4/25/13

Turmoil in Mexican Government

Mexican government had enormous difficulty maintaining control over their northern territories
This was mainly because of Civil war and religious turmoil
Mexicans believed that they never really lost Texas, it was just a rebellious state that they would later reconquer

Response to Annexation of Texas

In doing this, the US inherited Texas border dispute with Mexico
This eventually led to the start of the Mexican-American war in 1846
During the war, the US captured additional territory (Mexican Cession of 1848)
There continued to be territory disputes with Texas, the federal government and the New Mexico territory was resolved with the Compromise of 1850

The Fall of Santa Anna

After Mexico lost the war against Texas, Santa Anna signed the Treaties of Velasco
The Treaty recognized Texas’ independence
There was a new Mexican government that said Santa Anna wasn’t the president and said that the treaty was void
Santa Anna went into exile
He later talked to Andrew Jackson who brought Santa Anna back to his Mexican home
He rose back into power when the previous president was making people angry
He became president again
He wanted Mexico to have more money so he raised taxes
People got mad at him so they locked him in jail
He became the general of the army again to fight in the Mexican-American War
Santa Anna lost and went back into exile
Rebels wanted Santa Anna to come back to Mexico so he became presidenta gain
During this presidency he sold land to the US
He was overthrown again

La Reforma

Characterized by liberal reform
It modernized Mexico and made it a national state
Land reform/redistribution
Separation of church and state
Wanted to increase education for the poor
Mexico fought the church by limiting the traditional land holdings of the church
This revitalized the market with land

Juarez Rises to Power

Benito Juarez is remembered as being a progressive reformer
He was dedicated to democracy, equal rights for his national’s indigenous peoples.
Also, his antipathy toward organized religion, especially the Catholic Church, and what he regarded as defense of national sovereignty
The period of his leadership is known in Mexican history as La Reforma del Norte
He constituted a liberal political and social revolution with major instructional consequences.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Brought an end to the Mexican – American War
The treaty was named after the town it was signed in (Guadalupe Hidalgo)
Signed on Feb 2^nd, 1848
When Mexico was defeated with the fall of the capital, Mexico City, in 1847, the Medican govt. surrendered
This began the negotiation period between the two
After two failed attempts to negotiate a treaty with Santa Anna, the US was determined that the only way to deal with Mexico was to conquer them

Nicholas Trist

He was the negotiator for the US
The Mexican government had named its special commission to negotiate
Against the president’s recall, Trist negotiated the peace treaty in defiance of the president

The Terms

Mexico ceded to the United States Upper California and New Mexico
America got everything gained everything to the southwest – Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, etc.
Mexico relinquished all claims to Texas and recognized the Rio Grande as the southern boundary with the United States
Polk chose to forward the treaty to the Senate
Senate barely ratified the treaty

Davy Crocket

Died March 6^th, 1836 in the Alamo
Was a three time congressman
Was a soldier and a hunter
Leader of the Tennesse volunteers – group of 65 men from TN who all went and fought at the Alamo

Stephen Austin

Known as the father of Texas
Very successful in this colonization – colonization of Texas
Brought 500 families to the area
Has many towns and stuff named after him
He was to try and persuade the Mexican into giving Texas self-government
When he got out he got approval and support from the US government and army
He became leader of citizens in Texas when he was let out of prison
When he ran for president he lost
San Houston beat him – would lead Texas to Independence
Houston was president of Texas – Austin was secretary of state

Santa Anna

Sometimes called Napoleon of the West
Mexican political leader, general and 11 time president
Led army to victory at the Alamo
He conquered and killed many Texans and pushed forward
Started with two small weaves that the Alamo held off
Wealthy land owner
Had form political views
He was president and military leader for a span of 40 years
Post Mexican War: After the war, Santa Anna lived in Exile in Cuba, Columbia and the US, come back, fail, exiled, REPEAT.

James Boyle

Mexico Fighting for Independence from Spain

The struggle for Mexican independence dates back to the decades after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, when martin Cortes (son of Herman Cortes)
Martin Cortes led a revolt against the Spanish colonial government in order to eliminate privileges for the conquistadors. (His mother was not Herman’s wife but his interpreter.)

