A1 Business and Technical College Chapter 11 Mexican American War Essay Analyze the Mexican American war via chapter readings and documents Identify the op

A1 Business and Technical College Chapter 11 Mexican American War Essay Analyze the Mexican American war via chapter readings and documents
Identify the opinions about the war and causes that led to war
Respond to the Discussion 4 questions.
Read this week’s chapter readings, focusing on Ch. 11
Read the Week 6 documents: Mexican American War Views & Treaty article
Write a 250-word or more document that answers the discussion questions.

Discussion 4 Questions:

According to the readings what were the primary causes of the war?
How did Frederick Douglass and James Buchanan view the war?
Include direct quotes from Douglass and Buchanan.
Why is the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo still “relevant today”?

link to textbook [ Chapter 11 ]: https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/11-int… 6 – MEXICAN/AMERICAN WAR
The Mexican-American War is Just
By James Buchanan
Date: 1847
Explanation of the Source: Secretary of State—and future president—James Buchanan (a Democrat) was among the
most enthusiastic supporters of the Mexican-American War. In this December 1847 letter, he
explains the Polk administration’s position on the war. Several of his bold assertions—
particularly his insistence that the war was not being waged for conquest—would have been
difficult for even the staunchest advocates of the war to swallow.
“Heaven has smiled upon the just cause; and the character of our country has been
illustrated by a rapid succession of brilliant and astonishing victories. The exploits of our army
have elevated our National character, and shed a lustre upon our name throughout the civilized
world…
The war has not been prosecuted for conquest. At every stage in its progress, we have
been willing to conclude a just and honorable peace.
Indeed, we can never wage a war for conquest in the
popular sense of that term. Our free institutions forbid
that we should subject nations to our arbitrary sway. If
they come within our power, we must bestow upon them
the same blessings of liberty and law, which we
ourselves enjoy. Should they be annexed to the Union …
they must participate in the freest and best Government
upon earth—on equal terms with ourselves.
The Capital of Mexico is now the Head-Quarters
of our conquering Army, and yet such is the genius of
our free institutions, that, for the first time, its peaceful and well-disposed citizens enjoy
security in their private rights, and the advantage of a just and firm Government. From all that
can be learned, they appreciate our protection at its proper value; and dread nothing so much as
the withdrawal of our army. They know this would be the signal for renewed and fierce
dissensions among their military leaders, in which the Mexican people would become the
victims. In this wretched condition of affairs, justice to them and to ourselves may require that
we should protect them in establishing, upon a permanent basis, a Republican Government, able
and willing to conclude and maintain an equitable Treaty of Peace with the United States. After
every effort to obtain such a treaty, should we finally fail in accomplishing the object, and
should the military factions in Mexico still persist in waging upon us a fruitless war, then we
must fulfill the destiny which Providence may have in store for both countries.”
6 – MEXICAN/AMERICAN WAR
The Mexican-American War is Wrong
By: Frederick Douglass
Date: 1846
Explanation of the Source: Like all opponents of slavery, Frederick Douglass opposed the Mexican-American War, seeing it
as little more than a scheme to extend the institution. In this letter written while he was touring
England, Douglass explains his views.
“MY DEAR FRIENDS…I confess I feel sad, and sick at heart, by the present posture of
political affairs in the United States. The spirit of Slavery reigns triumphant throughout all the
land. Every step in the onward march of political events is marked with blood—innocent blood;
shed, too, in the cause of Slavery. The war with Mexico rages; the green earth is drenched with
warm blood, oozing out from human hearts; the air is darkened with smoke; the heavens are
shaken by the terrible roar of the cannon; the groans
and cries of the wounded and dying disturb the ear of
God. Yet how few in that land care one farthing for it,
or will move one inch to arrest and remove the cause
of this horrible state of things? I am sad; I am sick; the
whole land is cursed, if not given over to destruction.
Massachusetts, the brightest of every other State, is
now but the tool of Texas. Texas may be said to give
laws to the whole Union. She leads the way in plunder
and murder; and Massachusetts, with all New England,
follow in the crusade like hungry sharks in the bloody
wake of a Brazilian slaveship. What a spectacle for men and angels! Gov. Briggs issuing his
order to send the sons of those who fell in the cause of freedom on Bunker Hill, to fight the
