Talk:Texas Revolution/Henderson
Henderson, Timothy J. (2008), A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and Its War with the United States, Macmillan, ISBN 1429922796
Chapter 1: abt 1821
[edit]p xviii
Mexico's first decade after becoming a nation was that country's "attempts to overcome the obstacles created by the many disparate regions, races, cultures, and classes that made up Mexico and to forge a common identity"
p 3
in 1821, US the "wold's oldest and most successful federal republic"
US and mexico about the same size with similar population
US much more wealthy
p 10
slavery was not a big deal to Mexico's economy after independence - perhaps 8k in the whole country in 1821 easy to wipe out the practice in Mexico
p 11
Mexico a country of much inequality and castes
Most of Mexican population in the tropical area in the center of the country - that's where the fertile land was
rest of country not as populated difficulty in reaching some areas over "harsh landscape"
people more loyal to their region than to the country after independence
p 15
"genuine nationalism" in the US, ,but not in Mexico
in Mexico, not much allegiance to the country's central govt religion the only shared link that pretty much everyone could count on
p 17
Mexico lacks navigable rivers desert and mountains made travel difficult not enough money to build many roads transportation very difficult
p 19
1808, Napoleon invaded Spain and had the Spanish king abdicate and Napoleon's brother Joseph put on the throne colonies had to choose between recognizing Joseph, trying for independence, or have a temporary govt and wait for Ferdinand Vii to b e restored to throne; Mexico chose to wait
Sep 16, 1810, father Miguel Hidalgo launched a rebellion against the provisional govt and got the lower classes - the Indians - to rise up
p 21
Spain did not recognize Mexico's independence until 1836
p 22
much provincial independence during the war for independence, and many of those provinces unhappy at being under a central govt and abdicating control
calls for federalism began early
Chapter 2: Things fall apart
[edit]p 23
from the beginning, "Mexicans had profound disagreements about the kind of government they wished to have and about what social group should wield power"
p 26
with bad roads, sending a letter from Mexico City to a city 300 mi away could take 3 weeks difficult for the central govt to coordinate regional autonomy increased during the end of the Spanish years and the civil war
Zacatecas wanted regional autonomy because they had a lot of silver mines and were doing well on their own
p 27
many federalists also embraced the idea of social equality, secular government, more individual freedoms
conservatives like the status quo - a small ruling elite, strong army, adherence to the church
p 29
a federalist revolt resulted in the Const of 1824 19 states and 4 territories territories administered by federal govt, states were independent and could have constitutions, legislatures, and militias (primarily for local security)
militias under control of state governor only
p 30
critics of federalism most afraid that Mexico would disintegrate
p 31
25% of Mexico's land was mostly unsettled, primarily in northern frontier regions
Russians wanted to get California (mostly only Indians there) east was the US, with an aggressive expansionist ideology - later known as Manifest Destiny
p 32
defenders of slavery thought that the northern Mexican lands were suited to slavery and were key to preserving slavery in the US - if US could acquire those lands, more slave state representation in US congress
p 33
LA purchase boundaries vague, Spain said LA ended at Natchitoches (Red River), US said it went to Rio Grande
p 34 Adams-Onis treaty of 1819, US pledged to renounce claim to Texas; Spain handed them Florida
many Americans really really mad Americans armed incursions into Texas since 1801
Long invaded in 1819 to try to claim it for US, but that didn't work
p 35
Mexicans knew their border regions were vulnerable knew they needed to populate the area to ward off other nations where to get the people? not that many in Mexico - less than 7 million to cover Oregon to Guatemala
those people didn't want to move to an area without settlements and with lots of hostile Indians
Mexican officials also though "Mexican character" unsuited to colonization
needed Americans, but past had shown that Americans migrated into West and East Florida and then the US took them from Spain
"the Americans were fairly open in viewing their migrants as the advance guard of empire"
p 36
Mexican authorities that Angloas were "unassimilable, subversive, and untrustworthy" but didn't see a lot of choices hopes that once the industrious Americans "tamed" Texas, citizens of other countries might be more willing to come, and there could be a balance
p 37
