The Mexican-American war occurred when the president of the United States James K. Polk wanted territory in California which the Mexican Government had control over at the time. As a result of Polk wanting to acquire such territory from Mexico he decided to send troops down to the Rio Grande River which was what the United States claimed to be the border in which Texas and Mexico were split. Mexico believed that the border was actually at the Nueces River which was further into the Texas territory. While to US troops were near the border Mexican military troops decided to fire upon them since they believed that they were in fact in Mexican Territory. Polk was then satisfied enough to go to the congress and say that the Mexicans were invading American Territory and American blood was shed upon American land. The United States Congress then agreed to go to war with Mexico.
When Polk originally sent John Slidell to meet with Mexican President José Joaquín Herrera the Mexican Prsedent learned that Slidell was going to offer to buy New Mexico and California for $30,000,000, he then refused to meet with Slidell. After Polf heard this news he ordered troops under Zachary Taylor to occupy the disputed land. After the war was finally approved by Congress, troops under Taylor were sento invade the heart of Mexico while a second group of troops under Stephen Kearney were sent to invade the California and New Mexico territory. Kearneys campaign into the California and New Mexico territory went rather smoothly since the people inhabitng these areas very little resistance and seemed to be ok with the American occupation of the land. During Taylors campaign his army fought several battles south of the river. He captred the most important city of Monterrey. He also defeated a major Mexican force at the Battle of Buena Vista in 1847. As the Mexican capital fell it eliminated the military aspect of the conflict.
When the captur of the Mexican Capitol occured Polk assigned his chief clerk in the state department Nicholas Trist and Winfield Scott's forces to negotiate a peace treaty. With the new formation of the Mexican Government there was a long delay in the process. Polk became impatient and decided to recall Trist but Trist disobeyed his instructions from Polk and signed the Treaty Of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. The Treaty stated that Mexico ceded to the United States that all the territory including New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas and western Colorado for $15,000,000 and the United States assumption it's citizens claims against Mexico. The war reopened the issue of slavery which had been mostly dorment since the Missouri Compromise. David Wilmot wanted to add an amendment to the treaty to ban slavery from and territory that we acquired from Mexico,which was never passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The status of slavery with the new territory was ater settles by the Compromise of 1850 which said that the territory was to be decided wether it was a slave state or not based on the popular vote of the people living in that territory.
No comments:
Post a Comment