Procedures

• WARM-UP:

  Have the students answer the following questions before starting class.

  • What strategies can a country take to expand its territory?
  • What are advantages and disadvantages for each of these options?

• INTRODUCTION:

  Have the student view a map of the United States in 1840. Discuss what area is included in the United States and what areas are either own by other countries or are disputed.

  As a class view the clip about Texas Independence and the Compromise of 1836. Have the students answer the following questions.

  • Explain the Compromise of 1836. How did Henry Clay address the concerns of both the Northerners and the Southerners?
  • Why was the annexation of Texas such as major issue? How was this addressed?

  BELL RINGER- Texas Independence and the Compromise of 1836 (2:05)

  Review the answers to the questions and address any misconceptions.

• CONTENT/VIDEO CLIPS:

  Either individually or as a class, have the students view each of the following video clips. Students can either take notes using the Mexican-American War Note-Taking Handout (Google Doc) or answer questions on the clips using the Mexican-American War Video Questions Handout (Google Doc). After students finish, review the information and correct any misconceptions.

  VIDEO CLIP- The Start of the Mexican -American War (2:33)

  VIDEO CLIP- The Declaration of War on Mexico (2:16)

  VIDEO CLIP- Theaters in the Mexican-American War (1:20)

  VIDEO CLIP- The Anti-War Movement in the Mexican-American War (4:55)

  VIDEO CLIP- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the U.S.-Mexico Boundary (4:18)

  VIDEO CLIP- Slavery and the Mexican-American War (:58)

  VIDEO CLIP- The Compromise of 1850 (6:18)

• CONCLUSION: Using the Mexican-American War Debate Handout (Google Doc) have students develop arguments for each of the stances for the following question:

  Should the United States have gone to war with Mexico in 1846?

  Based on their arguments, they will pick one of the sides and write a position paper either supporting the war or opposing the war.

• EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

  Polk's Legacy- View the following clip and respond to the question below about the legacy of President Polk and the Mexican-American War.

  VIDEO CLIP- The Historical Legacy of Polk and the Mexican-American War (2:11)

  How has the legacy of Polk and the Mexican-American War changed over time?

  Anti-War Protest- Imagine you are in 1846 and are opposed to the war. Create protest signs that relay the major reasons for opposition to the Mexican-American War.

  Additional Writing/Discussion Prompts-

  • After the expansion of territory during the Mexican-American War, was the Civil War inevitable?
  • How do you think the Mexican-American War is viewed in Mexico?
  • In what ways did President Polk's actions leading up to the Mexican-American War affect other wars later in the United States?