Mexican Cession
Mexican Cession and Conflicts
President Polk had already acquired Oregon and Texas for the United States and he had his eyes on the next prize, California and New Mexico. These areas were originally colonized by Spain but became part of Mexico when Mexico won its independence. President Polk sent a representative to Mexico to buy California and New Mexico but Mexican officials refused to see the representative. The relationship between the U.S. and Mexico worsened because of the annexation of Texas. In addition, Texas and Mexico could not agree on a border. On April 25, 1846, Mexican soldiers fired on U.S. troops who were securing the Rio Grande (the Rio Grande is what the U.S. believed was the border between Texas and Mexico). 16 American troops were killed. This sparked a lot of emotions. President Polk delivered his speech about the situation and two days after, the Mexican-American war had begun. General Kearny and his army took over control of New Mexico without firing a shot. In California, the explorer John C. Frémont launched a rebellion against Mexican rule. The Americans jailed General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo (the Mexican commander, of northern California). General Kearny combined forced with the rebels. By doing so, all of California was under U.S. control within weeks. General Zach Taylor led his troops down to Mexico to try to take control of it. After Taylor and his army took control of Monterrey, Santa Anna marched North to stop the Americans. Santa Anna met Taylor at Buena Vista with his 20,000 troops. Santa Anna retreated south to save his remaining troops and the battle in northern Mexico was over. General Winfield Scott led his U.S. forces to Veracruz in Southern Mexico. Scott and his troops fought their way to Mexico city. They were able to defeat the young soldiers at the castle of Chapultepec. The Americans captured Mexico City in September 1847. Early in 1848, Mexico and the U.S. signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Mexico agreed to give up Texas to the U.S. But also Mexico gave the U.S. a large area of land known as the Mexican Cession. The Mexican Cession included California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and some parts of Colorado and Wyoming. According to the treaty, Mexico gave up half of all its territory in exchange for $15 million from the U.S. Although the U.S. agreed to protect the Mexicans living in Texas and the Mexican Cession, most of the people in America didn't keep the promise. Senators in Washington disagreed with the treaty. They said it was unjust and that the land that America acquired wasn't worth a dollar. Other senators disagreed with the treaty for a different reason. These senators wanted more land and part of northern Mexico too. To most of the senators, the acquired land of the Mexican Cession was a big part of manifest destiny. The Senate ratified the treaty. This is how the conflicts were solved and the Mexican Cession was settled.
Quick Summary:
Who: United States and Mexico
What: Land dispute over California and New Mexico
When: 1846-1848
Where: Mexican Cession, California, New Mexico and Texas
Why: America wanted to add California and New Mexico to the United States
How: War broke out and the United States and Mexico were able to agree on the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Quick Summary:
Who: United States and Mexico
What: Land dispute over California and New Mexico
When: 1846-1848
Where: Mexican Cession, California, New Mexico and Texas
Why: America wanted to add California and New Mexico to the United States
How: War broke out and the United States and Mexico were able to agree on the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo