Summary & Background

Summary:

The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the Battle of Palo Alto which happened in the Rio Grande Valley. The Battle of Palo Alto was the first battle of the Mexican-American War. Palo Alto recalls the scenes described by soldiers in dozen of letters and diaries entries. By the students understanding the history of Palo Alto, they will gain outlook of their local history.

Background:

The battle that took place in Palo Alto was the first of many that occurred during the
Mexican-American War. It took place on May 8, 1846 in Brownsville, Texas. The battle initiated a series of events that would change the course of history for both nations. The
Mexican-American War occurred because America wanted to expand its territory across all of the North American continent as they wanted to fulfill America’s “Manifest Destiny”. Furthermore, the loss of sovereignty in its northern frontier was Mexico’s motive to fight in the war as their people had developed and settled across it since the 16th century. Mexico faced many invading forces including one led by General Zachary Taylor who later became the 12th president of the U.S. The war ended in February 2, 1848 with Mexico signing the Treaty of Guadalupe that awarded the United States an additional 525,000 square miles (land that makes up present day Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming).