest
  • This included the present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming
• The Gadsden Purchase (1853): The U.S. later acquired an additional 29,670 square miles of Mexican territory for $10 million
• Westward expansion: The acquired territories opened up vast new areas for American settlement and economic exploitation
  • The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) attracted thousands of settlers to the region
• Sectional tensions: The question of whether the new territories would allow slavery contributed to growing divisions between the North and South

Impact on Mexican-Americans

• Citizenship and civil rights: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo granted U.S. citizenship to Mexicans living in the ceded territories, but in practice, many faced discrimination and loss of land
• Land dispossession: Many Mexican landowners lost their properties to American settlers and speculators through legal manipulation, fraud, and violence
• Cultural and linguistic oppression: Mexican-Americans often faced pressure to assimilate and abandon their language and cultural traditions
• Economic marginalization: Many Mexican-Americans were relegated to low-paying, menial jobs and faced limited opportunities for upward mobility
• Resistance and resilience: Despite these challenges, Mexican-American communities maintained their cultural identity and fought for their rights

Legacy and Modern Significance

• Shaped the modern American Southwest: The war and its aftermath laid the foundation for the demographic, cultural, and economic landscape of the region
• Ongoing border issues: The war established the Rio Grande as the U.S.-Mexico border, but border disputes and tensions have persisted to the present day
• Mexican-American civil rights movement: The experiences of Mexican-Americans after the war have inspired ongoing struggles for civil rights and equality
  • Examples include the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s and contemporary activism around issues such as immigration and education
• Historical memory and commemoration: The war and its consequences are remembered and commemorated differently by various groups
  • For many Mexican-Americans, the war represents a painful history of conquest and dispossession
• U.S.-Mexico relations: The war and its legacy continue to shape political, economic, and cultural relations between the two countries