Why did President Polk send General Scott to lead the Army into Mexico rather than Taylor?
Taylor led American troops against Mexican forces. President Polk ordered the commander of the U.S. Army in Texas, Zachary Taylor, to move his forces into the disputed area near the Rio Grande River. Polk sent a representative to Mexico in an effort to re-establish diplomatic relations.
Why did President Polk send troops to the border of Mexico?
Texas was admitted to the Union on December 29. While Mexico didn’t follow through with its threat to declare war, relations between the two nations remained tense over border disputes, and in July 1845, President Polk ordered troops into disputed lands that lay between the Neuces and Rio Grande rivers.
How did Polk attempt to avoid war with Mexico?
Polk ended up starting a war with Mexico when he tried to implement the congressionally approved annexation of Texas (which had declared its independence from Mexico in 1836) and acquire California and New Mexico.
How much did the US offer Mexico for the land at first before the war?
On 10 November 1845, before the outbreak of hostilities, President James K. Polk sent his envoy, John Slidell, to Mexico. Slidell had instructions to offer Mexico around $5 million for the territory of Nuevo México and up to $40 million for Alta California.
What was in the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
This treaty, signed on February 2, 1848, ended the war between the United States and Mexico. By its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory, including parts of present-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah, to the United States.
How did Polk handle the Oregon situation after his election?
Polk took criticism from some for abandoning the “All-Oregon” position, but for most it was a welcome settlement of the affair. Polk had handled the matter with skill, and the treaty allowed him to shift his full attention to the ongoing war with Mexico.