11.3 "War With Mexico" Quizizz Lesson

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War With Mexico

Chapter 11, Section 3

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🙢 Explain the importance of New Mexico

Territory and the Santa Fe Trail.

🙢 Describe California’s Spanish culture.

🙢 Discuss the causes and effects of the war with

Mexico.

Lesson Goals:

Looking Back, Looking Ahead: You read about the Texans’ brave
struggle for independence. This section will focus on the war with Mexico
over the California and New Mexico provinces.

What Areas Did New Mexico Include?

In the early 1800s, New Mexico was the name of a vast region
sandwiched between the Texas and California territories. It included
all of present-day New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, and parts of
Colorado and Utah.

Native American
peoples had lived in
the area for
thousands of years.
Spanish
conquistadors began
exploring the region
in the late 1500s and
made it part of
Spain’s colony of
Mexico.

In 1610 the Spanish founded the
settlement of Santa Fe. When
Mexico won its independence
from Spain in 1821, it inherited
the New Mexico province.

The Spanish had tried to keep Americans away
from Santa Fe, fearing that Americans would
want to take over the area. The Mexican
government changed this policy, welcoming
American traders into New Mexico. It hoped
that trade would boost the economy of the
province.

Dropdown

Mexico won its independence from Spain in ​

Select answer

.

Multiple Choice

Why had the Spanish tried to keep Americans away from Santa Fe?

• they feared that Americans would want to take over the area

• they feared the Mexican people would revolt

• they feared Santa Fe would be abandoned

• they feared Americans would leave

How Was the Santa Fe Trail Used?

William Becknell, the first American trader to reach Santa Fe, arrived in 1821 with a
pack of mules loaded with manufactured goods to exchange for furs. Other traders
followed Becknell, and the Santa Fe Trail became a busy trade route for hundreds of
wagons. Americans brought cloth and firearms, which they exchanged in Santa Fe for
silver, furs, and mules. The trail remained in use until the arrival of the railroad in
1880.

Drag and Drop

William Becknell was the first American trader to reach Santa Fe. He arrived in ​

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with a pack of mules loaded with manufactured goods to exchange for ​

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. Other traders followed Becknell, and the Santa Fe Trail became a busy trade route for hundreds of wagons. Americans brought cloth and ​

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, which they exchanged in Santa Fe for ​

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, furs, and mules. The trail remained in use until the arrival of the ​

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in 1880.​

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

1821

furs

firearms

silver

railroad

1820

steamboat

food

tools

gold

Multiple Choice

Why did Americans covet the Mexican possession of California?

• gold had been discovered there

• it would give Americans access to the Pacific Ocean

• it would give Americans access the Santa Fe Trail

• all of the above

California’s Spanish Culture

MAIN IDEA: California was settled and populated by diverse cultures.

Spanish explorers and missionaries from Mexico had been the first
Europeans to settle in California. Explorer Juan Bautista de Anza opened the
overland route from Mexico to California and established the first
settlement at San Francisco in 1776. Seven years earlier, Captain Gaspar de
Portolá and Father Junípero Serra began building a string of missions that
eventually extended from San Diego to Sonoma. These missions were
connected along a route known as El Camino Real, “the King’s Highway,”
named for the king of Spain who ordered the missions built.

The mission system was a key part of Spain’s plan to colonize California.

The Spanish used the missions to convert Native Americans to Christianity.

Multiple Select

Spain's mission system

• was part of its plan to colonize California

• was connected along a route known as El Camino Real

• was interconnected by railroads

• converted Native Americans to Christianity

California’s Spanish Culture

MAIN IDEA: California was settled and populated by diverse cultures.

By 1820 California had 21 missions, with about 20,000 Native Americans
living in them. In 1820 American mountain man Jedediah Smith visited
the San Gabriel Mission east of present-day Los Angeles. Smith reported
that the Native Americans farmed thousands of acres and worked at
weaving and other crafts. He described the missions as “large farming
and grazing establishments.” Another American in Smith’s party called
the Native Americans “slaves in every sense of the word.”

Multiple Choice

Jedediah Smith called the Native Americans on missions “slaves in every sense of the word.”

• true

• false

California After 1821

After Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821,
California became a state of Mexico. At the time only a few
hundred Spanish settlers lived in California, but emigrants
began arriving from Mexico. The wealthier settlers lived on
ranches devoted to raising cattle and horses.

Multiple Choice

When the Mexican government passed a law abolishing the Spanish missions, who did they give mission land to?

• the Mexican people

• Californians

• Native Americans

• gold miners

Dropdown

Mexican settlers built huge properties. These properties were called ​

Select answer

. The ranch owners were called ​

Select answer

Manifest Destiny and California

At first, the Mexican authorities
welcomed Americans in California.
In 1839 they granted land in the
Sacramento Valley to John Sutter, a
German immigrant. There Sutter
built a trading post that became one
of the first stopping points for
Americans reaching California.

In the 1840s, families began to arrive
in California to settle. They made the
long journey from Missouri on the
Oregon Trail and then turned south
after crossing the Rocky Mountains.
Still, by 1845 the American population
of California numbered only about
700. Most Americans lived in the
Sacramento River valley.

Reorder

Reorder the following

• Mexico wins its independence

• the Mexican government passed a law abolishing the Spanish missions

• John Sutter is granted land in the Sacramento Valley

• families began to arrive in California to settle

• the American population of California numbered only about 700.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Manifest Destiny and California

Some American travelers wrote glowing reports of California. John
C. Frémont, an army officer who made several trips through
California in the 1840s, wrote of the region’s mild climate, scenic
beauty, and abundance of natural resources.

