Article
Henry J. Sage

Sage American History: The Republic of Texas and the Mexican American War

For Students 9th - 10th
Article on the history of Texas framed in a discussion of Spanish colonization to help readers better understand events leading to the Mexican-American War. With bullet pointed facts and links to primary source material.
Article
Henry J. Sage

Sage American History: Texas From American Settlement to Annexation 1820 1845

For Students 9th - 10th
Article in which the author takes us through the history of Texas from the time Americans arrived and settled in the area to annexation, and finally, war with Mexico over the territory. With photographs and links to related resources.
Article
Henry J. Sage

Sage American History: Expansion and War: The United States 1840 1860

For Students 9th - 10th
Article on the era of westward expansion and the resulting Mexican American War. The author demonstrates how Manifest Destiny and frontier settlement led to the annexation of Texas and ultimately war with Mexico over the territory.
Handout
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Stephen F. Austin

For Students 9th - 10th
Read this short biography of Stephen F. Austin, complete with links to primary documents involving the empresario known as "The Father of Texas."
Handout
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Interactives: The Nation Expands: Texas Annexation, 1845

For Students 6th - 8th
Explains how Texas came to become part of the Union in 1845, at its own request. This precipitated the Mexican-American War.
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Us History: 1844 1877: Annexing Texas

For Students 9th - 10th
Quickly following Texan independence, the United States admitted Texas into the republic as a slave state.
Article
US Department of State

U.s. Department of State: Office of the Historian: Milestones: 1830 1860

For Students 9th - 10th
Concisely written accounts of three important events in the history and shaping of Texas: the Annexation of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo.
Activity
Lone Star Junction

Lone Star Junction: Notable Texans Before 1900

For Students 9th - 10th
Lone Star Junction identifies an extensive list of high-profile Texans prior to 1900. A chart informs readers what general role in Texas history each person was involved in from Texas Revolution, Indian Wars, Civil War, and the...
Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

For Students 9th - 10th
An interactive exploration of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which was signed in 1848 and ended the Mexican-American War. Puts the treaty in context, makes reference to U.S. territorial gains, and includes links to larger images, a...
Graphic
University of Texas at Austin

Center for American History: Texas, Texans, and the Alamo

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an online exhibit of photographs and other momentos from throughout the colonization of the Mexican territory as well as during the war.
Handout
Son of the South

Son of the South: The History of Texas: Battle of Medina

For Students 9th - 10th
Written in the style of a narrative of events, read the stories surrounding the Battle of Medina in the Mexican War for Independence from Spain.
Handout
Texas A&M University

Sons of De Witt Colony Texas: Gutierrez De Lara: In Nuevo Santander

For Students 9th - 10th
Jose Gutierrez de Lara, the first governor of Mexican Texas, was determined to free Mexico from Spain. Read about the early Texas settlement of Nuevo Santander, and how it was settled by Spanish American colonists.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: "American Blood on American Soil"

For Students 5th - 8th
President James Polk's desire was for the United States to stretch from sea to shining sea. See what happened when his overatures to Mexico to buy the land north of the Rio Grande River were spurned. Take a brief vote to see if Polk was...
Article
Texas State Historical Association

Texas State Historical Association: Battle of Medina

For Students 9th - 10th
A concise synopsis of the Battle of Medina, a part of the Mexican War of Independence against Spanish authority in Mexico.
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: The Mexican War, 1803 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of northern and central Mexico and southern United states showing the area of conflict during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the Mexican boundary (under Spain) established by the Louisiana Purchase (1803)...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: The Mexican War, 1846 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of central Mexico and southern United States showing the important cities and battle sites of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the rivers of the contested boundaries that led to the war, the Rio Grande del Norte...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: The Mexican War, 1846 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of Mexico and southern United States showing the campaigns and battle sites of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the routes of Taylor, Wool, Kearny, Doniphan, and Scott, the pre-war boundaries of the United States...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Mexico and Texas, 1845 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of Mexico and Texas from the annexation of the Republic of Texas by the United States (1845) to the end of the Mexican-American War (1848). The map is color-coded to show the territory of Texas in 1845, the territory of dispute...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: War With Mexico, 1846 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of Mexico and southern United States showing the campaigns and battle sites of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the territory acquired from Mexico after the war, and the routes of Taylor, Wool, Kearny, Doniphan,...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: War With Mexico, 1846 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of Mexico and southern United States showing the campaigns and battle sites of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the routes of Taylor, Wool, Kearny, Doniphan, and Scott, the pre-war boundaries of the United States...
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: War With Mexico, 1846 1848

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico showing the principal campaigns and battle sites of the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848.
Graphic
Curated OER

Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana: Fort Jesup

For Students 9th - 10th
Fort Jesup was built in 1822 to help protect the western border between American and Spanish territories. Under the command of future U.S. President Zachary Taylor, soldiers at the fort monitored Texas as it passed from Spanish and...
Graphic
Curated OER

Etc: Territorial Growth of the United States, 1783 1900

For Students 9th - 10th
A map from 1911 of the United States showing the territorial acquisitions from the original states and territory established in 1783 to the Tripartite Convention of 1899 in which Germany and the United States divided the Samoan...
Graphic
Curated OER

Etc: Maps Etc: Admission of States to the Union, 1899

For Students 9th - 10th
A map from 1899 of the United States showing the growth of the nation from the original States in 1783 to the admission of Utah into the Union in 1896. The map shows the Northwest Territory claimed at the end of the American...