The Mexican-American War (1846-48): Part VII-New Mexico and California

https://open.spotify.com/show/5kFqAr2... https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0...
https://www.stitcher.com/show/history...
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=50989530

The Mexican-American War lasted from 1846 to 1848. The official cause of the war was Mexican opposition to the American annexation of the Republic of Texas, which had won its freedom from Mexico ten years earlier. However, President James Polk intended to use the war to greatly expand the United States by annexing New Mexico and California, therefore it was the first war fought against a fellow republic to gain territory. Episode Seven explains how President Polk sent Brigadier-general Kearny to occupy first New Mexico, and then California. Actually, famous explorer John Fremont had instigated a revolt by American settlers in California. Unfortunately, Fremont claimed that he had independent authority, even though Kearny was his superior, and had received orders appointing him civil governor, so Fremont was sent back to Washington in chains to face a court martial for insubordination.

Cast of Characters:
James Polk-president of the United States, former governor of Tennessee and former Speaker of the House of Representatives
Stephen Kearny-brigadier-general in the American Army
Alexander Doniphan-colonel, commander of the First Missouri Mounted Volunteers
Charles Bent-first civilian governor of new Mexico, owner of a trading post in Taos, New Mexico
Thomas Hart Benton-senator from Missouri, former aide to General Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812
John Fremont-captain, famous explorer
Kit Carson-guide, former fur trapper
Robert Stockton-commodore, Pacific Squadron of the American Navy
Santa Anna-President of Mexico
Winfield Scott-Commanding General of the U.S. Army

Sources:
A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, The Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent-Robert W. Merry
Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America-Walter R. Borneman
Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest-K. Jack Bauer
Agent of Destiny: The Life and Times of General Winfield Scott-John S. D. Eisenhower
So Far From God: The U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848-John S. D. Eisenhower
The Dead March: A History of the Mexican-American War-Peter Guardino
A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico-Amy S. Greenberg
A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and Its War with the United States-Timothy J. Henderson
Kearny's March: The Epic Creation of the American West, 1846-1847-Winston Groom
Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West-Hampton Sides
A Newer World: Kit Carson, John C. Fremont, and the Claiming of the American West-David Roberts
This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy-Matthew Karp
Heirs of the Founders: Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants-H. W. Brands
The Great Triumverate: Webster, Clay, and Calhoun-Merrill D. Peterson
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848-Daniel Walker Howe
Mexico: Biography of Power, A History of Modern Mexico, 1810-1996-Enrique Krauze, translated by Hank Heifetz

Image Credit:
By Adolphe Jean-Baptiste Bayot - Originally published in The War Between the United States and Mexico, Illustrated, 1851, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1178283