Chapter 14, Student Web Activities, Texas and Texans, Glencoe, 2003

Chapter 14: The Young State
"War With Mexico"

Introduction
Those of you living south of the Nueces River could be living in Mexico. Or you would be, if the Mexican-American War had not taken place! After Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, the Texans claimed land all the way to the Rio Grande. However, the Mexican government not only refused to accept that Texas was independent, it also refused to accept the Rio Grande as the boundary between Texas and Mexico. In this activity, you will learn more about the events that resulted in Texas's boundaries being established where they are today.

Destination Title: The U.S.-Mexican War

Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window.
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Directions
Start at U.S.-Mexican War Web site.

Click on the photograph.
Now click on Timeline.
Read the events on the time line titled "Before."
In the menu on the left of the screen, click on each of the years listed—1845, 1846, 1847, and 1848—and examine the time lines that appear.

After you have explored the time lines, answer the following questions.

1. What event occurred on March 4, 1845? What did President Polk do in July of that year?

2. What orders did President Polk send to General Zachary Taylor in January 1846?

3. What happened on September 14, 1847?

4. What event occurred on February 2, 1848?

5. Time lines are an efficient way of condensing information in an easily understood sequence. Make your own time line sequencing the cultural and scientific events that were taking place during the years of the Mexican-American War. Go back through each of the time lines on this Web site. Note that at the bottom of each time line are additional events dealing with inventions, literature, and social issues of the day. On a separate sheet of paper, create an illustrated time line that sequences at least five of these events in chronological order.