just over 2k inhabitants in Texas in 1821, at Goliad and Bexar
lots of poverty
40k Indians from about 31 tribes; many were nomads
p 38
empresarios would have to promise to bring at least 200 families to the frontier regions settlers should become Catholic govt would protect their property, freedom, civil rights
no taxes for settlers for 6 users, and imports were partially exampted from taxes
children of slaves would be freed at age 14, and slave trade banned
head of family got 4,438 acres for farming, and another 177 acres if going to raise livestock
for every 200 immigrants, empresarios got 66,774 acres of land
"a remarkably generous law, with land grants twice as large as Austin had initially asked for"
law took a long time to pass after Iturbide dissolved congress in Oct 1822 finally signed Jan 4, 1823
annulled when he was overthrown in March, but an almost identical law passed in Aug 1824 in its place
Austin's contract approved Apr 1824 and he went to Texas
p 39
Austin was the most successful og the empresarios
lots of Americans migrated illegally
Mexican officials increasingly worried about US intentions
US newspapers kept saying Texas should belong to the US
1824 US presidential campaign, the signing away of texas was a major political issue (Quincy Adams, who negotiated the treaty, was running for office)
p 40
US's first ambassador to Mexico, 1825, was Joel Roberts Poinsett
p 42
US argued that Mexico shoudl cede Texas - Mexico wouldn't have to fight the Indians, so they'd save a lot of money also, then there wouldn't be future issues with the US over shared river systems and it would make Mexico city be more central to the country
US wanted the boundary at the Rio Grande, and, if that didn't work, the Colorado or Brazos Rivers
Chapter 3: The Problem of Texas
[edit]p 49
for first few years after colonization law, Mexican federal authorities kind of ignored the northern provinces - too much going on in the interior
p 50
In 1823, probably already 3k squatters in Texas
British ambassador H.G. Ward (to Mexico) during 1820s tried to "inflame Mexican anxieties regarding U.S. intentions toward Texas"
Mexico had never ratified the Adams-Onis treaty
they liked the treaty, but no political will to do anything about it
Ward wanted govt to send a commission to figure out landmarks for the boundary between Texas and Louisiana, and to look at how the colonization efforts were going
p 51
Fredonian REvolt "seemed to confirm the Mexicans' darkest fears regarding the intentions of the Anglo-Americans toward Texas"
Us said they had nothing to do with it, but by the way, we'll be happy to pay you $1 million yo give us Tx to the Rio Grande
as a result of these two events, Mexico finally appropriated funds for a boundary commision, led by Gen Manuel de Mier y Teran - "one of the most capable and dedicated men in the Mexican army"
p 52
left MExico City Nov 10, 1827 -> "immense coach built from heavy wooden beams that were intricately carved and inlaid with silver"
also along: Jose Maria Sanchez (cartographer), Jean-Louis Berlandier (French botanist, zoologist)
mineralogist, georapher medical corpsman
intended to do scientific work and mark the boundary with US figure out how many troops needed and where report on current conditions treaties with local tribes
those 3 named all kept diaries of their trip
p 53
at this time, bexar had 1,425 inhabitant; surrounded by Comanche and Tahuacano Indians - not a lot of farming because of indian raids
the small garrison had few supplies
p 54
nomadic tribes uninterested in settling down and/or making peace with the Mexicans
around Nac were sedentary groups that traded with the tEjanos there included Cherokee, Kickapoo, Delaware, and Alabama
Teran thought the Cherokee were "the best of all the Indians", and that if they were granted title to their lands, they might become loyal Mexican citizens
Anglos mostly in the eatern part of the state
p 55
Teran thought that Austin's colony was made of people who mostly wanted to obey Mexican laws, and who were at least aware of them
teran thought other colonies and the squatters were more of a problem
Sanchez, on the other hand, thought Austin's colony was most dangerous, that Austin, by trying to act like Mexicans, was lulling them into a false sense of security; Sanchez sure that "the spark that will start the conflagration that will deprive us of Texas, will start from this colony"
Austin's colony traded almost exclusively with the US
p 56
2 ships per month made the 3-day voyage from NO to Texas ports at Galveston and Matagorda other ships arrived from NY and Philadelia
colonists sent cotton, livestock, furs, mules
overland trade between Natchitoches in La and the settlements
Texas bound more closely to the US in part because of economics (same was true of NM)
"economically, then, Mexico was practically irrelevant to the TExas colonies except" for collecting customs duties
