Title: Mexican Cession? | Yahoo Answers
Headings: Mexican Cession?
Mexican Cession?
5 Answers
How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.

Content: These four questions look like they're written at the end of tonight's homework assignment -- the section on the Mexican War in your history book. My guess is that if you read your assignment, you'll find all four answers. Anyway, here's what I can tell you about it. Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821, and at that time, California (known as Alta California), Texas, and what is now the American Southwest all belonged to Mexico. The United States extended as far as the Rockies (the Missouri River Basin) as a result of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Texas rebelled against Mexico in 1836 and gained its independence (the Lone Star Republic). James Polk, an expansionist, was elected president in 1844 using the slogan "Fifty-Four, Forty or Fight!" -- a reference to what is now the Canada-Alaska boundary. He was the "Manifest Destiny" president who believed the United States had a "divine right" to expand to the Pacific. Early in his presidency, he annexed Texas, then took aim at California.