War and Riches
Read: Reading Guide
1. Which Democrat was elected president in 1844 and had his eyes set on territorial expansion?
James K. Polk
2. In 1844, what country owned present-day California, Nevada, and Utah; and parts of present-day Colorado,
Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming?
Mexico
3. Sequence the events in the order in which they took place. (Write the number of each event in the correct
square.)
1. Mexican troops cross the Rio
Grande and engage U.S.
forces.
2. Polk orders U.S. soldiers to
cross the Nueces River to
guard against a possible
attack from Mexico.
3. Polk requests a declaration of war from the U.S. Congress.
4. Polk orders General Taylor to claim the disputed area between the Rio Grande and Nueces rivers.
5. The Texas Congress votes to accept America’s offer of annexation.
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4. Although Polk’s stated goal for a war against Mexico was to secure the U.S. border with that country, what did most Americans believe the real reason was?
Most Americans believed that the real reason the United States went to war against Mexico was to gain more territory for its westward expansion.
5. Complete the table to show the arguments for and against going to war with Mexico.
For War Against War President Polk believed that war was necessary in
consideration of what? the long-continued and unredressed wrongs and injuries committed by the Mexican Government on citizens of the United States in their persons and property Many Whigs accused Polk of aggressive empire- building.
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History | Unit : Forging a National Identity | Lesson : War and Riches
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For War Against War
Polk, like many Americans, hoped to acquire which territory from Mexico? California, New Mexico, and some of the other northern Provinces of Mexico Whigs and other Americans believed that the war was an attempt to spread slavery in the United States. Polk and many Americans, especially those living
in Texas, wanted a secure border with Mexico.
6. What happened in California shortly before General Taylor went on the offensive in Mexico?
American settlers declared California independent of Mexico and set up the Bear Flag Republic.
7. List at least four outcomes or results of the Mexican War:
Outcomes included:
• The United States gained all of California and New Mexico.
• The Rio Grande was established as the southernmost border of Texas.
• The United States agreed to pay the Mexican government $15 million and to assume responsibility
for millions of dollars in debts owed by Mexico to American citizens.
• The United States gained additional territory, including present-day Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, and
parts of present-day Colorado and Wyoming.
• More than 12,000 American soldiers and sailors died.
• Roughly $100 million was spent.
• Questions arose over whether the additional territory would be slave or free.
8. Complete the following table to show the cause and effects of the California Gold Rush:
Cause Effects
What? gold was discovered
When? January 24, 1848
Where? saw mill construction site in
Colomo, California
Who? James Marshall
List at least three results or outcomes of the discovery of gold
in California:
• More than 250,000 people came to California.
• San Francisco grew quickly.
• California’s population became diverse.
• Most people did not strike it rich, but just broke even.
• Blue jeans were invented.
9. After the war with Mexico, the United States had a lot of new territory, and settlers continued to go west in
large numbers. What problem did this pose for the United States?
Congress now had to determine how to make new states out of its acquired territories. Slavery was also
an issue—would new states be admitted as slave states or free states?