battle of Slavery in Mexico! Gov. Briggs, the teetotaller! Gov. Briggs, the Baptist! Issuing his
order to raise troops in Massachusetts, to establish with fire and sword the man-blasting and
soul-damning system of Slavery! Who would have thought it? And yet it was to be expected.
The deed was done long ago. The foundation of this frowning monument of infamy was laid
when the States were first declared the United States. This is but another link around your necks
of the galling chain which your fathers placed about the heels of my race. It is the legitimate
fruit of compromise—of attempting a union of Freedom with Slavery. All was lost in that sad
moment. The American Anti-Slavery Society has the right on this question. Her ground is the
true one. I believe that the salvation of the country depends, under God, upon the effort of that
society. The Union must be dissolved, or New England is lost and swallowed up by the slavepower of the country….”
6 – MEXICAN/AMERICAN WAR
Results of the Mexican-War
Explanation of the Source:
The political cartoon below deals with the Mexican-American War. It shows what
happened to the Mexican nation after the war. The ‘Mexican Flag’ Eagle is
represented below to show what happened to Mexico with the Treaty of GuadalupeHidalgo.
Diálogo
Volume 3
Number 1
Article 6
1998
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Still Relevant Today
Roberto Rodríguez
Patrisia Gonzales
Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo
Part of the Latin American Languages and Societies Commons
Recommended Citation
Rodríguez, Roberto and Gonzales, Patrisia (1998) “The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Still Relevant Today,”
Diálogo: Vol. 3 : No. 1 , Article 6.
Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo/vol3/iss1/6
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Latino Research at Via Sapientiae. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Diálogo by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please
contact digitalservices@depaul.edu.
T h e
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By Roberto Rodriguez a n d
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© 1996 Chronicle Features
rupt dictator, simply formalized the theft of half of Mexico’s
territory – a violation of international law. (As a result of the
war, Mexico lost land that now makes up the Southwestern
United States).
While many Mexican Americans view the treaty in this
context, it did guarantee Mexicans and their descendants
who remained in the ceded territories certain political rights,
including land rights. But by the end of the century, most
Mexicans had lost their land,
either through force or fraud.
d e r s ta n d in g
During the early Chicano
movement
in the 1960s, New
e v e r , is n o t
Mexico land rights crusader
pertains to people of Mexican
s o m u c h w h a t ‘s in it, b u t
Reyes Lopez Tijerina and his
origin residing in the United
Alianza
movement invoked the
r a t h e r , w h a t i s n ‘t in it,”
States.
Treaty of Guadalupe in their
Many of us were raised with
struggle. In 1972, the Brown
the idea that the war against
Berets
youth
organization
also
invoked it in their symbolic
Mexico was simply a pretext for stealing its territory, and the
takeover of Catalina Island, off the Southern California
treaty, negotiated under military duress and signed by a corcoast.
Photo: Mural on Puerto Rican Cultural Center; Chicago
F
rom 1996 to 1998 marked the 150th anniversary of
the Mexican-American War. The most important
individual anniversary was the signing of the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo, which took place on February 2, 1848,
and which formally ended the two-year conflict between the
United States and Mexico.
While some people (and many U.S. courts) see the
treaty as dead, others see it as
the basic document that governs
relations between both coun­
“T h e k e y to u n
tries. Still others see it as a living
th e tr e a ty , h o w
human rights document that
COURTESY: MARIXA AUCEA
Three Heroes of Resistance, Chicago
For more than 15 years, many Chicano indigenous
groups have cited the treaty in their struggle for the human
rights of Chicanos in international forums, such as the U .N
They maintain, however, that the Mexican and indigenous
peoples living in what is today the Southwest U.S. were not
signatories. Native American peoples have also referred to it
in their legal disputes.
Despite the fact that “It’s not our treaty,” says Rocky
Rodriguez, national director of the Denver-based National
Chicano Human Rights Council, Chicanos in the United
States today are also covered by it.
However, when it comes to fighting for human rights
cases, especially those of land theft and law enforcement
abuse, seeking relief through U.S. courts is basically of no
use to Chicanos, says Rodriguez. People of Chicano/Mexican origin rarely win when they use or encounter the judi­
cial system, she says.
Richard Griswold del Castillo, a San Diego State Uni­
