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In 1844 James K. Polk, the newly-elected president, made a proposition to the Mexican government to purchase the disputed lands between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande.
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The Republic of Texas was annexed to the United States of America, becoming the 28th U.S. state. Border disputes between the new state and Mexico caused tension and the Mexican-American War.
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U.S. troops defeat Mexico at the Battle of Palo Alto, the first official battle of the war. General Taylor declares victory when Mariano Arista's Mexican troops retreat.
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The Battle of Resaca de la Palma begins when Mexican troops attack Fort Texas, which they believe is located in Mexican territory. Mexican troops are forced to retreated and suffer anywhere between 250 and 400 casualties.
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After the proposition was denied, James K. Polk and Congress declared war on Mexico. Mexico was not prepared at all. After their brief experimentation with a monarchy, their government was unstable because of their lack in experience with a republic.
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Concerned about Mexican rule, a group of California settlers rebels against Mexico and declares that California is an independent republic. Independence is short because the U.S. begins occupying California soon after that
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General Taylor captures the Mexican city of Monterrey. Taylor's troops first occupy the city of Matamoros and Camargo before heading south to Monterrey. It is a hard fought battle that results in a series of losses for both sides, but the U.S. eventually wins.
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General Taylor and General Santa Anna face off near Buena Vista. General Taylor's troops are largely outnumbered but with the use of heavy artillery they are victorious. The Battle of Buena Vista is likely General Taylor's greatest victory of the war and helps him get elected as president of the United States in 1848.
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General Winfield Scott leads the U.S. in the Battle of Cerro Gordo. Although U.S. troops are outnumbered by Mexican troops, they kill or wound nearly 1,000 Mexican soldiers, take another 3,000 as prisoner, and seize most of the Mexican army's supplies.
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After a week of fighting, General Scott and his troops wear down a weary Mexican Army and seize Mexico City. The Battle of Mexico City marks the unofficial end of the Mexican-American War.
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The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo which brought an official end to the Mexican-American War. The treaty called for the U.S. to pay 15 million dollars to the Mexican Government. In return, the U.S. received what they were looking for, which was the border to be the Rio Grande, not the Neuces River. The U.S. also acquired California and a large area comprising roughly half of New Mexico, most of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. This also required the Mexicans living in...
