Mexican-American War
How did the Mexican- American War transform the nation?
The Mexican-American War was from 1846-1848. It was the first U.S. Armed encounter fought on foreign soil. In 1836, Texas achieved its independence from Mexico. In the beginning the United States refused to associate it into the union. Mostly because political interests were opposed to a new slave state. The Mexican government was warning that any attempt at invasion would end up leading to war. After Polk was elected in 1844 annexation procedures were brought into place very quickly. He had his eye on New Mexico, Clifornia and the rest of what is now the U.S. Southwest. Polk was rejected when he offered to purchase those lands. He started a fight by putting troops into a opposing zone between Rio Grande and Nueces River that the two countries had formerly identified as a part of the Mexican state of Coahuila. Mexican armies killed about a dozen of the U.S. soldiers in the opposing zone under the order of General Zachary Taylor. Then they surrounded and cut off supplies to an American fort along side the Rio Grande. At the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, Taylor called in for more reinforcement with artillery and superior rifles that helped them defeat the Mexicans. On May 13th, congress declared war, despite conflict from some northern lawmakers. Mexico never officially declared war. Since there was only about 75,000 Mexican citizens living north of the Rio Grande, U.S. forces led by Col. Stephen W. Kearny and Commodore Robert F. Stockton were able to overthrow those lands with very little refusal. Taylor also had minimal trouble progressing, he even captured Monterrey in September. Mexico went to General Antonio López de Santa Anna for help because of all these losses that are adding up. He persuaded Polk that he would call off the war on terms in favor of the United States. He took authority of the Mexican army, and lead it into battle. Santa Anna experienced substantial casualties and he was forced to withdraw. Although the failure, he applied for the Mexican presidency the subsequent month. In the meantime, Gen. Winfield Scott, leader of U.S. troops, landed in Veracruz and took over the city. Guerrilla outbreaks against U.S. supply lines sustained, but for all purposes the war had concluded. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, implementing the Rio Grande and not the Nueces River as the U.S.-Mexican border. During the war Americans got to see new and exotic things and peoples culture.