Root of the conflict:
- The conflict between the United States and Mexico stemmed from a dispute over the southern border of Texas.
- The U.S. claimed the Rio Grande as the border, while Mexico claimed the Nueces River farther north.
- The disagreements were based on agreements made at the end of the Texas war for independence in 1836.
Texans' actions:
- Texas came to exist through a series of events involving American settlers and the Mexican government.
- American settlers began migrating to the Mexican territory of Texas in the early 1820s under a Mexican colonization policy.
- As the number of American settlers grew, tensions arose between them and the Mexican government due to cultural differences and conflicting political views.
- In 1835, Texians (American settlers in Texas) rebelled against Mexican rule and established the Republic of Texas.
Differences between Texan and Mexican perspectives:
- Texians saw themselves as defenders of liberty and believed that they had the right to self-governance.
- Mexicans saw the Texian rebellion as an act of treason and considered Texas as part of their territory.
Beginnings of the conflict:
- In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico, which the Mexican government did not recognize.
- The United States recognized Texas as an independent nation in 1837, but Mexico refused to accept this.
Course of the war and its results:
- In 1845, the United States annexed Texas as a state, which further strained relations between the two nations.
- As a result, Mexico broke diplomatic relations with the U.S.
- In April 1846, a skirmish occurred between American and Mexican troops along the Rio Grande, leading to the outbreak of war.
- The war lasted for two years and resulted in U.S. military victories and the occupation of Mexico City.
- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848, ending the war and resulting in Mexico ceding vast territories to the United States, including California, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.