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History 2328: Mexican American
History
Legacy of Hate: The Conquest of
Mexico’s Northwest
1613-1848
Victoria Garrick
Legacy of Hate:
The Conquest of Mexico’s Northwest, 1613-1848
OUTLINE
I. MAIN ARGUMENT
II. WHAT’S THE EVIDENCE?
III. MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN
IV. BACKGROUND TO THE INVASION OF TEXAS
a. Broken Promises
b. Follow the Money: The Land Companies and Trade
c. Wanna-Be Sam Adamses
d. The Point of No Return
V. THE INVASION OF TEXAS
a. The Pretext: Myths of the Alamo
b. The Defense of the Mexican Homeland
c. Mexicans Win the Battles but Lose the War
VI. THE INVASION OF MEXICO
a. The Manufactured War
b. An Unwarranted Aggression
Legacy of Hate:
The Conquest of Mexico’s Northwest, 1613-1848
OUTLINE (continued)
VII. THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST
a. Religious Justifications for War
b. History as Propaganda
c. Peacemakers Expose the Violence of War
d. The San Patricio Battalion
e. The War Crimes
f. Mexicans on the Front Lines
g. The Prosecution of War
VIII. THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO
a. The Controversy
b. The Deception
c. The Honorable Man
IX. CONCLUSION
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MAIN ARGUMENT
•The Euro Americans took advantage of the young, independent, and unstable gov. of Mexico and
waged an unjust and aggressive wars against the Mexican gov. in the 1830s and 1840s in order to
take away half of Mexico.
•Pres. James Polk pursued an aggressive policy that he felt would force Mexico to sell to the U.S.
and to recognize the annexation of Texas without the start of war.
WHAT’S THE EVIDENCE?
•The United States had motives in invading Mexico offending many Euro
Americans.
•U.S. President Ulysses S Grant shared the opinion that the U.S. was an
aggressor nation and he opposed the war with Mexico.
•According to Grant, Texas was a state that belong to the republic of Mexico.
•The American colonists introduced slavery into the state but the
constitution of Mexico did not sanction that institution.
MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN
•Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla started a social revolution of underdogs on the 16 th of September 1810
which was not prepared and in the early 1811 the Spanish royal troops captured and executed
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.
•A Priest Named Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon with African blood Took the banner and led better
organized army that recruited African Americans and mulatos. After the death of Morelas in
1815, revolutionary bands formed smaller force under leaders like Victoria and Vicente Guerrero
who waged guerrilla warfare.
•Guerrero joined Agustin de Iturbide who created the Iguala which is the plan that called for
respect for the church, and equality between Mexicans and Peninsulars. In 1822 Iturbide became
the emperor of Mexico but Victoria overthrew him in 1823. Central Americans broke from
Mexico, hurling Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to the center of Mexican politics.
•The Mexican state was bankrupt, the challenges was to form a nation-state that integrate the
new nations varied population and regions and make a overriding Identity.
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MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN
• From the 1800 to the 1819, the United States through a series of
Purchases and aggressions expanded dramatically.
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1803 Louisiana added 820,000 square miles
1819 Florida amassed another 58,664 sq miles.
1821 Mexico gained its independence from Spain
Euro-Americas Moved the U.S Border south west , this set the stage for the crossing of
borders and the re-capture of another 261,797 sq. miles.
• The US really had no reason to evaded Mexico.
• This invasion contributed to more bankruptcy for Mexico, dependency of
military leaders, that they wish would bring order.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVASION OF TEXAS
•To understand the background to the invasion of Mexico you must
understand the term “filibuster”
– according to the U.S.: the term is buccaneers, the pirates infesting the high seas
–According to Mexico: An adventurer who engages in a private military action in foreign
countries.
•Florida set the pattern for expansionist activities in Texas.
•Despite the hostility, the Mexican Gov. opened Texas to Euro-American
colonization.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVASION OF TEXAS:
(Broken Promises)
•The evidence shows that the early Euro-Americans settlers intendment to
obey Mexican laws just so as long as the laws didn’t interfere with their
property rights--- which meant their right to own slaves and reacted
negatively to Mexican attempts to in force its laws.
•Euro-American logic considered the native Mexicans to be intruders.
•Events in the US encouraged the arrogance of the Euro-American colonists
in Texas.
•Slavery gave North Americans a huge economic advantage, helping to create
a privileged class of plantation owners.