"rather mild interventions into the texas economy" made the colonists really unhappy
Teran concerned at all the complaining
colonists said that Mexico City not helping them build a better economy
1828, US passed "Tariff of Abominations", high duties on European manufactured goods
p 57
tExans wanted to take advantage of this by marketing their cotton to European countries - a way for those countries to retaliate ageainst the US
wanted Mexico to continue waiving tariffs on machinery that was imported; if they could get cheaper supplies to build up the cotton industry, then they would be able to export more
also wanted new ports - with more ports, they could possibly trade with the rest of Mexico too
colonists also mad at being part of Coahuila
TX too poor and non populated to be its own state
1824 Const said Texans could have a state whenever they felt ready to do so
joint state unpopular because: a) Coahuila also poor, so couldn't help b) capital was 700 miles from the Anglo settlements in East Texas the court of final appeals was there too c) no provision for trial by jury
p 58
Texans had their own jury trials for criminal cases anyway, and issued the death penalty, which was banned in Mexican law
d) Texans said that Coahuila people did not understand what Texas needed for economics and defense
Texans convinced slavery was necessary to have a big agricultural economy
p 59
"in the end, General Teran and his colleagues came away with mixed impressions of the Texas colonists, their grudging admiration only adding to their apprehension"
the expedition was hard - ran short of food in the summer and didn't like the heat and the mosquitoes that were everywhere
at the Trinidad, they split up 3 went back to Bexar Teran and Sanchez went on to Nac
Teran was very ill, and almost couldn't stay on his horse
p 60
commission members saw loss of Texas "as practically a foregone conclusion"
Teran thought that the colonization laws were "folly" (per Teran) and that MExico would have been better off just leaving the area unoccupied
per Teran: "If it is bad for a nation to have vacant lands and wilderness, it is worse without a doubt to have settlers who cannot abide by some of its laws and the restrictions that [the nation] must place on commerce. They soon become discontent and thus prone to rebellion."
Teran believed the US would be: a) making a lot of statements to say they had a legitimate claim to Texas b) incite adventurers to go to Texas and become residents c) settlers become more querulous
and that's where theyw ere now
Teran said to do something NOW or lose Texas his recommendations were to a) increase military presence b) incentives for Mexicans to go to Texas
p 61
c) try to attract other Europeans, especially Catholics d) help the coastal trade so Texas would have economic ties with the rest of Mexic
while boundary commission at work, Mexico had 3 distinct governments - lots of turmoil
p 63
Spanish forces landed in Tampico with 2800 soldiers in Jul 1829
assumed that Mexican govt so unpopular that locals would fight with them or give them horses or artillery (which they didn't bring with them)
yellow fever killed a lot of the Spanish troops hurricane landed
Santa Anna and Teran defeated the Spanish force with only 900 men; Spanish surrendered Sep 11
Teran was named a Benemeritos de la Patria - highest honor the govt bestowed
this made it difficult to ifnore his warning about texas
p 64
Guerrero accused of not relinquishing the emergency powers he had gotten in the fight against Spain
emergency decree outlawing slavery (Texans got an exemption after a request)
he was overthrown in Dec 1829 on Christmas Day
p 65
continuing political turmoil in Mexico
hard to recruit for the army - mostly the army was poor Indians, criminals, and vagrants
soldiers often weren't paid and lacked for basic necessities"
lots of desertion, lack of discipline
p 66
conservatives saw the civic militias, which reported to state governors, as armed mobs and competition for the national army
Mexico's economy in shambles and difficult to collect taxes
by 1827 defaulted on loans from the British, so no one else willing to lend them money internationally
p 67
Bustamente replaced Guerrero - "an honest and decent man, but he was also notoriously indecisive, slow-witted, and lacking in strong political conviction"
state militias put under control of national army
p 68
this govt was the one that got Teran's report
Law of April 6, 1830 was the result - adopted almost all of Teran's recommendations
revenues on imports from cotton textiles to fund the military, per the law "to maintain the integrity of Mexican territory" commissioners sent from Mexico to form colonies of Mexicans in the northern frontier states
Convicts would be sent north to build roads, fortifications, public works