versity history professor, considers the treaty a living docu­
ment, and studies the subject in his recent book, The Treaty
of Guadalupe: A Legacy of Conflict. Upon examining the doc­
ument and its 23 articles negotiated by both countries, the
most startling thing that stands out is that article 10 is miss­
ing. That article, which was deleted by the U.S. Senate upon
ratification, explicitly protected the land rights of Mexicans.
Additionally, article 9, which deals with citizenship rights,
was weakened.
The key to understanding the treaty, however, is not so
much what’s in it, but rather, what isn’t in it.
According to precedents set by U.S./Indian treaties,
people do not automatically lose their rights when they lose
a war. People possess inherent and universal human rights
and when treaties are negotiated, the people involved can
lose only the rights specifically agreed upon.
In American Indians, American Justice, by Vine Deloria
lished, is a strong believer in the work of the council. He
and Clifford M. Lytle, the authors state that courts, in rec­
believes a test case is on the horizon, seeking redress on
ognizing the past exploitation and the use of force against
behalf of Chicanos, based on Guadalupe Hidalgo.
American Indians, developed a set of judicial rules in dealing
We too predict that a test case—with legal merit—will
with disputes. In effect, they are guiding principles when
soon arise on the issue of either language rights or land
dealing with U.S./Indian treaties. According to the authors,
grants, based on the treaty and predicated on the fact that
one of the rules states: “Treaties reserve to Indians all rights
Mexicans (or their descendants) living in the ceded territo­
that have not been granted away.”
ries did not lose their universal
This is known as the “reserved
rights as a result of the war.
rights doctrine.”
Reflecting over the Unit­
“.w h e n t r e a t i e s a r e
It thus follows that Mexicans
ed State’s history of violated
n e g o tia te d , th e p e o p le
in the U.S. did not lose their
treaties, Rodriguez says, “Indian
rights, unless that was stipulated
prophecies predicted trickery in
in v o lv e d c a n lo s e o n ly th e
in the treaty. And of course, no
the north [America] and brute
such stipulation was made. Also,
force in the south. Here [in the
r ig h ts s p e c ific a lly
these same rules call on judges to
Southwest U.S.], both have been
interpret treaties in the manner
a g r e e d u p o n .”
used.”
?
that reasonable people would
interpret them. And it can be assumed that reasonable peo­
Latino Spectrum is a nationally syndicated column, distributed
ple don’t “give away” their lands or rights in treaties.
by Chronicle Features. Rodriguez/Gonzales can be reached at
Armando Rendon, author of Chicano Manifesto, a 1971
xxxroberto@aol.com. (Published in LatinoLink.com)
book that’s also about the treaty and which is being repub­
udlpT i m e l i n e
rayofG
theT
1842
Sam Houston raises 1,200
men to oppose Mexican
raiders attacking Anglo
settlements in territory
claimed by Texas.
Juan Seguin is elected Mayor
of San Antonio, Texas, but is
soon forced to flee to Mexico
as Anglo vigilantes attack
Mexican Texans.
1846
The United States supports
Texan border claims and tries
to buy New Mexico and Cali­
fornia from Mexico. Angered
by Mexico’s rejection of the
offer, President James K. Polk
orders General Zachary Tay­
lor to cross into the disputed
territory and blockade the
mouth of the Rio Grande.
o f
E v e n ts
l e a d i n g
Mexican troops retaliate, and
President Polk declares war.
1847
U.S. forces under General
Winfield Scott enter Mexico
City; peace negotiations with
Mexico begin.
1848
The Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo ends the U.S. Mexi­
can War; Mexico cedes terri­
tory in the Southwest to the
United States for
$ 15 million and a promise
from the U.S. government to
assume any debts owed to
U.S. citizens by Mexico. The
treaty promises to respect the
cultural and property rights of
Mexicans living in the territo­
ry and to allow them to
become U.S. citizens.
t o
a n d
1851
Congress passes the Califor­
nia Land Act to resolve prop­
erty disputes between Mexi­
can Americans and Anglos.
185 3
General Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna returns to power
as president of Mexico and
signs the Gadsden Purchase
Treaty, ceding land in what is
now southern Arizona and
New Mexico to the United
States for $10 million.
1855
Laws are enacted in Califor­
nia to prohibit many cultural
pastimes of the Mexican
American population, such as
bullfighting.
The Supreme Court rules that
f o l l o w
i n g
the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo does not apply to
Texas.
1857
Anglo businessmen try to
push Mexican teamsters out
of south Texas, violating the
guarantees of the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo.
1858
Miners and settlers move into
Colorado in search of silver;
forcing more Mexican Ameri­
cans from their land.

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