Tuesday, January 27, 2009

The Mexican-American War - January 26-27, 2009

Agenda:
1.  Journal - "Sacrifice"
2.  Mexican War Jigsaw (pg 11-12)
HW:  Comparing Two Manifest Destiny Wars Bubble Map - DOWNLOAD HERE

Today we transitioned from one war and right into the next. The Texans won their war for independence against Mexico in 1836, but the US government wasn't quite ready to invite Texas into the Union. Northern Congressman were concerned that bringing a new slave state into the Union would upset the balance between slave and free states in the Senate.

President James K. Polk made a campaign promise to bring both Oregon and Texas into the Union. President John Tyler beat Polk to it as he signed an agreement to peacefully settle the Oregon dividing line with Britain at the 49th parallel.

Polk set his eyes on Texas, and the US annexed the Lone Star State in 1845. The Texas matter wasn't settled with Santa Anna, and the new American maps claiming the Rio Grande as Texas' southern border infuriated the Mexican leader. Mexico insisted that Texas' southern border was the Nueces River.

Polk sent General Zachary Taylor across the Nueces River to show Santa Anna that we intended to protect our territory and our boundaries, and the Mexican-American War began.


The homework is important because it asks students to compare and contrast the two wars we've just learned about using a bubble map.

RVI


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