Battle of Palo Alto 1846
The Battle of Palo Alto took place near Brownsville, Texas Read more about the Battle of Palo Alto 1846 >>
Battle of San Jacinto 1836
Texans didn't want to be ruled by Mexico. Most of the Texans were white settlers from USA Read more about the Battle of San Jacinto 1836 >>
Battle of the Alamo 1836
Alamo was the name of the fort in San Antonio Texas, built by Spanish soldiers Read more about the Battle of the Alamo 1836 >>
Sam Houston March 2, 1793
Sam Houston was one of the most important leaders of Texas at the time when Texas revolted against Mexican rule Read more about the Sam Houston March 2, 1793 >>
Texas Independence 1836
The Battle of the Alamo was one of the most famous events of the Texas Revolution Read more about the Texas Independence 1836 >>
Texas Joins USA – 1845
Until the 1820s, the whole of Mexico including Texas which was then a part of Mexico Read more about the Texas Joins USA – 1845 >>
Texas Revolution
The Texan army included famous fighters such as James Bowie Read more about the Texas Revolution >>
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2 1848 Read more about the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo >>
U.S. Captures Mexico City 1847
American forces started their attack on Mexico City on September 8, 1847 Read more about the U.S. Captures Mexico City 1847 >>
The Mexican American War was also known to Americans as the Mexican War, it was caused by the United States force’s annexation of Texas in the year 1845.
The Mexican government claimed that the territories of Texas ended at the Nueces River, but the Americans claimed that the territory ended at the Rio Grande.
These differences of opinion caused a war which was basically a territorial dispute.
The American forces would eventually acquire more than 500,000 square miles of what time was considered Mexican territory
Beginning of the Mexican American War
The Mexican American War began on April 25, 1846. The American government sent an army under General Zachary Taylor to reach the Texan border and stop any Mexican army from crossing the Rio Grande River.
Mexico responded by sending its own army which crossed the Rio Grande River and attacked the American fortifications.
This led to the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, both of them the earliest proper battles in the war.
The Mexican army was defeated in both wars and was forced to retreat beyond the Rio Grande River, back into the Mexican territory.
American forces enter Mexico
After defeating the Mexican army on this side of the border, the American army crossed the Rio Grande River and entered Mexico. Its purpose was to force the Mexican government to accept Texan independence and to agree to the Rio Grande River as the official border.
The Mexican government, on the other hand, braced for a defensive war and said that the American forces were encroaching on Mexican territories. So the Mexican-American war continued, now taking place inside Mexico.
A number of battles were fought and the Mexican army lost most of them, eventually also losing control of many important cities. These include Monterrey and the capital of Mexico, Mexico City.
Negotiations for Peace
After losing most of the battles during the Mexican-American war and finally losing control of Mexico City in 1847, Mexico realized that it could not possibly win the war. The American government also wanted to end this military conflict which had gone on for long enough.
So both sides decided to negotiate for peace. These negotiations finally resulted in a peace treaty signed by both sides in February 1848. This was called the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty was ratified in May 1848, effectively bringing the war to an end.
Aftermath
Mexico was forced to recognize the Rio Grande River as the official border between U.S.A and Mexico. Mexico also gave up a huge portion of its northern territories which include modern-day states of New Mexico, Utah, California, Arizona, and Colorado as well as parts of Wyoming and Kansas.
In return, the U.S. government paid $15 million for the acquisition of these territories. Following the conclusion of peace, the American army returned to the U.S. territories, handing back the control of the conquered land to the Mexican government.
Mexican American War 1846 Questions
What Caused the Mexican American War?
The war was caused by the Mexican army entering into what was considered American territory. The American army had to stop this and prevent the Mexican army from crossing the Rio Grande River.
Who won the Mexican American War?
The American Army defeated the Mexican army in the American Mexican War of 1846 forcing the Mexican army from American Territories (Rio Grande River) and forcing them back into Mexico.
When was the Mexican American War?
The Mexican American War took place in the year 1846 on April the 25th.
Mexican-American War’s statistics
The Mexican American War lasted from 1846 to 1848.
The war started when America decided to expand its territories in Texas -Texas was a disputed territory at that time.
Beyond these disputed territories American forces also occupied Santa Fe de Nuevo México along the Rio Grande.
The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and recognized Mexican areas that had been conquered by the American army.