Resistance To Conquest

The Fighting Efforts to Resist a Conquest
In the book occupied America 7th edition, author and professor of Chicano studies at California State University , Northbridge. Rodolfo F. Acuna claims that factors such as : political , social control , and the economy were the main circumstances that fueled the war between Mexico and the United States. The war between Mexico and the United Stateswas declared on May 13, 1846. The events that occurred between the United States and Mexico left a scar in both states history and relationship with each-other. The outcome of what is known as the infamous U.S. vs. Mexico war can still be felt today. Some people see the fight over California territory as a fair conquest and others see it as the United States taking advantage and stealing from aMexico,who was neither prepared economically nor socially to defend its territory. Even though Mexico had a stagnant economy compared to the United States booming economy , that did not stop the loyal Mexican citizens from defending what they thought was rightfully theirs. Alta California as what is known today as simply California, was one of the last states to witness the surge of conquest thatwas happening all across Mexico’s territory. The conquest of California was marked by a series of battles that ultimately left one contender with less power , land and the broken warrior spirits of thousands of citizens, who were accustomed to living life a certain way . While in the other hand we have a Nation who is ready to use every resource that they have in order to conquer the preciousland they so desperately needed to become an admired elite nation.
California is a crucial part of the Mexican War, because what is now the State of California was northern Mexico at that time. While many Easterners in the U.S. talked almost mystically of the riches of California, and how it was the fairest land on the continent, the distance and the fact that it was a foreign country kept thenumber of U.S. settlers in Upper California very small. John C. Frémont was an American who wanted to annex California, and hoped to do so almost single-handedly. He had been granted permission by the U.S. government to explore in the West, and was supposed to be canvassing the Disputed Area (now Oregon and Washington) in December 1845, but Frémont took his time moving through northern Mexico,dragging his feet and looking for a chance to lead his small group of armed men in an attack on the Mexican government in Upper California. (Hass, Page 105) He tried to start a revolution at Gavilan Peak but was told to cease and desist immediately by the U.S. consul in Upper California. This was in early 1846, and the U.S. was not yet at war with Mexico. There was no reason to expect U.S. support fora minor insurrection begun in its name and likely doomed to failure. Once war was declared in May 1846 , and Americans in California got word of it in June, things moved quickly. By mid-July, Sonoma, Monterey, and Yerba Buena (today’s San Francisco) were quickly occupied by American and pro-American settlers, including Frémont. The Mexican government was let down by its governor, Pío Pico, whofled during what is known as “the battle of Los Angeles” and the emboldened Americans occupied Los Angeles in mid-August. This occupation was carried out by U.S. Marines as well as settlers, but the local Mexican population was not intimidated, and launched a counter-attack under José María Flores. These Californios were unaided by the Mexican government, which was fighting U.S. forces far to theeast; the Californios were defending their land from hostile occupation and seizure, and they defeated over 300 Americans, including Marines, at the two-day Battle of Dominguez Rancho in early October. In early December, Californios fought U.S. soldiers under General Stephen Kearny to a standstill near San Diego. In that battle more than 100 hundredth American life's were lost the most American...