Mexican families would get free transportation to the new colonies
coastal trade free from customs duties for 4 years so that the northern states would trade more with Matamoros, Tampico and Veracruz
prohibition of importation of slaves
p 69 and no more American sttling in Texas incomplete empresario contracts suspended
Anglos outraged, even though no immediate impact
Coahuila y Tejas already had a law about no importation of slaves, and Texans had already been evading it - indentured servants
Mexico had no means to enforce the prohibition on US settlers coming to Mexico
Teran now Commandant General for the Eastern Interior Provinces (Tamaulipas and Coahuila y Tejas)
that means he was in charge of enforcing the laws
state governors were supposed to help in settling Mexicans in Texas
in 1829 Teran had planned a military expedition to texas to show the colonists they needed to obey
Minister of War told governors of Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Zacatecas and Durango to send soldiers to Matamoros to be under Teran
some were very slow about complying Zacatecas governor Francisco Garcia said absolutely not, fed govt had no authority to order troops from my state to serve in yours
p 70
Teran sent letters to governors asking them to gather families that might want to be relocated; familes would get land and financial assistance for 1 year
Most ignored him a few responded that it was unfair to ask them to send their families to strengthen other states
only 1 Mexican family actually went to Texas under this plan one person, a schoolteacher from Tula, asked for Mexican assistance to relocate and was turned down because there weren't any families going
by early 1831 Teran acknowledged that Mexicans couldn't be persuaded to go north
he tried other means - wanted the Cherokees to become farmers and become Catholic, learn Spanish and Mexican law Cherokees had small poulation and weren't really bought into this; Teran also believed the Indians would be more of a problem than the Anglos because they wouldn't be able to be fully civilized
Teran dismissed a proposal to settle 50k free blacks from Cuba in Texas
Mexican diplomats to Europe advertised for immigrants, but few Europeans wanted to go either...so still lots of Anglos
teran did make new forts at strategic locations and gave them patriotic names:
p 71 Tenochtitlan on the Brazos, Anahuac at Galveston Bay, Lipantitlan on the Nueces
"the fundamental problem in retaining Texas was economic"
US was very prosperous, and settlers from the US wanted to be prosperous too, so they had economic ties to US rather than Mexico
Teran considered putting legal impediments to US-Texas trade but realized this would provide a confrontation with the settlers, and he didn't have enough troops to quell it
friction of 1831 and 1832 around tariffs colonists liked duty-free importation of toold and supplies from the US and were really angry about the new regulations in 1830
customs collector George Fisher said all ships had to register at Anahuac
p 72
for those who docked at Brazoria, was a 100-mi overland trek to file papers
Austin wrote angrily to Teran who responded that every other nation collects duties but "only at Brazoria [are] they considered cause for violence"
Teran then decided to but a customs house at Brazoria
American ships just disregarded the customs houses
Anglos in Texas hated Juan Davis Bradburn, who led the Anahuac garrison
p 73
after Anahuac disturbnaces, obvious that this was futile soldiers and tax collectors abandoned their posts
at the same time, a revolt in central Mexico against Bustamante's govt started Mar 30; former president Vicente Guerrero executed in Feb 1831, rather than the normal sentence of sending rebels into exile
Jan 1832, Santa Anna led a revolt from Veracruz, and there was widespread civil war
Bustamante ousted end of 1832
Teran's hq at Padilla, Tamaulipas
Teran very upset at the continuing internal conflict - he was sure that the infighting would cost the country Texas
p 74
he killed himself with his own sword
Chapter 4: Santa Anna and the Texas Revolution
[edit]p 76
When SA revolted in Jan 1832, Teran remained loyal to Bustamante
"Teran was widely seen as the only man in Mexico who had the prestige and popularity to bridge the vast chasm between the factions: twelve of nineteen legislatures polled in 1832 favored him for the presidency"
when he committed suicide, really left open the SA
"The Texas colonists, for their part, seized upon General teran's exit to abandon caution, openly embracing Santa Anna's cause in the hope that his triumph would mean greater autonomy for the states."
p 77
Santa Anna the victor of elections in Mar 1833
p 84
"Santa Anna's sudden turn toward centralism was a key moment in paving the way for the US-Mexican War, for the Texas colonists would insist that it gave them just cause to rebel."
