Mexican American Expansion Essay

Expansion. By 1815, the United States was beginning to grow further and further west. Settlers were making their way through the Ohio River Valley, the Trans-Mississippi west, and into portions of the Louisiana Purchase territory. By the time Mexico had gained its independence from Spain, American settlers were already on the border of the new nation. The individual reasons for expansion are numerous but we know settlers wanted vast amounts of land (farmlands), and they wanted to explore – making a new life for themselves. Socio and political issues definitely existed through this time period, and these issues were the basis for more conflict between countries. As expansion news crossed the country, it was evident that Anglo settlers
It did not take long - by 1830, American Anglos outnumbered the native Mexicans. As Mexico citizens were struggling to answer several critical questions towards their own government, Tejanos were becoming less independent of Mexico City. Similar in Uranga’s book, the Buenavida family encountered a journey that constantly included adjustment and change. The family had to make continual choices – either giving up or suppressing their native culture in order to blend in the with the larger Anglo
Santa Anna was a leader. He marched north to bring Texas back under Mexican control by a show of brute, unforgiving force. In 1836, Santa Anna took an army to San Antonio to take the Alamo. Later, Santa Anna and his troops searched for the Texan government and the Texan army led by Sam Houston. On April 21, 1836, the Texans defeated Santa Anna's army at the Battle of San Jacinto, and Santa Anna was captured the following day. The Mexican army retreated back to Mexico City, ending the Texas Revolution. Sam Houston’s victory would ultimately earn him the presidency of the Republic of Texas and paving the way to become an independent