Mexican–American War

The Mexican–American War was fought between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It ended with Mexico ceding a vast territory to the United States under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Texas Revolution: An 1835–1836 rebellion in which Anglo-American settlers and Tejanos won independence for Texas from Mexico. Texas’s separation from Mexico created the unresolved territorial dispute that intensified after its annexation by the United States.
Thornton Affair: An April 1846 clash between Mexican cavalry and U.S. troops in the disputed border region. Polk cited this encounter as an attack on U.S. forces when requesting a declaration of war.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: The 1848 treaty that ended the war and established the Rio Grande as the Texas boundary. Mexico ceded vast northern territories under its terms, while the United States agreed to pay compensation.
Mexican–American War in Mexican historiography: The study and interpretation of the war by Mexican historians and public memory. Mexican accounts often emphasize invasion, territorial loss, and the weakness of the post-independence state.
Antonio López de Santa Anna: A Mexican general and political leader who served multiple times as president of Mexico. He led Mexican forces at Buena Vista and returned to power during the invasion of central Mexico.
Annexation of Texas: The 1845 incorporation of the Republic of Texas into the United States as a state. Mexico viewed annexation as a threat and disputed the boundary of the newly incorporated state.
Battle of Palo Alto: The May 1846 battle in which U.S. forces under Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican troops near the Rio Grande. It was the first major battle of the war, fought shortly after the Thornton Affair.
Mexican Cession: The territory Mexico ceded to the United States in 1848, encompassing much of the present-day American Southwest. This transfer was the war’s largest territorial consequence.
U.S. opposition to the Mexican–American War: Political and public resistance in the United States to the war with Mexico. Opponents challenged the war’s justification and its connection to territorial expansion and slavery.
Mariano Arista: A Mexican general who commanded troops during the opening battles of the war. His forces fought Taylor’s army at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.

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