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So why did Spain hate us? Hate by its very nature, never needs a legitimate reason, it only needs fear. But among the excuses Spain had were: So the Spaniards didn't like us and in 1820 when Spain controlled the area of land now known as Mexico (at that time, only Mexico Ciudad was called Mexico), they controlled it through France, So the people who were enslaved in the Mexico territories hated Spain: hated France for being the power behind Spain; and hated any friends of France - which included the U.S. by treaty - who only became friends to avoid war with Napoleon (plus we got a bunch of fetid swamp land and control over the Mississippi river!). Yeah, it was a real powder keg all right! The people of the Mexican Territories fought well against the Spanish soldiers, who likely wondered why the hell they should lose their lives fighting for a King who wasn't Spanish; didn't speak the language, and was a freaking drunkard to boot; just to support the imperialist French government! So once the territory was free, its people named it Mexico, and invited folks to come on in, swear allegiance to the country (and convert to Catholicism, a leftover from the Spanish Conquistadors), and help build the new nation. This was decided as the best course of action since all of those damn illegal aliens from the U.S. were living here anyway. Might as well give the bastards Amnesty. If only they'd learn to speak the damn language! Freaking gringos! And you better not be owning slaves, dammit! Oh! Don't EVEN start in about how it's your freaking CULTURE! Yer in Mexico now! You do things OUR way! Buncha gueros! Mexican Government vs. Native Tribal Peoples Of course, the native tribal peoples of Mexico didn't want an overall government, but like their siblings in the U.S. territories, were too disorganized to do much about it (though in some states in Mexico, they fight about it to this day. Well, mainly they kidnap, sell drugs, and terrorize the native Indian peoples - but they call it revolution - not that these "revolutionaries" ever accomplish a damn thing except destroy their own people. It's that "great warrior" thing again). European languages would rule the Americas for the forseeable future. At this moment in time, Mexico considered U.S. citizens weak and cowardly, and they didn't mind being loud and snooty about it. After all, The U.S. caved to Napoleon (true, they got that sweet Louisiana deal, but that's not the point), whereas Mexico kicked his big brother's ass! In 1835, the U.S., in its quest for Manifest Destiny, tried a diplomatic route and offered to buy California from Mexico. But that would have been half of the country! Mexico vehemently said no. And this is another reason why: the Texia citizens of Mexico - former U.S. citizens - declared the Texas War of Independence in that same year and the U.S. sympathized with them. The U.S., which wanted to buy half of Mexico, was sympathetic toward a bunch of slave owning Mexican traitors! Plus the U.S. was still friends with the hated French! Plus Americans are a bunch of weak cowards anyway - they caved to Napoleon! We kicked his older brother's butt, don't forget! In 1836, Generalissimo Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who had won the battle of the Alamo, rode his popularity to become the President of Mexico. He was popular with the Mexicans not only for the battle, but for his humanitarian grace: waving the red flag at the Alamo to show that no quarter would be given. Yet upon capture of the post, he released the women and children and two surviving slaves. This was a very proud moment for the Mexicans. Not only did they kick Napoleon's older brother's butt, but now they defeated the U.S. citizens who were friends of the late Napoleon himself! "Yeah Mexico! We rock!" (or whatever they said in Spanish in that period).
