Mexican-American War

Mexican-American War

Introduction

Among the bitter experiences that Mexico had to endure during his formative years, perhaps the hardest was the war with the United States, between 1846 and 1848. Military defeat was complete, suffered the first occupation of their capital and lost about half its original territory. No clutch, this experience left some positive results, because Mexicans contributed to ripen their sense of nationality . The causes of this war have been the subject of much speculation. But without doubt, the roots of conflict are in the development different had the companies Mexican and American, which features the middle of the nineteenth century were inevitably meet and defeat the first. Since its inception, the American people was characterized by its expansionist desires. The purchase and conquest had established themselves as the beginning perfectly legal to purchase land , as well, since the founding of the first colonies to the outbreak of hostilities with Mexico, its territory had expanded from a small strip on the Atlantic coast to the boundary with Texas, New Mexico and California.

Few people think that the US-Mexican War began not with the attack "cowardly Americans" in Mexico, but just the opposite: the attack on the Mexican Americans. (Do not tell me that it was "provoked" Texians or Americans. This is - a controversial issue, and in a nutshell it is impossible to solve. Here I am talking only about the facts).

This event was called "The Siege of Fort Texas." Sometimes was called "The Siege of Fort Brown, but it's not quite true. The fort was named in honor of Major Jacob Brown, commander of the fort and killed during the siege. This fort surrounded by earthworks, in the form of irregular hexagonal star. The walls are 9 feet high and 15 feet wide, with a moat about 20 feet wide and 8 feet deep. It was almost opposite to the town of Matamoros, and on the other side of the Rio Grande. 

March 27, 1846 troops under General Zachary Taylor advanced to the north bank of the Rio Grande and began construction of an earthen fort in the form of stars, which they named Fort Taylor, but which was more common nickname of "Fort Texas". 

Factors Contributed in War

Cause of the war served in December 1845 annexation by the United States of a free State of Texas formed the American settlers in the place of the Mexican state. A previous attempt in the Mexican army to regain control of Texas led to the battle of San Jacinto April 21, 1836 between a detachment of Texans in 800 people, led by Sam Houston and twice on the strength of the army of Mexican President, General Santa Anna. As a result of a sudden attack of almost the entire Mexican army led by Santa Anna was captured. Texans lost only 6 people. As a result, the Mexican president was forced to withdraw Mexican forces from Texas, but he was not going to recognize the independence of Texas, and especially its accession to the ...