HIUS 221, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE, ALREADY
GRADED A+
The "Filibusters"
A private army of American volunteers, financed by Louisiana businessmen, who invaded Texas. Were
reinforced by Tejano rebels against Spain, the force seized San Antonio, and its leaders proclaimed Texas
an independent country. (Although the Spanish eventually crushed the invasion, the episode
underscored how weak its hold was.)
Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836)
son of Moses Austin, had to renegotiate with the new Mexican government. In 1823, he led 300 families
("The Old 300") to his colony, San Felipe de Austin.
The Law of April 6, 1830
was passed to address the situation: Immigration to Texas was ended. New tariffs were enacted on
trade. New military garrisons were installed. (Texans reacted angrily, claiming these measures violated
the 1824 Mexican constitution.)
Santa Anna
In 1832, he emerged as the leader of the opposition to the general then in power. After leading a
successful revolt, he engineered his "election" as President in 1833, then seized absolute power as
dictator. He enforced the 1830 law with vengeance, placing Texas under military occupation.
Sam Houston
had arrived in Texas in 1833 to revive his fortunes. His military service in the War of 1812 had attracted
the notice of Andrew Jackson. His political career thrived as Jackson's protégé, culminating in his
election as governor of Tennessee in 1827. (When his wife left him, he was disgraced, and he went to
live among the Cherokee, who gave him the nickname "Big Drunk.") Upon arriving in Texas, he began
practicing law in Nacogdoches and got involved in politics. In the coming war he served as commander-
in-chief of Texan forces.
The Alamo
In mid-January, Sam Houston ordered James Bowie to evacuate it and blow it up. Gov. Smith dispatched
Col. William Travis on a similar errand. Both men arrived within days of each other, were impressed with
the work done on the defenses, and they decided to disregard their orders and join the men there (150
total) Bowie: "We would rather die in these ditches than give them up to the enemy." Travis: "This place
is the key to Texas." Their calls for reinforcements were neglected as Texan leaders continued to argue
among themselves.
Battle of San Jacinto
At this battle, the Texans charged the Mexican troops yelling "Remember the Alamo!" Houston lured
Santa Anna into a trap at this battle (April 21, 1836), where the Texans wiped out a Mexican army of 800
troops and captured Santa Anna himself.
, Manifest Destiny
The belief that it was the nation's God-given right to expand according to its needs
James K. Polk
During the presidential campaign of 1844, this Democratic nominee called for American expansion
westward. He interpreted his election, though he only won by a narrow margin, as an endorsement of
his expansionist position. In his inaugural address (1845), he spent considerable time defending
American expansion as a means of creating and preserving a more powerful Union.
The Oregon Country
Beginning in 1818, Britain and the US jointly occupied this country. Its population of British, French,
Native American, and Hawaiian trappers and entrepreneurs frequently formed mixed-race families until
the 1840's.
When "(blank) fever" swept thousands of white Americans into the Willamette Valley, the new settlers
adopted polices that excluded non-white emigrants.
The (blank) Treaty of 1846 established the border between Canada and the U.S. at the forty-ninth
parallel, despite President Polk's 1844 campaign slogan, "Fifty-four Forty, or Fight!" It became a state in
1859
The "Nueces Strip"
Mexican officials cut diplomatic relations with the US and declared the Mexico-Texas border to be the
(blank) River. (This was in defiance of the Texan-American claim that the Rio Grande marked the
southern border of Texas.)
The Mexican-American War
Mexico started the war, Southerners supported the war, Northerners opposed the war, and Mexicans
wanted the war just as much as Americans did. The war consisted of three campaigns by American
forces: (1) Taylor's army invaded northern Mexico, took Monterey, and defeated Santa Anna's army at
the battle of Buena Vista (2/23/1847), despite being outnumbered three-to-one. (2) Another small
American force marched along the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri, eventually making its way to California,
where it aided Hispanic and American rebels who had thrown off Mexican authority. (3) When Mexico
refused to negotiate, another American army under General Winfield Scott landed on the Mexican coast
at Veracruz. (This is a gimme)
Zachary Taylor
In July 1845, Polk dispatched this general to Corpus Christi, north of the disputed area, to establish a
military presence with an army of 3,500 troops. After the rejection of Sildell's offer, in March 1846, Polk
ordered him to cross the Nueces and establish a base on the Rio Grande across from Matamoros.
Winfield Scott
When Mexico refused to negotiate, another American army under this general landed on the Mexican
coast at Veracruz. After bombarding Veracruz into surrender, his army drove inland toward Mexico City.
After routing Santa Anna in two more battles, he seized Mexico City on September 14, 1847.
