From April 1846-February 1848 the United States and Mexico went to war. During this time James K. Polk was president of the U.S., and Jose Joaquin Herrera was president of Mexico. It started with the annexation of Texas in 1845, Mexico claimed the Texas border ended at the Nueces River, but the us claimed it ended at the Rio Grande. In March the U.S. President sent John Slidell to Mexico City to purchase land , and negotiate the Texas border. When the Mexican President refused, Polk sent General Zachary Taylor and his men to between the disputed border of Texas.
On April 25th Mexican Troops came over the Rio Grande and attacked Zachary's troops. When President Polk heard this he revised his message to congress on April 9th stating simply " American blood has been shed on American soil". Congress quickly approved , and declared war on Mexico on April 13th. Polk sent Zachary to the Rio grande into Mexico, and had Stephen Kearny go to New Mexico and California.
The Battles
The Battle of Palo Alto
The Capture of Monterrey
The Battle of Buena Vista
The Capture of Veracruz
The Battle of Cerro Gordo
The Battle of Contreras
The Battle of Churubusco
The Battle of El Molino del Rey (Attack upon the Molino)
The Battle of El Molino del Rey (Attack upon the Casa Mata)
The Storming of Chapultepec (General Pillow's Attack)
The Storming of Chapultepec (Quitmans' Attack)
Entrance into the City of Mexico
Occupation of Mexico
The Capture of Monterrey
The Battle of Buena Vista
The Capture of Veracruz
The Battle of Cerro Gordo
The Battle of Contreras
The Battle of Churubusco
The Battle of El Molino del Rey (Attack upon the Molino)
The Battle of El Molino del Rey (Attack upon the Casa Mata)
The Storming of Chapultepec (General Pillow's Attack)
The Storming of Chapultepec (Quitmans' Attack)
Entrance into the City of Mexico
Occupation of Mexico
At the end of the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by both countries. Mexico had to ceded New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas, and western Colorado for $15,000,000. They also had to recognize the Texas border as the Rio Grande. The United states had won the war and gained a lot of land. Now they reached from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
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