Ernesto Chavez

The U.s. War with Mexico: a Brief History with Documents Ernesto Chavez

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Biographical Note: ERNESTO CHAVEZ (Ph. D., University of California, Los Angeles) is Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Ch+vez's research interests center on the Mexican and Mexican American past. His first book, "Mi Raza Primero! (My People First): Nationalism, Identity, and Insurgency in the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles, 1966-1978, " was published in 2002 and focused on the rise of the Chicano movement in this California city. At present, he is working on a biography of Mexican-born, silent film star Ram--n Novarro, tentatively titled "Crossing the Boundaries of Race, Religion, and Desire: The Life of Ramon Novarro. "Table of Contents: Foreword Preface Map: Contested Terrain in the U. S. War with Mexico PART ONE. INTRODUCTION: Race, Manifest Destiny, and the U. S. War with Mexico Manifest Destiny Neighboring Republics Indians and Westward Expansion Colonizing Texas The Republic of Texas and U. S.-Mexico Diplomatic Relations Toward War Popular Opinion and the War in the United States Waging the War The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Foreigners in Their Native Land Manifest Destiny Exported Conclusion PART TWO. THE DOCUMENTS 1. John L. O'Sullivan, "Annexation, " July-August 1845 2. U. S. Congress, "Naturalization Act, " March 26, 1790 3. Agustin de Iturbide, "Plan de Iguala, " February 24, 1821 4. Mexican Constitutional Congress, "Mexican Constitution, " 1824 5. U. S. Congress, "Indian Removal Act, " May 28, 1830 6. United States and Kingdom of Spain, "Treaty of San Lorenzo, " October 27, 1795 7. United States and France, "Louisiana Purchase Treaty, " April 30, 1803 8. Mexican Government, "National Colonization Law, " August 18, 1824 9. Legislature of Coahuila-Texas, "Coahuila-Texas State Colonization Law, " March 24, 1825 10. Manuel Mier y Teran, "Letter to War Department, " November 29, 1829 11. Benjamin Lundy, "Conditions for African Americans in Mexican Texas, " 1833 12. Texan Consultation of Representatives, "Texas Declaration of Independence, " March 2, 1836 13. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, "Message to the Inhabitants of Texas, " March 7, 1836 14. Eulalia Yorba, "Another Story of the Alamo: The Battle Described by an Alleged Eyewitness, " April 1896 15. El Mosquito Mexicano, "Article Criticizing U. S. Interests in Texas, " June 14, 1836 16. Daniel Webster, "The Admission of Texas" December 22, 1845 17. John Slidell, "Diplomatic Dispatch to James Buchanan, " January 1846 18. General Pedro de Ampudia and General Zachary Taylor, "Dispatches, " April 12, 1846 19. General Zachary Taylor, "Dispatch to Adjutant General of the Army, " April 26, 1846 20. President James K. Polk, "War Message to Congress, " May 11, 1846 21. Hugh White, "Statement Against the Two-Million-Dollar Bill, " August 8, 1846 22. David Wilmot, "Wilmot Proviso, " August 8, 1846 23. Frederick Douglass, "The War With Mexico, " January 21, 1848 24. New York Herald, "Editorial in Support of the War with Mexico, " February 20, 1847 25. Walt Whitman, "War With Mexico, " May 11, 1846 26. Theodore Parker, "A Sermon of the Mexican War, " June 1846 27. Henry David Thoreau, "On Civil Disobedience, " 1848 28. Women of Exeter, England, and Philadelphia, "Women's Peace Petition, " June 1846 29. Susan Shelby Magoffin, "Comments on Mexican Women, " 1846 30. American Officer, "The Virtues of Mexican Women, " September 1846 31. Henry William Herbert, "Pierre the Partisan: A Tale of the Mexican Marches, "1848 32. Our Jonathan, "Song of the Volunteers, " 1846 33. John Greenleaf Whittier, "The Angels of Buena Vista, " 1847 34. James Russell Lowell, "The Biglow Papers, " 1846 35. George Wilkins Kendall, "The Mexican Joan of Arc, " January 12, 1847 36. Samuel E. Chamberlain, "My Confession, " 1855 37. Ramon Alcaraz, "Description of the Battle of Buena Vista, " 1850 38. Citizens of New Mexico, "Report to the President of Mexico, " September 26, 1846 39. Ralph W. Kirkham, "Description of the City of Puebla, " June 28, 1847 40. Gideon Johnson Pillow, "Letter to Mary Hamilton Pillow, " September 28, 1847 41. American Star, "Comment on Interactions Between Mexicans and Americans, " November 6, 1847 42. Ramon Alcaraz, "Observations on the American Occupation of Mexico City, " 1850 43. John C. Calhoun, "Speech on the War with Mexico, " January 4, 1848 44. United States and Mexico, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 1848 45. President Manuel de la Pena y Pena, "An Address in Support of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, " May 7, 1848 46. Manuel Crescencio Rejon, Observations on the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, April 17, 1848 47. Nathan Clifford, "The Protocol of Queretaro, " 1848 48. U. S. Congress, "California Land Act, " March 3, 1851 49. California Landowners, "Petition to the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, " February 11, 1859 50. Juan N. Seguin, "A Foreigner in My Native Land, " 1858 51. Francisco Ramirez, "Californian Hospitality, " September 18, 1855 52. Los Angeles Star, "An Interview with Noted Bandit Tiburcio Vasquez, " May 16, 1874 53. Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin, "This is Our Manifest Destiny, "November 24, 1897 Appendixes A Chronology of Events Related to the U. S.-Mexico War (1789-1897) Questions for Consideration Selected Bibliography IndexPublisher Marketing: The U. S. war with Mexico was a pivotal event in American history, it set crucial wartime precedents and served as a precursor for the impending Civil War. With a powerful introduction and rich collection of documents, Ernesto Ch vez makes a convincing case that as an expansionist war, the U. S.-Mexico conflict set a new standard for the acquisition of foreign territory through war. Equally important, the war racialized the enemy, and in so doing accentuated the nature of whiteness and white male citizenship in the U. S., especially as it related to conquered Mexicans, Indians, slaves, and even women. The war, along with ongoing westward expansion, heightened public debates in the North and South about slavery and its place in newly-acquired territories. In addition, Ch vez shows how the political, economic and social development of each nation played a critical role in the path to war and its ultimate outcome. Both official and popular documents offer the events leading up to the war, the politics surrounding it, popular sentiment in both countries about it, and the war's long-term impact on the future development and direction of these two nations. Headnotes, a chronology, maps and a selected bibliography enrich student understanding of this important historical moment." Contributor Bio:  Chavez, Ernesto Ernesto Chavez is Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas, El Paso.