AP US History AMSCO Guided Notes
5.3: Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War
AMSCO Guided Notes
AP US History Guided Notes
AMSCO 5.3 - Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War
Learning Objectives
- Explain the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War.
I. Conflict with Mexico
1. What were the two main issues that President Polk wanted John Slidell to resolve with Mexico?
2. Why did the Mexican government reject Slidell's mission and what border dispute remained unresolved?
II. Immediate Causes of the War
1. What incident on April 24, 1846, did President Polk use to justify requesting a war declaration from Congress?
2. How did Northern Whigs respond to Polk's war message and what was the outcome of their opposition?
III. Military Campaigns
1. What territories did General Stephen Kearney and John C. Frémont capture, and what was the Bear Flag Republic?
2. How did Zachary Taylor's military campaign differ from Winfield Scott's in terms of location and objectives?
3. What was the significance of the American capture of Mexico City in September 1847?
IV. Consequences of the War
A. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
1. What were the main territorial and financial terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
2. Why did some Whigs and Southern Democrats oppose the treaty despite their different reasons?
B. Wilmot Proviso
1. What did the Wilmot Proviso propose and what groups supported this amendment?
2. Why did the Wilmot Proviso pass in the House but fail in the Senate?
C. Prelude to Civil War
1. How did the acquisition of western territories from Mexico intensify sectional tensions between North and South?
2. Why did the Wilmot Proviso represent a significant escalation in the political conflict over slavery?
V. Historical Perspectives: Why Was Manifest Destiny Significant?
A. Traditional Perspectives
1. How did traditional historians characterize westward expansion and what aspects did they emphasize?
B. Attitudes about Race
1. How did the civil rights movement influence historians' interpretation of Manifest Destiny and westward expansion?
2. What argument do some historians make about racist motives for withdrawing troops from Mexico?
C. Diverse Contributions
1. What four topics have recent historians focused on regarding westward movement beyond Anglo pioneer achievements?
D. The Impact on Mexico
1. What long-term consequences do Mexican historians attribute to the loss of territory in the Mexican-American War?
E. Economics over Race
1. What economic motivations do some historians argue drove U.S. interest in acquiring California?
Key Terms
Mexican-American War
California
Nueces River
Rio Grande
Zachary Taylor
Stephen Kearney
John C. Frémont
Bear Flag Republic
Winfield Scott
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexican Cession
Wilmot Proviso