GRADED A+
The "Filibusters"
A private army of American volunteers, financed by Louisiana businessmen, who invaded Texas. Were
reinforced by Tejano rebels against Spain, the force seized San Antonio, and its leaders proclaimed Texas
an independent country. (Although the Spanish eventually crushed the invasion, the episode
underscored how weak its hold was.)
Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836)
son of Moses Austin, had to renegotiate with the new Mexican government. In 1823, he led 300 families
("The Old 300") to his colony, San Felipe de Austin.
The Law of April 6, 1830
was passed to address the situation: Immigration to Texas was ended. New tariffs were enacted on
trade. New military garrisons were installed. (Texans reacted angrily, claiming these measures violated
the 1824 Mexican constitution.)
Santa Anna
In 1832, he emerged as the leader of the opposition to the general then in power. After leading a
successful revolt, he engineered his "election" as President in 1833, then seized absolute power as
dictator. He enforced the 1830 law with vengeance, placing Texas under military occupation.
Sam Houston
had arrived in Texas in 1833 to revive his fortunes. His military service in the War of 1812 had attracted
the notice of Andrew Jackson. His political career thrived as Jackson's protégé, culminating in his
election as governor of Tennessee in 1827. (When his wife left him, he was disgraced, and he went to
live among the Cherokee, who gave him the nickname "Big Drunk.") Upon arriving in Texas, he began
practicing law in Nacogdoches and got involved in politics. In the coming war he served as commander-
in-chief of Texan forces.
The Alamo
In mid-January, Sam Houston ordered James Bowie to evacuate it and blow it up. Gov. Smith dispatched
Col. William Travis on a similar errand. Both men arrived within days of each other, were impressed with
the work done on the defenses, and they decided to disregard their orders and join the men there (150
total) Bowie: "We would rather die in these ditches than give them up to the enemy." Travis: "This place
is the key to Texas." Their calls for reinforcements were neglected as Texan leaders continued to argue
among themselves.
Battle of San Jacinto
At this battle, the Texans charged the Mexican troops yelling "Remember the Alamo!" Houston lured
Santa Anna into a trap at this battle (April 21, 1836), where the Texans wiped out a Mexican army of 800
troops and captured Santa Anna himself.
, Manifest Destiny
The belief that it was the nation's God-given right to expand according to its needs
James K. Polk
During the presidential campaign of 1844, this Democratic nominee called for American expansion
westward. He interpreted his election, though he only won by a narrow margin, as an endorsement of
his expansionist position. In his inaugural address (1845), he spent considerable time defending
American expansion as a means of creating and preserving a more powerful Union.
The Oregon Country
Beginning in 1818, Britain and the US jointly occupied this country. Its population of British, French,
Native American, and Hawaiian trappers and entrepreneurs frequently formed mixed-race families until
the 1840's.
When "(blank) fever" swept thousands of white Americans into the Willamette Valley, the new settlers
adopted polices that excluded non-white emigrants.
The (blank) Treaty of 1846 established the border between Canada and the U.S. at the forty-ninth
parallel, despite President Polk's 1844 campaign slogan, "Fifty-four Forty, or Fight!" It became a state in
1859
The "Nueces Strip"
Mexican officials cut diplomatic relations with the US and declared the Mexico-Texas border to be the
(blank) River. (This was in defiance of the Texan-American claim that the Rio Grande marked the
southern border of Texas.)
The Mexican-American War
Mexico started the war, Southerners supported the war, Northerners opposed the war, and Mexicans
wanted the war just as much as Americans did. The war consisted of three campaigns by American
forces: (1) Taylor's army invaded northern Mexico, took Monterey, and defeated Santa Anna's army at
the battle of Buena Vista (2/23/1847), despite being outnumbered three-to-one. (2) Another small
American force marched along the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri, eventually making its way to California,
where it aided Hispanic and American rebels who had thrown off Mexican authority. (3) When Mexico
refused to negotiate, another American army under General Winfield Scott landed on the Mexican coast
at Veracruz. (This is a gimme)
Zachary Taylor
In July 1845, Polk dispatched this general to Corpus Christi, north of the disputed area, to establish a
military presence with an army of 3,500 troops. After the rejection of Sildell's offer, in March 1846, Polk
ordered him to cross the Nueces and establish a base on the Rio Grande across from Matamoros.
Winfield Scott
When Mexico refused to negotiate, another American army under this general landed on the Mexican
coast at Veracruz. After bombarding Veracruz into surrender, his army drove inland toward Mexico City.
After routing Santa Anna in two more battles, he seized Mexico City on September 14, 1847.