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BACKGROUND TO THE INVASION OF TEXAS
(Follow the Money: The Land Companies and Trade)
•United States-based land companies was strained when the US & Mexico by lobbying
Washington DC to intervene.
•The North Americans saw the separation of Texas from Mexico and eventual union
with the US as the most profitable political arrangement.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVASION OF TEXAS:
Wanna-Be Sam Adamses
•The dye was cast by 1830 and the Mexican Gov was taking measures to
tighten control of Texas and the response was harsh.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVASION OF TEXAS:
The Point of No Return
•In Mexico city, Austin pressed for lifting restrictions on Euro-American
immigration and for separate state-hood.
•October 2, 1833, Austin wrote to the San Antonio government, urging it to
declare Texas a separate state.
•July 13 1835, a general released Austin from prison.
•Sep. 19, 1835, Austin concluded, “War is our only recourse.
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THE INVASION OF TEXAS
•In the US, many opposed the war and saw the Texas revolution as a disgraceful affair
promoted by slaveholders and land speculators.
THE INVASION OF TEXAS
(The Pretext: Myths of the Alamo)
•Historical myths are often a combination of fiction and half truth, justifying
the actions of the actors in certain events.
•Many US historians have riddled the myths of the Alamo with dramatic halftruths, portraying those mission as selfless hero's who sacrificed their lives to
by more time for their comrades.
THE INVASION OF TEXAS:
(The Defense of the Mexican Homeland)
•Santa Anna led an army of about 6000 soldiers into Texas. (Really Mexicans was
defending their homeland which Texas was apart of).
•Those inside the Alamo were hardly legendary characters.
•William Travis told his men that they were doomed and drew a line in the sand with
his sword, saying that who ever crosses this line got to fight until the last.
•The Alamo had little strategic value, it was the best protected fort west of Mississippi,
and the men all wanted to help.
•As Mexicans took San Antonio on March 6, 1836, Travis was delayed by 4 hours
according to he Santa Anna’s timetable.
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THE INVASION OF TEXAS:
Mexicans Win the Battles but Lose the War
•After the Alamo and the defeat of another garrison at Goliad on 3-20-1836,
southwest of San Antonio, Mexican troops defeated James W. Fanin Troops
who surrendered to General Jose Urrea.
•Houston's men took few Mexican prisoners at the battle of San Jacinto.
Those who surrendered was killed.
•The Victory paved away for the Mexican American War.
THE INVASION OF MEXICO
•Another Myth is that the US won the war in a fair fight and
therefore has no culpability.
•The war with Mexico pushed he orders further south crossing
people, rivers, and other resources.
THE INVASION OF MEXICO:
The Manufactured War
•By 1845 war with Mexico over Texas and the Southwest was only a matter of
time.
•In Nov. 1845, Polk sent John Slidell on a secret mission to Mexico to
negotiate for disputed area.
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THE INVASION OF MEXICO:
An Unwarranted Aggression
•Gen Ulysses S Grant wrote to his fiancé that the Pres. Polk provoked the war
and that the annexation of Texas was, in fact, an act of aggression.
THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
Religious Justifications for War
•Euro American poet Walt Whitman alleged the greatness and superiority of
the American nation was based on the notion of American exceptionalism.
THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
History as Propaganda
•In 1850, Justin H. smith received the Pulitzer Prize in history for a work
blaming the war on Mexico
•Many Euro-Americans conveniently develop historical amnesia and forgot
that the US conducted a violent and brutal war against Mexico as well as the
Native Americans.
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THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
Peacemakers Expose the Violence of War
•The U.S. invasion and occupation left a legacy of bitterness and memory of
abuse in Mexico.
•The mistrust of the Euro American was also reinforced from the war.
•Lincoln question the U.S. role in the Mexican American war he believe their
purpose was to seize Texas, California, and many of other Southwest land
areas.
•James K. Polk had taken the nation into a war of aggression against Mexico
to support the slave states.
THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
The San Patricio Battalion
•The army captured soldiers and executed them also hanging civilians for
cooperating with the guerrillas.
•Irish immigrants and Euro Americans deserted to Mexico side which formed
the San Patricio Battalion.
THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
The War Crimes
Euro American’s document the reign of terror.
Samuel E. Chamberlain’s wrote My Confessions which is a record of Euro
Americans racism and destruction.