Conspiracy of the Machetes

Pedro de la Portilla was the leader
In 1799, he arranged a meeting with about 20 other powerless youths
The meeting discussed the situation that Criollos found themselves in, in relation to Peninsulares (Criollos were Europeans, born in America and Peninsulares were Europeans born in Spain.
Those present agreed to rise in arms to rid the country of Peninsulares.
The plan agreed on was to free prisoners and with them, storm the viceory’s palace, thus capturing high officials and funds
The conspirators then intended to proclaim the independence of Mexico, declare war on Spain and kill or expel the Peninsulares
To accomplish this, they were counting on 1,000 pieces of silver, two pistels and some 50 cutlasses and machetes.
RESULTS: FAILURE.

Critos de Dolores

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a local priest and member of a group of educated Criollos met in saloons and in 1810 arrived at the conclusion that a revolt against the colonial government
September 16^th, 1810 he declared independence from the Spanish crown and war against the government in what was known as the Grito de Dolores.
October 30^th, Miguel Hidalgo’s army encountered Spanish resistance at the Battle of Monte de las Cruces, fought them and achieved victory
However, the rebel army failed to defeat the large and heavily armed Spanish army in Mexico City
The surviving rebels fled to the US – Mexican border but were met by the Spanish. They were executed and their Hidalgo’s head was displayed to the public

Sides in the Battle

Patriots:
Mexican Insurgents
Europeans and volunteers after 1819
Mexican ex-royalists
Army of the Three Guarantees
Royalists:
Spanish royals before 1821
Mexican royalists

For the next 10 years…

The Mexicans were being held in check by the Spanish
Mexico was about to give up and listen to their motherland Spain when….

Change in Fortunes

In 1820, when the Royalist general Iturbide changed sides and joined the rebels
He feared that Spain would fall into liberal hands
Iturbide brought the Royalist army to his side, and then declared himself emperor, but his reign was exceedingly short
He was overthrown by Santa Anna after only a year, and Guadalupe Victoria was elected the first president of the Mexican Republic

Spain Tries to Regain Mexico

Battle of Tampico
Mexican defeat Spanish
On July 21^st, 1827 a force of 1500 Mexicans under Santa Anna laid siege to 3,000 Spanish and Cuban soldiers, under Barradas, who landed in Tampico, with the intention of overthrowing the Mexican government
The Spaniards were cut off from reinforcements and surrendered September 11^th

Results of the Battle for Mexican Independence

First Mexican Empire established
Spain loses Mexico and loses a lot of respect from the world

Settling Texas

The next country emerged essentially bankrupt from the war against Spain
Mexico encouraged settlers to create their own militias for protection against hostile Indian tribes
Texas was very sparsely populated and in the hope that an influx of settlers populated and in the hope than an influx of settlers could control the Indian raids, the government liberalized immigration policies for the region
The first group of colonists, known as the Old Three Hundred, had arrived in 1822 to settle an empresarial (business) grant that had been given to Stephen F. Austin
The Mexican-born settlers in Texas were soon vastly outnumbered by people born in the United States
This scared the Mexican government

Reasons for Settling Texas

Cheap land for the Americans
New frontier
A weak country, doubted too many laws because they wanted the settlers there for protection from the hostile Indians
The property tax law, intended to exempt immigrants from paying taxes for ten years, was overturned and tariffs were increased on goods shopped from the US
Texas settlers had to comply with the federal prohibition against slavery or face military intervention
The Texan settlers didn’t comply and a few years later, they outnumbered the Mexicans 4:1 and had almost as many slaves as they did people.

The 2 Major Conflicts

The Battle of the Alamo:
Texans lost
All Texans died
Lasted 13 days
Famous people there: Travis, Crockett, Bowie, Austin, Santa Anna
The Battle of San Jacinto
Texans won
18 minute battle
Sneak attack, caught them sleeping
Famous people: Santa Anna, Houston

*********KNOW THE KEY PLAYERS IN DEPTH

Republic of Texas

Results of Texas Revolution:
Republic of Texas (1836-1845)
Mexico will try to regain Texas but fails

Texas Revolution Summary

The Texas Revolution, also known as the Texas War of Independence, was the military conflict between the government of Mexico and Texas colonist that began October 2^nd, 1835
Resulted in the establishment of the Republic of Texas after the final battle on April 21^st, 1836
Conflicts between the two nations continued into the 1840’s, finally being resolved with the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848 after the annexation of Texas to the United States

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4/25/13

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