Mexican-American War Webquest
Follow the links below, read, and respond to the questions.
1. Look at the painting “American Progress” by John Gast and respond to the following questions.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/American_progress.JPG
What do you see in this painting? List a minimum of 5 details.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2. The floating white woman in this painting is heading West. What do you think she represents? How is this symbolized in the painting?
You will be researching on the PBS site “US-Mexican War” which can be found at http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/index_flash.html.
Part 1: Prelude to War
3. http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/ (Overview)
How were the United States and Mexico nations that were heading in 2 different directions?
4. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_power_of_an_idea.html (The Power of an Idea) and scroll down to the second to last paragraph and copy the quote down from Ulysses S. Grant, one of America’s greatest war heroes.
5. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_native_american_displacement.html (Native American Displacement) and scroll down to the paragraphs 5, 6, and 7.
What problems did Indian Removal present to the United States?
6. What argument was used?
7. What was hypocritical about this argument? Provide specific examples.
Part 2: War (1846-1848)
8. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/communications.html (Communications)
What 3 inventions helped speed up communications on the warfront?
9. How did generals communicate with the soldiers in their command?
10. How did these inventions affect the Mexican-American War? (last paragraph)
11. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/palo_alto.html (Battle of Palo Alto)
How did Americans win the first battle of the Mexican-American War at Palo Alto?
12. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/monterrey.html (Capture of Monterrey)
Why was Pres. Polk upset with the outcome of the Battle of Monterrey? What did he plan to do?
13. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/buena_vista.html (The Battle of Buena Vista)
Why was the Battle of Buena Vista one of the most dramatic battles of the war?
14. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/veracruz.html (The Capture of Veracruz)
Why was the capture of Veracruz important to Gen. Scott’s invasion of Mexico?
15. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/el_molino_del_rey_casa_mata.html (The Battle of El Molino del Ray-Attack up on the Casa Masta)
Explain how this battle resulted in one of the bloodiest days for American forces in the war.
16. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/chapultepec_pillows_attack.html (The Storming of Chapultepec-General Pillow’s Attack and Quitman’s Attack)
Why was the Battle at Chapultepec important?
17. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/entrance_to_city_of_mexico.html ) (Entrance into the City of Mexico)
How did Santa Anna react to the presence of American troops in Mexico City?
18. Who met Gen. Scott’s troops in the city instead of Santa Anna’s Army?
19. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/occupation_of_mexico.html (Occupation of Mexico)
Generally, how did the US Army treat local city councils?
20. How did Gen. Scott typically treat the local populations using Jalapa as an example?
21. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/wars_end_guadalupe.html (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo)
What did the US gain in the treaty?
22. How did the treaty affect US-Mexican relations until the present day?
23. Scroll down to the 9th paragraph…
How did the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo play a prominent role in Mexican history?
Part 3: The Aftermath of the War
24. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/aftermath/war.html (The War between the United States and Mexico) and start reading at the 2nd paragraph.
List 3 positives that came out of the war for the US:
1.
2.
3.
List 3 negatives that came out of the war for the US:
1.
2.
3.
25. List 5 negatives that came out of the war for Mexico:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. Look at the painting “American Progress” by John Gast and respond to the following questions.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/American_progress.JPG
What do you see in this painting? List a minimum of 5 details.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
2. The floating white woman in this painting is heading West. What do you think she represents? How is this symbolized in the painting?
You will be researching on the PBS site “US-Mexican War” which can be found at http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/index_flash.html.
Part 1: Prelude to War
3. http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/ (Overview)
How were the United States and Mexico nations that were heading in 2 different directions?
4. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_power_of_an_idea.html (The Power of an Idea) and scroll down to the second to last paragraph and copy the quote down from Ulysses S. Grant, one of America’s greatest war heroes.
5. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_native_american_displacement.html (Native American Displacement) and scroll down to the paragraphs 5, 6, and 7.
What problems did Indian Removal present to the United States?
6. What argument was used?
7. What was hypocritical about this argument? Provide specific examples.
Part 2: War (1846-1848)
8. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/communications.html (Communications)
What 3 inventions helped speed up communications on the warfront?
9. How did generals communicate with the soldiers in their command?
10. How did these inventions affect the Mexican-American War? (last paragraph)
11. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/palo_alto.html (Battle of Palo Alto)
How did Americans win the first battle of the Mexican-American War at Palo Alto?
12. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/monterrey.html (Capture of Monterrey)
Why was Pres. Polk upset with the outcome of the Battle of Monterrey? What did he plan to do?
13. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/buena_vista.html (The Battle of Buena Vista)
Why was the Battle of Buena Vista one of the most dramatic battles of the war?
14. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/veracruz.html (The Capture of Veracruz)
Why was the capture of Veracruz important to Gen. Scott’s invasion of Mexico?
15. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/el_molino_del_rey_casa_mata.html (The Battle of El Molino del Ray-Attack up on the Casa Masta)
Explain how this battle resulted in one of the bloodiest days for American forces in the war.
16. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/chapultepec_pillows_attack.html (The Storming of Chapultepec-General Pillow’s Attack and Quitman’s Attack)
Why was the Battle at Chapultepec important?
17. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/entrance_to_city_of_mexico.html ) (Entrance into the City of Mexico)
How did Santa Anna react to the presence of American troops in Mexico City?
18. Who met Gen. Scott’s troops in the city instead of Santa Anna’s Army?
19. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/occupation_of_mexico.html (Occupation of Mexico)
Generally, how did the US Army treat local city councils?
20. How did Gen. Scott typically treat the local populations using Jalapa as an example?
21. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/wars_end_guadalupe.html (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo)
What did the US gain in the treaty?
22. How did the treaty affect US-Mexican relations until the present day?
23. Scroll down to the 9th paragraph…
How did the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo play a prominent role in Mexican history?
Part 3: The Aftermath of the War
24. Go to http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/aftermath/war.html (The War between the United States and Mexico) and start reading at the 2nd paragraph.
List 3 positives that came out of the war for the US:
1.
2.
3.
List 3 negatives that came out of the war for the US:
1.
2.
3.
25. List 5 negatives that came out of the war for Mexico:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.