He also described a massacre by volunteers at a cave from Yell’s Cavalry.
Chamberlain also accused General Taylor of forcefully collecting one million
dollars from the Mexican people and letting loose on the Texas Rangers who
committed wanton acts of cruelty.
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THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
Mexicans on the Front Lines
•War was not limited to adult males Mexican women were also drawn in the
conflict.
Mexican army traveled with a large number of soldaderas, the female camp
followers, wives, daughters, or lovers who marched with the soldiers and
carried their packs.
At the Battle of Bracito in March of 1847 it is said Colonel Alexander W.
Doniphan's men observed Mexican women fighting beside the Male soldiers.
THE PRETEXT FOR CONQUEST:
The Prosecution of War
•The poorly equipped and led Mexican army had little chance against the
Euro Americans.
•Pres. Polk planned the campaign in stages: 1. Mexican s would be cleared out
of Texas 2. The U.S. would occupy California and New Mexico 3. U.S. forces
will march to Mexico city to force the beaten gov. to make peace on Polk’s
terms.
•The war netted the U.S. a huge gain in territory a half million of square miles
were lost from Mexico.
•The Mexicans had many disadvantages against the U.S. because they lacked
factories, money, a professional navy, and recruited over 20,000 men that was
not trained. Their only advantage was when they used the guerrilla
operations but which they did infrequently.
THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO
•Nicholas Trist was sent to Mexico as a peace commissioner the controversy
with Gen Scott delayed an armistice and hostilities continued.
•Secretary of State James Buchanan ordered Trist to break off negotiations
and return home.
•Pres. Polk wanted more land from Mexico and wanted to replace Trist with a
tougher negotiator.
•Trist and Gen Scott ignore Polk’s orders and began negotiations on January 2,
1848b on the original terms.
•Mexico badly beaten had no choice but to agree to the U.S. proposals.
•On May 19 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was ratified.
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THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO:
The Controversy
•During the Treaty talk Mexican negotiators expressed Mexicans living in lost
territory being force to blend and merge into Euro American culture and the
provisions that protected the Mexican citizen’s rights, lands titles and religion.
•Articles VIII, IX and X referred to the rights of Mexicans in which they had
one year to choose whether to return to Mexico or remain in occupied
Mexico, the enjoyment of all rights of citizens of the U.S. according to the
principles of the Constitution and would have special privileges derived from
their previous customs in language, law, an religion.
THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO:
The Deception
•The U.S. Senate deleted Articles X, Mexican officials protested.
•U.S. reassured them to draft a statement of protocol.
•Considering the Mexican opposition to the treaty they called it worthless in
the U.S. because Trist did not have the authority to sign the treaty.
•Polk clearly considered the treaty valid in his diary.
•The treaty depended on the good faith of the U.S. without the letter of
protocol was meaningless.
•The U.S violated nearly every one of their obligations discussed, confirming
the prophecy of Mexican diplomat Manuel Crescion Rejon who at the time
the treaty was sign.
THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO:
The Honorable Man
•When everything was over, Trist wrote in detail about his experience.
•Following the Texas and Mexican American wars and the US aggressions, the
occupation of conquered territory began.
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CONCLUSION
Explains the cause of the war between Mexico and North America. Eugene C.
Barker states that the immediate cause of the war was “the overthrow of the
nominal republic by Santa Anna and the substitution of centralized oligarchy”
which allegedly would have centralized Mexican control. Texas history is a
mixture of selected fact and generalized myth. The expansion and capitalist
development moved together. The two Mexican wars gave U.S. commerce,
industry, mining, agriculture, and stock rising. Americans found it rather more
difficult than other people to deal rationally with warfare. Many AngloAmerican historians attempted to dismiss it simply as a “bad war”, which took
place during the era of Manifest Destiny. Most studies on the war dwell on
the causes and results of the war, and dealing with war strategy. The attitude
of Mexicans toward Anglo-Americans was obviously influenced by the war
and vice-versa. In the end, by late 1847 the war was at an end, Scott’s defeat
of Santa Anna.
Main Source
• Rodolfo Acuña, Occupied America: A History of
Chicanos, Seventh Edition, Chapter 3: “Legacy
of Hate: The Conquest of New Mexico’s
Northwest.” New York: Pearson Longman,
2011.
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