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Lesson 77 of 84 ยท Westward Expansion

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The Mexican-American War

๐ŸŒMission Brief #77

The Mexican-American War took place from 1846 to 1848 and was primarily driven by the United States' desire to expand its territory.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Connect the dots between past and present.

โšก The twist

There's always more than one side to the story.

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Mind = Blown

๐Ÿคฏ The world is wilder and weirder than the textbook makes it look.

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Then & Now

๐Ÿ•ฐ๏ธ History isn't really 'history' โ€” it shapes today, every day.

The Mexican-American War took place from 1846 to 1848 and was primarily driven by the United States' desire to expand its territory. Tensions escalated when the U.S. annexed Texas, which had won independence from Mexico. This led to disputes over borders and resulted in armed conflict. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which resulted in the U.S. acquiring significant territories, including California and New Mexico. The conflict had lasting implications, reshaping the map of North America and intensifying debates over slavery in the newly acquired territories.

Key Facts

1

The Mexican-American War lasted from 1846 to 1848.

2

The U.S. annexation of Texas triggered the war.

3

The war ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 2

What event triggered the Mexican-American War?

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Why this still matters

This shapes your daily life in ways you stopped noticing.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Connect what you learned to one real thing in your world this week.

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For the dinner table

โ€œWhat's the most surprising thing you learned today?โ€

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The Mexican-American War โ€” Westward Expansion | 5th Grade Social Studies | LittleActivity | LittleActivity