May 1835, Mexico's new congress insisted it was writing a new constitution, which became known as the Siete Leyes
a) extended president's term to 8 years b) eliminated office of vice president c) stengtherened peresident's power d) added new branch, the Supreme Conservative Power, with big powers, to mediate among the other 3 branches e) new property qualifications for voting and holding office - rural poor couldn't vote, and artisans, unemployed, domestic servants couldn't vote - that was 80% of urban population f) age limits - min age for town council was 25, for president was 40; life expectancy for poor was 27 years, ensuring they wouldn't be holding office
p 85
Texans mostly mad about the suppression of federalism
in the US at this time, newspapers advocating annexation of texas
7 Laws also: g) did away with state legislatures h) governors appointed by central govt i) pretty much no autonomy for states, now they were departments j) reduced size of state militias
Siete Leyes not adopted until end of 1836, but there general tone was known by mid-1835
p 88
Dec 1833, Congress aproved repeal of article 11 of the Laws of April 6, 1830 Coahuila legistlature gave Texas 2 more representatives to congress and created new municipalities and departments
Coahuila legislature passed laws making English an official language for legal documents and that no harrassment for alternative religious views established a circuit court in Texas and approved trial by jury
"It was reasonable to suppose that Texas statehood was in the offing"
p 89
SFA arrested in Jan 1834 in saltillo never indicted, because no one could agree on who had jurisdiction over him
prisoner in 16x13 ft cell for months overall jailed for almost 18 months
early 1834, Gomez Farias govt sent a fact-finding mission to Coahuila y Texas Col Jose Maria Noriega travelled to Saltillo to review all land trasactions, reopen Texas customs houses, and identify troublemakers
Col Juan Nepomuceno Almonte sent to Texas to tell the settlers that Mexican govt was there to help them, and at the same time figure out their loyalty, how many there were, what arms were available, and to negotiate with Indians
p 90
Almonte also to tell the slaves that they were free and eligible for land grants in Texas to form their own colonies
Almonte said texas was quiet and inhabitants content
not so much in Coahuila - Noriega had to leave quickly, afraid for his life. Coahuila's federalists were more active than those in Texas
coahuila refused to dissolve volunteer militia when Cos told them too and tried to sell lands in Texas to raise more troops - outrage in Texas made Texans not trust those in Coahuila
p 91
recent arrivals to Texas wanted independence or annexation by US
Austin returned in Sep 1835
centralism popular in more central states
Zacatecas had the largest civil militia in Mexico; and their governor Francisco Garcia was most progressive gov of the time
rebelled in Sep 1835; Santa Anna led troops personally and in 2 hours crushed the forces and then 2 days of looting
the cruelties alarmed federalists
p 92
Austin after he got home wrote "I am tired of this government. They are always in revolution and I believe always will be."
"Santa Anna was determined to make an example of the Texans"
p 93
army in disarray after rebellions of 1832 and 1833
Santa Anna mortgaged his own properties to partially fund the expedition
soldiers didn't' have adequate footwear for the long march
lack of water - no rain in December no grass for horses in the desert
Santa Anna assumed Indians in texas would side with MExicans, but they stayed pretty neutral
attacked Mex army south of the Rio Grande in raids and carried off a lot of the supplies
p 94
Mexicans were at least 600 mi from home
p 97
Santa Anna sent back word of the victories at the Alamo and Goliad
Pro-SA newspapers sad he was better than Napoleon and Alexander the Great and suggested he become supreme dictator
the news of the same in the US not good
p 98
SA believed Alamo ended the war
the Treaty of Velasco said the Rio Grande would be the new republic's southern boundary
p 99
Texas always bordered by Nueces
the area between the two rivers was "arid, nearly worthless, impoverished, sparsely inhabited tract of land"
treaties signed May 14, 1836
"For generations, the most widely accepted view in the United States has held that this was a revolution against tyranny and oppression, waged by a people who found themselves culturally and politically incompatible with their rulers. A variation on this theme holds that the Texans simply lost patience with the factionalism and chronic upheavals of Mexican politics. Neither of these explanations is entirely convincing."