Santa Anna Then Presidente Santa Anna got captured by the Texans. In 1836, he signed the Treaty of Velasco, as a prisoner of war, to the traitorous Texans, and was let go. The people of Mexico REALLY hated this event. Santa Anna was under duress, you cowards! Mexico lost to the cowards! And it was another reason to say no to the U.S. offer. And that treaty means NOTHING to a Mexican man! So even after the treaty, bloody frontier fighting continued between the Texan territory and the people of Mexico. Both thought they were right, and both grew to hate the other. But the truth is; Mexico was right because every country has a right to defend its borders and uphold its laws. Making Texas its own country failed miserably and Mexico was itching to take it back. The rest of the U.S., enviously eyeing the Texas territory, took a patriarchal (or matriarchal, depending on your point of view) tone toward the former U.S. citizens of Texas. Texas folk wanted to be under U.S. protection to insure its safety, and 9 years after the Treaty of Velasco, on July 4, 1845, the United States annexed Texas as one of its own. This SO did not sit well with Mexico. The U.S. was still cowardly, still weak, damn it! AND, don't forget, they were sneaky in how they captured Presidente Santa Anna! It was also sneaky how they forced the Treaty. In the same year, as what was seen by U.S. citizens as a kind of appeasement, we again tried to take what we perceived as the "high road" in regards to Mexico. We were now far richer for the trade route of the Mississippi river and the gulf ports of Louisiana. Some in France were saying that the U.S. didn't pay enough for the Louisiana Purchase. Napoleon Bonaparte was dead and out of favor with most of France, partly for this very issue (Napoleon was also defeated in 1815 - nobody likes a loser no matter how many times they won before). In France there were even rumors of war with the U.S. Meanwhile, the Americans offered Mexico 4 times more for California: $25 million in 1845 U.S. dollars. That was a lot of money back then, and the U.S. dollar was a lot stronger in 1845 than it was in 1803. Mexico still refused. Polk was elected president of the U.S. in late 1845. Though "Manifest Destiny" did not mean violent acquisition, in 1846 Polk responded to the rabble rousing cry of the Texans. Because even with the disputed Treaty of Velasco, nobody agreed on just what WAS the border of Texas! Complicating the issue was the reversal of immigrants. Those Mexicans who were disgruntled with their own government were coming into Texas, claiming themselves Texans, and demanding protection from the Mexican government (the indigenous people didn't like the Mexican government, which insisted on speaking the Euro language of the blood thirsty Conquistadores). The unorganized state government of Texas had no idea if they were or weren't Texans, because there was no clear border. On April 25, 1846, a clash between the U.S. and Mexico began. In July and August, U.S. forces seized Monterrey and Los Angeles, California (which is pretty freaking far away from Texas!). Meanwhile, using the world's first ever amphibious assault, General Scott brought an Army of 12,000 men onto the shores of Veracruz, Mexico. A great many bloody battles were fought between Scott and Santa Anna (who resigned his presidency to fight), but by September 14, U.S. forces entered the capital, Mexico City. By October the U.S. controlled it. On February 2, 1847, the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo was signed and soon ratified by both the U.S. and Mexican congress. The U.S. would annex all of the Northern territories it wanted and, as compensation, would pay the Mexican government $15 million dollars. Generalissimo Santa Anna was kicked out of control of the Mexican Army, who wouldn't fight for him anyway, and died in disgrace (remember: nobody likes a loser no matter how many times they won before). For the U.S., the unpopular war cost over $100 million dollars in 1846 money and worse, cost the lives of over 13,400 U.S. soldiers alone. "Wait a minute! We won! And now we're going to PAY our defeated enemies fifteen million dollars???" It also cost the Presidency of Polk, a Democrat, who lost it to the man who won and ended the war, General Zachary Taylor, a Whig. And like all weakened countries that borrow to fund a war (remember the U.S. capitulating to Napoleon? Extortion and bribes rarely go so well for the victim - we got lucky!), Mexico soon found itself in debt to England and yes, France and Spain. December 30, 1853 and in an effort to define just where our borders really were, the U.S. (under President Franklin Pierce - Democrat) and Mexico signed The Gadsden Purchase Treaty. (translated to Treaty of La Mesilla in Mexico). Each country designated one commissioner to oversee the mapping out of the actual border between the U.S. and Mexico, with an agreement between the two on just where exactly the border would be. The new treaty, seen as fair by both countries (whereas the Treaty of Guadalupe was seen as forced upon Mexico), would negate the 5th article of the Treaty of Guadalupe, in the hope of bringing lasting peace between the two countries. Mexico also needed money, so the U.S. bought a small strip of land (which became the bottom of Arizona and New Mexico). That small strip signified the purchase and cost the U.S. 10 million dollars. It was, in fact, the Gadsden Purchase which set the stage for what was to come in U.S. / Mexico relations (although James Gadsden did it because he wanted the U.S. transcontinental railroad - personal reasons). $10 million dollars: still was not enough for Mexico to pay its debts to Europe and maintain itself as a nation.
