Mexican-American War

The Mexican – American War was one of the defining moments in New Mexico history, this war was the beginning of many things: New Mexico becoming a state, the beginning of the California, the start of Los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, etc.

I am the great soldier, Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott and this is my journal of the war.

September 1844- Today President Polk began speaking to us about something he calls his “Manifest of the Future”; he is speaking about us moving forward and taking over all of N. America… The only thing is that there is a group of Mexicans down South.

February 1845- President Polk has given my colleague, John Slidell orders to go to Mexicowith an offer of $30 Million for the areas of California, New Mexico, and Texas… I hope this goes by well with the Mexicans. 

February 1845- No luck, John never even had the opportunity to speak with President Santa Anna, President Polk won’t be very happy about this.

June 1845- President Polk has been working nonstop with new ideas to retrieve this land; I feel that this may end in a war… God please let’s get this over with

November 1845- For the first time in over 5 months, President Polk has come to the point of no return; I need to prepare for a movement into Texas that will take place in January…

April 25, 1846- Shots are being fired from those dirty Mexican troops! It has been done… We are in a war!

September 1847- This war has taken its toll on me and all of my men… I can’t give up on this war! I must push on!

February 1, 1848- This war is finally over! We have won and have taken the land. Thank God for the end of this!

February 2, 1848- President Polk has just signed the treaty to end this war, we have done a good job.

  

Yo soy Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón y este es mi diario Guerra.

Septiembre 1844- Ha habido informes de un "nuevo orden" que el presidente de los estados unidos ha estado trabajando hacia

(There have been reports of a "new order" that the president of the United States has been working toward)

 Enero 1845-Presidente Polk ha empezado a enviar tonto los gringos a nuestra zona que hablan de dinero para nuestra tierra

(President Polk has begun sending silly white men to our area that speak of money for our land)

Febrero1845- Presidente Polk envió otro gringo a nos ofrece dinero, estoy cansado de esto y me niego a reunirse con él

(President Polk sent another gringo to offer us money, I am tired of this and I refuse to meet with him)

Noviembre 1845- No hay signos de estadounidenses en meses, yo sé que están planeando algo grande... solo espero que sepan que los mexicanos no tienen miedo de ellos.

(No sign of Americans in months, I know that they are planning something big... I just hope they know that we Mexicans are not afraid of them.)

Enero 1846- Los norteamericanos han sido visto venir a texas! Si el Sr. Polk deseos de una guerra, entonces se trata de una guerra que va a recibir... ¡Viva México! ¡VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN!

(Those damn Americans have been seen coming into Texas! if Mr. Polk wishes for a war, then it is a war he will receive… long live mexico! long live the revolution!)

Abril 25, 1846- He tenido! Yo le mostraré presidente Polk lo que él está a punto de ser él mismo y haré que mis hombres matar algunos de sus hombres.

(I have had it! I will show President Polk what he is about to get himself in to and I will have my men kill some of his men.)

Diciembre 1847- Esta guerra está llegando a su fin, puedo sentirlo... México ganarán esta guerra incluso si me mata!

(This war is coming to a close, I can feel it... Mexico will win this war even if it kills me!)

Febrero 1, 1848- México ha perdido, no pude hacerlo... yo soy un fracaso a mi pueblo, yo no soy presidente ya. tengo que salir lo antes posible.

(Mexico has lost, I couldn't do it... I am a failure to my people, I am no president anymore. I must leave as soon as possible.)

Febrero 2, 1828- He terminado firma el Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo y oficialmente, es hecho por buena.

(I have finished signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and it is officially done for good.)

Visual Aids

The Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Click here to watch an in depth documentary on the Mexican - American War

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nE3srC_3c4

Click this link for an interactive map of the terrain during the Mexican-American War

http://phschool.com/atschool/us_history/geography_interactive/ncp-0904.swf

WORKS CITED

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/santaanna.htm

http://www.history.com/topics/mexican-american-war

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-mexican-american-war/

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/guadalupe-hidalgo/

http://www.lsjunction.com/people/santanna.htm

Visual Summary On Estevanico

here is a short visual summary of Estevanico's story. (made by Abe Brazil)



http://goanimate.com/videos/0WfUIdSTdktw?utm_source=linkshare

Estevanico, The Explorer

My name is Estevanico and this is my story...
        I may not be important to some but in historical views, I am very noteworthy. I was a black slave like most of my people, born in 1500 in Morocco, North Africa at Azamor, I was brought up like my family was raised before me, as a Muslim and at only 13 years old I was captured by a group of Portuguese men and was sent to their land, they forced me to convert to Christianity... After living with these men for 7 years being forced to labor for them and get little in return, I was purchased by a man named Andres Dorantes de Carranza, a captain of the infantry in Spain and I became his personal slave... He was a much better owner and he would always tell me about what he was hearing about this "New World" and it interested both him and I. In April of 1527 his amigo Pamfilo de Narvaez was given orders by the emperor of Spain, Carlos V, to colonize this New World from the place they called Mexico up until another place they called Florida.
     By June, 17, my master and I, along with 300 other men got ready to set out on a quest from Cadiz, Spain led by Pamfilo de Narvaez to the New World, we reached this new land in a few weeks and they called it Hipañola, we stayed there over a month and it felt like a dream being on another foregin land.  We took the expedition to Santiago, Cuba and then to Trinidad and finally on April 12, 1528, we arrived in Florida (in what is now Tampa Bay) but all of the other men went off to explore on both land and sea and they claimed Florida as spanish territory. The rest of the expedition didn't go very well and from 80 men on land, we ended up as just three men (Alvar Nuñez Cabeza De Vaca, Andres Dorantes de Carranza, Alonzo del Castillo Maldonado) and I... By Februrary  1536 we arrived in New Spain at a little place they called Culiacan. I was given my freedom shortly after, it was the most joyous moment of my life because I was now looked at as a Conquistador instead of a slave. The expedition went on and we ended up in an Indian land known as Hawikuh but unfortunately I was killed, what I am happy about though is that I died a free man.



Sources: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fes08
              http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/namerica/adventure2/a10.htm
              http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/estevanico.htm

Test Your Knowledge On Estevanico

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