The Forgotten Wars

1. The Forgotten Wars The War of 1812 Texas Independence The Mexican War

2. The War of 1812 • Sometimes called the "Second War of Independence" or the "forgotten war” • Conflict was caused mainly by the US resentment of British naval harassment. • The British were already at war with France. • They seized American ships and took seamen from them, some who were US citizens. • The British also attempted to keep US ships from reaching French ports.

3. The War of 1812 could be called the "war of poor communication.“ • Two days before the declaration of war, Great Britain agreed to repeal the naval laws which were chiefly responsible for the conflict. • Speedy communication would have also eliminated the greatest battle, the Battle of New Orleans that occurred 15 days after a peace treaty had been signed.

4. The United States, still a fledgling country, risked national disaster by again going to war with powerful Great Britain. • Support in the US was divided with the West and South 'hawkish' for a fight, but people of the New England regions calling for cooler leadership and strongly opposed to war. • The Treaty of Ghent ended the war but restored territories to prewar status and established a commission to settle Northwest Territory boundary disputes. • Both sides claimed victory.

5. The Star-Spangled Banner • http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/ • YouTube - TeacherTube - War of 1812

6. The Texas War of Independence was fought from 1835-36 between the Mexican government and the rebellious territory of Texas. It resulted in the establishment of the short-lived Republic of Texas. • In 1824, with the Mexican government wishing to settle the mostly-empty northern region, Moses Austin was invited to settle a colony of Americans in east Texas. • The only conditions were that the Americans convert to Catholicism, renounce their American citizenship, become "Mexicanized," and either free or leave behind their slaves. • Most of these requests were ignored, and not easily enforceable.

7. The Alamo • Texas declared its independence from Mexico, and Santa Anna quickly raised a 6000-strong army to put down the insurrection • Sam Houston, a former governor of Tennessee, had been gathering volunteers to face Santa Anna. • With Houston's forces still in disarray, Santa Anna laid siege to the San Antonio fortress, the Alamo • an old Spanish mission, it had been hastily barricaded into an impromptu fort.

8. 187 Texans famously held out for thirteen days despite knowing they would not be able to live through the 6,000-man assault. • All 187 Texans were killed, including their commander William Travis, and other notable persons such as David Crockett and Jim Bowie.

9. The newly-formed Republic lasted for several years, before finally petitioning the United States for statehood. • It was granted in 1845, just before the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.

10. Mexican-American War • The main cause was the purpose of territorial expansion by the U.S., derived in the status of Texas, which had broken away from Mexico and joined the U.S. • Although both countries were very large in area, the U.S. was much richer and had a larger population and an efficient political system that allowed much fuller mobilization of manpower and economic resources. • The Mexican government was bitterly divided and inefficient. The war was fought in Mexico and adjacent waters

11. . Mexico was forced in the peace treaty to gave up northern territories, including California and New Mexico in exchange for $15 million. • The war was highly contentious inside the U.S., with the war hawks led by President James K. Polk and his Democratic party, and the opponents based in the Whig Party. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKe2_SFwSYY