Benito 1855 and indigenous native (of the Zapotec tribe) Benito Pablo Juárez García (the only indigenous native to ever serve as President of Mexico), returned after living in exile in the United States (Louisiana), and re-established himself. 1858 and Garcia is ushered into the office of El Presidente of Mexico (infuriating his enemy, Santa Anna). He goes on to serve five terms. The following was the most influential decision of his entire presidency. Garcia was a liberal who embraced Capitalism and wanted to reform (Reforma) the Mexican government's economy based on the United States version of Capitalism. In January of 1862, Great Britain, Spain, and France, sent warships to Mexico and forced the payment of debts with interest (or tribute, extortion, and bribes in the case of France) from the Mexican government. Mexico was able to make deals with Spain and England and they left. But France stayed to rule under Napoleon Bonapart III, who hated Mexico (seems his uncle got his butt kicked there), hated the U.S., hated his father's treaty (the U.S. had taken advantage of Napoleon in a moment of weakness! Yeah! THAT was it! The Yankee dogs!), and wanted the Louisiana territory back (now that the U.S. proved it was a cash cow). The U.S. was in its own dilemma, being fractured into two nations, as a Civil War tore the country apart. France (along with England), wanting a weakened U.S., was helping to fund the South despite a Northern blockade. If the South lost, France would get nothing for its investment. The U.S. blockaded the French, but never actually fired at them. Still, everyone knew France's intentions all too clearly. In newspapers and books, France was quite loud about it. They had also been undefeated for the last 50 years.
Abrahan Lincoln Republican President Abraham Lincoln could not afford a direct confrontation with France. He was also, like Mexico, dead set against slavery. And of course, if France controlled Mexico, then they could attack us by both land and sea. What's more, President Lincoln felt he owed the Mexicans for the actions of his predecessors. On May 5, in 1862, a small Mexican Army of 4,000, led by Texas born General Ignacio Zaragosa (a Chicano) and his Colonel Porfirio Diaz, destroyed the much larger invading French Army and traitorous Mexican Army (a combined force of 8,000) in a battle that was both daring and brilliant. This radically changed the heart of many Mexican people toward Texas (saving people from certain death has a way of changing their feelings toward you). On January 1, 1863, nearly two years after the start of the American Civil War, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation: The freeing of slaves and the abolishment of slavery in the U.S. In 1864, with the return of the French and the recapture of Mexico Ciudad, President Lincoln ordered a small, standing Union Army, under military genius, Colonel Philip Henry Sheridan (near the end of the American civil war), to the Texas/Mexican border. There they supplied the Mexican government, in absentia; all the weapons they needed to roust the French from their shores for good. Not wishing to get directly involved (that would be a U.S. declaration of War against France), Union soldiers were discharged, pledged allegiance to Mexico, and fought against the French as Mexican citizens. Up to this point, The Gadsden Purchase, to most Mexicans, was just words on paper. The actions of the non-slavery President Lincoln and the willing sacrifice of U.S. citizens to give their lives in defense of Mexico, which established their nation, proved that the word of the U.S. was bond. This was a tremendous turning point in Mexican/American relations. In rememberance of this act, less than a century later, thousands of Mexicans joined the American military to fight in World War II after the Attack on Pearl Harbor (and those who did were offered U.S. citizenship for their effort). So why should Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Though the date no longer means much to the country of Mexico (a lot of ugly water under the bridge with various U.S. presidents since then: Particularly FDR and Truman), to Mexican American citizens (Chicanos) it's at least as important as St. Patrick's Day is to Irish Americans. What's more, After the win in 1864, The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico City. So it was a good idea for Americans and Mexicans to celebrate then and it's a damn good idea now! CINCO DE MAYO! YEE-HAAWW!!! Some references and quotes: pbs.org/kpbs/theborder/history/timeline/3.html answers.com/topic/joseph-bonaparte netpluscom.com/~pchs/sheridan.htm historyguy.com/Mexican-American_War.html thealamofilm.com/battle-of-the-alamo.shtml vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm The Gasden Purchase Was Signed In Mexico City *Just to show you how difficult Tecumseh had it: he was a great and ingenious Shawnee leader but - he was not the leader of the Shawnee! Unfortunately, his group, as large as they were, had no say over the actions of the tribes they came from, and even a Real Shawnee Chief, Black Hoof, worked against him. In the end, Americans distrusted him because in fact, he represented no one - so a treaty with Tecumseh would not be respected by any other Native leader. This not only made it enormously difficult to make peace with the native tribes, but it also made it difficult to bring justice against those criminal gangs who preyed on and slaughtered the native peoples. This is why so many U.S. treaties with various tribes were often broken, because you couldn't get all of the tribal chieftans to agree and attacks on settlers continued even after treaties were signed. Which meant that random counter-attacks by roving criminal gangs on often innocent passing nomadic tribes continued, back and forth.
E.C.McMullen Jr. article first posted on May 4, 2006
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