their definition of tyranny was pretty broad and included attempts to collect tariffs and attempts to eradicate slavery, impose common judicial system, and control immigration
"By any reckoning, the Texans were Mexico's most privileged citizens" - Mexico gave in to all of their demands except being a separate state
p 100
most of those who wanted rebellion in Texas arrived after 1830, and most were illegal immigrants
"no state agitated more forcefully for its right to ignore the dictates of the central government than Texas"
"the government of the independent republic of Texas, which would prove every bit as unstable and riven by faction as those of Mexico"
revocation of states' rights was unpopular with the almost all of the peripheral states and several rebellions, but only successful in Texas
other rebellions in New Mexico, Sonoroa, and California with difft result
p 101
primarily because Anglos only marginal in those rebellions
"it was Santa Anna's cruelty and military ineptitude that hastened the loss of Texas. That loss would become, in the minds of many Mexican leaders, a festering wound, an affront to the national honor that had to be avenged at any cost"
Chapter 5: The Elusive Reconquest
[edit]p 102
When SA came back to power, he commissioned a statue of himself that pointed northward toward Texas
"Politicians decreed that the loss of Texas was a blight upon the nation's honor and that recapturing that province was the primary national imperative."
Blamed the loss on the US and not on MExico's weaknesses
p 103
"The loss of Texas added still more poison to the already toxic brew that was Mexican politics"
spring 1835, many poems and songs to SA's honor - he was the nation's savior
May they got news of the defeat
all flags lowered to half-staff and military standards draped in mourning
p 113
Bustamante elected president in Apr 1836 to 8-year term
as soon as he got in office, his first act to revoked all legislation decreed by SA and disavowed the treaties he had signed
SA denounced as traitor
SA said he signed his treaties with his name, not in name of Mexico
while SA captive, US congress debated recognition of Texas
Houston's idea to send SA to WAshington to assure Jackson Mexico would not reinvade Texas
Nov, SA sent overland to Washington
p 114
SA met with Jackson and set home via ship; arrived Veracruz Feb 1837
loss of Texas a loss of real estate and honor
people became convinced that there was a US conspiracy against Mexico, and this loss was part of it
"Heated denunciations of the Americans became standard fare in Mexican political discourse, and the need to avenge this hideous injustice became a national imperative"
1837, treasury had a deficit of 18 million pesos per year, and no collateral left for loans
no one anxious to finance the retaking of texas
p 115
"emergency" taxes on the rich made wealthy threaten rebellion
federalists blamed the humiliation on the centralists Federalists rebelled again in other parts of the country, more resources needed to defeat them too
riots in Mexico city in 1838 to return to the 1824 Const
p 116
france invaded Mexico in 1838 - the Pastry War Santa Anna assembled an army and was wounded in battle - his leg amputated
a hero again
p 117
more coup attempts
p 118
SA elected president again in 1842
p 119
population of Texas almost doubled from 1836 to 1840, but still sparsely populated - 55k non-Indians over 250k sq miles
p 120
8k slaves included in that number
first president was Sam Houston Texas treasury had $500 only, with a debt of $1.25 million
the US was in a financial panic; lands in US were cheap because of that, so not as much interest in buying public lands from Texas
TX couldn't get loans
British finallyl recognized Texas in Nov 1840 - abolitionists didn't want them too; others who held Mexican bonds afraid the MExicans would stop paying if they did
french govt refused to back Texas loans because unsure if Texas would maintain sovereignity
p 121
by the time they were annexed, Rep of Tx debt almost 1 billion
Texans, with notable exception of Austin, had assumed US would annex them immediately after independence
Andrew Jackson, who had always wanted to acquire Texas, said the Revolution was "'rash and premature'"
didn't want to have war with Mexico
March 1837 US finally recognized Rep of Tx; annexation placed on hold
Tx officially requested annexition in Aug 1837 and was turned down 1838 Tx voted to withdraw the petition
p 122
Tx attempted diplomatic talks with Mexico to get them to recognize independence Tx insisted on an unconditional recognition of independence and that Rio Grande, not Nueces, be the boundary