Americans began to talk about adding California to the nation.
Shippers and manufacturers hoped to build ports on the Pacific
coast for trade with China and Japan. Many Americans saw the
advantage of extending United States territory to the Pacific. That
way, the nation would be safely bordered by the sea instead of by a
foreign power, namely Mexico.

President James Polk twice offered to buy
California and New Mexico from Mexico,
but Mexico refused. Soon, the United States
would take over both regions by force.

Multiple Select

Reasons why Americans wanted to add California to the nation:

• mild climate and abundance of natural resources

• ports on the Pacific coast for trade

• no foreign power as a western neighbor

• full access to the Northwest Passage

War With Mexico

MAIN IDEA: Strained relations between the United States and Mexico
resulted in war.

Like many
Americans, Polk
believed
California and
New Mexico
belonged to the
United States.

Their
possession
would
guarantee that
the United
States had clear
passage to the
Pacific Ocean.

Polk’s main reason,
though, involved

fulfilling the nation’s

Manifest Destiny.

President James K. Polk was
determined to get the
California and New Mexico
territories from Mexico.

Multiple Choice

What was the main reason President Polk was determined to get the California and New Mexico territories from Mexico.

• He believed those territories belonged to the U.S.

• He wanted Americans to have access to the Pacific Ocean.

• He wanted to fulfill the nation’s Manifest Destiny.

• He was insulted at Mexico's refusal to sell the territory.

War With Mexico

After Mexico refused to sell California and New Mexico, President Polk plotted to
pull the Mexican provinces into the Union through war. He wanted, however, to
provoke Mexico into taking military action first. This way Polk could justify the war
to Congress and the American people.

Relations between Mexico
and the United States had
been strained for some
years. When the United
States annexed Texas in
1845, the situation
worsened. Mexico, which
had never recognized the
independence of Texas,
charged that the
annexation was illegal.

Dropdown

The United States insisted that the ​

Select answer

formed the border between it and Mexico. On the other hand, Mexico claimed that the border lay along the ​

Select answer

River, 150 miles farther north.

Drag and Drop

President ​

Placeholder

ordered General Zachary Taylor to lead U.S. forces into the disputed area on the ​

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. To Mexican leaders, Taylor's action was an invasion of their country. On April 25, 1846, ​

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troops attacked Taylor's forces. President Polk told Congress that Mexico had “invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.” On May 13, ​

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passed a declaration of war against Mexico.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Polk

Rio Grande

Mexican

Congress

Nueces

American

the President

Tyler

​#1

​#2 & #3

What Was the Bear Flag Republic?

In June 1846, a small group of
Americans had seized the town of
Sonoma north of San Francisco and
proclaimed the independent Republic
of California. They called the new
country the Bear Flag Republic
because their flag showed a bear and
star on a white background. John C.
Frémont and mountain man Kit
Carson joined the Americans in
Sonoma.

Though unaware of the outbreak of war
with Mexico, Frémont declared he
would seize California. Frémont’s
actions outraged many Californios, the
Mexicans who lived in California. They
might have supported a revolt for local
control of government, but they
opposed what looked like an attempt
by a band of Americans to seize land.

Multiple Choice

What territory declared its independence and called itself the Bear Flag Republic?

• California

• New Mexico

• Texas

• Nevada

The Capture of Mexico City

On the way, the Americans battled Mexican soldiers
and armed citizens. By mid-September, Mexico City
had been taken, and the Mexican government
surrendered.

What Were the Terms of the

Peace Treaty?

Peace talks began in January 1848. A month later, the Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed.

✧ In the treaty, Mexico gave up all claims to Texas and

agreed to the Rio Grande as the border between Texas
and Mexico.

✧ Also, in what was called the Mexican Cession, Mexico

ceded— gave—California and New Mexico to the
United States.

✧ In return, the United States gave Mexico $15 million.

Multiple Choice

In what was called the Mexican Cession, Mexico ceded California and New Mexico to the United States. What term below best defines "ceded."

• sold

• gave

• overtook

• lost

11.3 Summary

Reviewing the Main Idea

❖ Americans established a busy trade route called

the Santa Fe Trail through a large region
governed by Mexico, called New Mexico.

❖ The cultures of Mexicans, Native Americans, and

white Americans intermingled in California.

❖ The United States continued to pursue annexing

California and the rest of the New Mexico region,
which eventually resulted in war between the
United States and Mexico.

Please use the preceding slides and/or pgs. 409 -413 of the textbook to answer the following questions.

​11.3

War with Mexico

Multiple Choice

At one time, Mexico was claimed by Spain.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Native Americans were well treated on Mexican ranchos.

• true

• false

Dropdown

Mexico believed that the ​

Select answer

formed the Texas-Mexico border.

Multiple Choice

Which American president was in office during the war with Mexico?

• Zachary Taylor

• Abraham Lincoln

• John Tyler

• James K. Polk

Multiple Choice

As part of the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico received half as much money as the United States had offered before the war began.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

The United States did not attain its goal of capturing Mexico City.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

What did President James K. Polk use as grounds for declaring war against Mexico?

• annexation of Texas by Mexico

• declaration of the border by Mexico

• a Mexican attack on American forces

• Mexico’s nonpayment of debts

Multiple Choice

What was the final step of President Polk’s plan to defeat Mexico?

• capture Mexico City

• declare California’s independence

• stop traffic along the Santa Fe Trail

• topple Santa Anna