Mexican Cession Essay, Research Paper

Sam Simon

12/18/1996

History

8/A/5

Mexican Cession

The battle of the Mexican War started on May 8, 1846. Before and during the war

the United States were having disagreements. The conflict was about, when they won the

land from Mexico if it was going to be a slave state(s). There was a young congressman

from Pennsylvania that proposed that slavery would not be allowed after the Mexican

War. But then some men from the south said that slaves are their “property” and that they

could have them. There were many more slavery questions asked. Then there was a bill

that was proposed from another young congressman, David Wilmot. David was also

from Pennsylvania. His bill said, all the land won from Mexico would not be a slave state.

This bill pass the House of Rep, but it didn’t pass the Senate. During this period the

north looked at the south as if they were another country. Yet the southeners that didn’t

have slaves still agreed with the other people from the south. Then there was a new party

formed, they called themselves the “Free Soilers.” Their misson was to spred slavery in

the new states. In 1848 the two other partys, the Whig and the Democratic parties

opposed the spread of slavery. In fear that the nation would split they meet in Buffalo,

New York. There they met the Free Soil party. There slogan was “free soil, free speech,

free labaor, and free man.” Although they were to spread slavery, some of them were

different. They wanted to help them, slaves.

The Mexican War started when the president of the United States tried to buy the

land off of Mexico. Mexico said no to this deal, so we went to war with them, that

wasn’t the only reason why we went to war. The

anti-slavery New England opposed the war with Mexico. The war lasted almost for two

years, from May 8, 1846 to September 14, 1847. The United States was out numbered,

and almost every time we fought them we were out numbered. The mexican’s admitted

defeat in some areas, by leaving the field, and the land in that area. The battle turned at

the battle of Santa Anna, were Buena Vista won with his army of 4,700 troops and was

out numbered but defeated the 20,000 Mexicans. When the war ended on September 14,

1847; it was because the American troops defeat and entered Mexico City. The peace

treaty was made on February 2, 1848. The treaty was called “The Treaty of Guadalupe-

Hidalgo.” This treaty gave the United States the land they wanted and more. The land

was California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Mexico received 15 million dollars for the land and as a peace giving. The land had many

natural elements, encluding silver and gold. From this land they got the the Pacific Ocean

for exploring, and the Orient for spices, slik, and trade. Then the question came up again,

sould it be slave states?