Mexican politicians overwhelmingly thought this was political suicide - Nueces River was boundary; fron Nueces to Rio Grande would be a buffer with US
many Texans (including now VP David Burnet) didn't want peace with Mexico either, they wanted more territory
p 123
on May 1839 Texans discovered that Mexico had sent someone to create an anti-Texas alliance with the Cherokee; Lamar ordered war with that tribe, so they weren't much of a threat
British tried to help Mexico recognize Texas independence, but they said no
Mexico actually considered a law in Dec 1839 to charge anyone who spoke favorably about Texas with treason
lots of rebellions in Mexico under Bustamante and SA (2nd time for each)
p 124
1839 northern states of Mexico declared an independent Republic of the Rio Grande
TX was officially neutral but had commercial relations with them
Texans in 1841 sent Santa Fe expedition - hope to incite the people of New Mexico to rebel against Mexico; Texans captured and imprisoned
p 125
Mar 1842, 1400 Mex troops took San Antonio, Goliad, and Refugio, but then withdrew a few days later
Houston vetoed a congressional bill to declare war on Mexico and was threatened with assassination
Sep 1842, Mexicans took San antonio again, but Tx troops forced them to retreat
p 126
skirmishes with the US over the northern border
p 127
Jun 1843, Houston declared unilateral armistice with Mexico; SA ordered the same
England and France both working to try to propose peace between the two wanted Texas independent to stop further US expansion
but then new leaders in Tx, Mexico, and US at about the same time
p 129
Aug 1843, Mexico's foreign minister told US if they annexed Texas, Mexico would consider that enough to declare war
p 177
the Mexican Cession at end of Mexican-American War covered 525,000 sq miles, almost 55% of Mexico's territory
p 179 in Mexican-American War, about 13,780 US soldiers died, the vast majority from disease Mexicans lost 25-50k
p 181
"The lands acquired from Mexico, then, sharpened the sectional divide and contributed greatly to the tensions that sparked the U.S. Civil War"
p 184
the first time Mexico had a president who completed a full term in office and gave power to legally elected successor was in 1851 when Jose Joaquin de Herrera left office
Chapter 6: The Annexation Crisis
[edit]p 133
Texas annexation was a divisive idea in US
"The political crisis it [the annexation of Texas] provoked within the United States became an import cause of the Civil War"
annexation provoked more political crises in Mexico and several European nations attempted to intervene
p 134
critics of annexation thought it was just a way to add more slave states and increase their power in congress
p 137
over time, more Americans liked the idea of annexing Texas Senate rejected Tyler's treaty of annexation in Jun 1844, thinking it would upset the balance of power between N and S and lead to war with Mexico
p 138
this was 6 months before the presidential election, and there was a Whig - Henry Clay - opposed to annexation and James K Polk, a Democrat who supported it
claimed that Texas had been part of the LA Purchase and bargained away
p 139
politically trickery finally got Congress to approve the treaty
Mar 3, last day in office, Tyler offered Texas immediate annexation; Polk endorsed it the next day
Rio Grande the boundary and no negotiations
p 140
England wanted Texas independent and prosperous - a check to US growth
also England wnated a cheap source of cotton for British factories and a market for their good
slavery was also a factor
p 143
in Nov 1844, SA in negotiations with French and British agreed to recognize independent TExas in exchange for money from the US and Britain and France to help Mexico defend a boundary...but SA's govt overthrown a week later, so nothing came of it; French and British not so sure about committing troops either
p 144
The Texas menace used by Mexicans to make the army the biggest budget priority for a decade
p 146
when Texas annexation went through, Almonte was ambassador US, and he severed diplomatic relations and went home to prepare for war
many Texans offended by long delay in getting annexation through
May 19, 1845, Mexico agreed to recognize Texas independence if they weren't annexed to the US; boundaries to be decided later
p 147
Jones called a convention, which met July 4 at Austin 55-1 to go for annexation over independence
feb 19, 1846, Rep of Tx no more
p 148
by mid-July, American forces camped at Corpus Christi, just south of the Nueces in the disputed areas