Part II. Learning Activities

  1. Title Poster. The image on the title panel is a montage of both Mexican and Yanqui images, published in Barcelona, Spain, some time between 1883 and 1890. 

    • Identify each image in terms of national reference and explain how they all relate to the war.
    • What effect does this poster have on you? Does it make you feel inspired? sad? uncertain? proud?
    • Write a poem in four lines to respond to the picture.

  2. The End of the War. Why does this exhibit begin at the end of the war?

    • Look closely at the picture, "General Scott Enters Mexico."
    • What does it tell you about the relationship of Mexico and the United States as of September 1847?
    • Identify the details that convey how various people feel about the way the war has ended.
    • Who is the artist? What can you learn about him? Where will you look for information?
    • Write a paragraph of three sentences telling about the artist and this work.

  3. The Preface to War.  James K. Polk is described by historians as a dark-horse candidate and “Manifest Destiny boy.”

    • What do these two terms mean? Where did they originate?
    • What do you assume about Polk when you hear him related to Manifest Destiny?
    1. Observe the sheet music title on Panel 3: "Texas Annexation March and Quick Step." Look through the exhibit for other examples of sheet music. Answer the following questions by using information from reference sources and your own experience.
    • Why were these songs written? Who heard them most often?
    • Have you ever heard any of these songs performed?
    • How can you get a copy of any one of these songs?
    • Have you heard any music from the Civil War?
    • Do you know of any music composed for World War I or World War II?
    • What about the Korean or Vietnam wars?
    • What is your opinion of music that is composed for war?
    • Name the composer and the war related to each of the following works:
      a. "The 1812 Overture"  b. "Wellington's Victory March"   c. "Victory at Sea"
    1. Write a 5-sentence description of the United States based on details of the 1844 campaign banner (panel 3). What can you always learn about the United States from viewing a flag?

  4. The First Battles. What is meant by saying that the two battle scenes on panel 4 are Napoleonic in style?

    • Where will you look for information that will explain the meaning of this term?
    • Write a bibliography (booklist) naming at least three different reference sources (an encyclopedia, a specialized dictionary, art history book, etc.) 
    • Where will you look for directions to writing a proper bibliography?

  5. Yanqui Propaganda. Look at the two images relating to Texas Rangers on Panel 5. Do they criticize the Rangers unfairly?

    • How do the Ranger images compare with the sailor and soldier?
    • How do these images compare with the "Rio Grande Quick March" and the "Death of Major Ringgold"?
    • Select two images which seem diametrically opposed to each other and develop a story-line that links the two together. Prepare a 3-minute oral presentation based on your story that either supports or opposes the war.

  6. Theater of Operations. Study the map.

    • What changes have occurred since 1848 in the shape of California, New Mexico, Texas, Indian Territory, Missouri Territory, Oregon Territory?
    • Find the Canadian border and the Mexican border. How have these changed since the map was made? When did these changes occur?

    Print out a black-and-white copy of the map. Write in the name each state in the union and its capital, as shown on this map. What was the population of each state at this time?


  7. What was life like for the people of New Mexico and California before the Mexican War?

    • How would life in New Mexico be different from life in California?
    • What were the advantages and/or disadvantages of being part of Mexico?
    • How would things change if these lands were part of the United States?
    • Can you find a movie or a documentary video or a novel that gives a sense of life before the Mexican War?

  8. The following activity for grades 9-12, adaptable also for students in community colleges and universities, comes from "Social Studies School Service, Simulations in US. History, Involvement II, Part II, Unit 7." It is a collection of letters and speeches highlighting the events leading up to the Mexican War. Students are asked to read the documents, and write out a position paper explaining what caused the war and which nation was primarily responsible. They are to defend their position with three arguments.


  9. An alternate procedure is to divide the class into three groups, those who feel the US. was at fault, those who feel that Mexico was at fault, and those who cannot decide. Have a debate over the issue and end with a vote on whether or not to go to war.


  10. Monterrey. In illustrations of the Battle of Monterrey, how is the scene by J. Michaud different from the scenes drawn by Carl Nebel and D.P. Whiting? 

    • What impression is conveyed by Nebel's depiction? What is the most noticeable detail in his view?
    • What details are most striking in the Whiting depiction, "Heights of Monterey"?
    • Draw a chart with three columns, one for each illustration, and write a list of five words that best describe each picture. Compare your lists with those of your neighbor.

  11. The Enigma of Mexico. What is an enigma? Who was Santa Anna?

    • What role did he play in the development of the United States?
    • Historians disagree about how many times he served as President or, at least, military leader of Mexico; some say five times, others, as many as eleven times.
    • Can you account for his endurance? What was it about the political culture of Mexico that made this possible?
    • Read a biography of Santa Anna and write a one-page report.
    • Also, look at the portrait of his wife in "Mexico: Splendors of 30 Centuries." What does this convey?

  12. Politics and Generals. Find a definitive biography for each of the following and read two for a comparative study:

    • James K. Polk
    • Zachary Taylor
    • Winfield Scott
    • Antonio López de Santa Anna.

    Read at least three reviews for each of the two books. Use additional references to write a research paper of at least 10 pages comparing the two leaders that you chose.

  13. El Soldado Mexicano. Where will you look for information on Mexican soldiers during the war?

    • Assume that  you are the California Lancer or one of the soldiers in "Mexican Soldiers on the Move." Make up a story about this day in your life.
    • Where are you going? Why are you going there? What is it like to be on the move?

  14. Yanqui Volunteers. Look at "Camp Washing Day" and "Verses and Sketches." Read the letter from Buena Vista or the Journal of John Meginness. What does life seem to be like for the Yankee soldiers?

    • Pretend that you are a soldier writing a letter home to your family.
    • What will you talk about?
    • How do you want them to feel after reading your letter?
    • How will your letter reach them?
    • How long will it take?

  15. Buena Vista. Historians have considered the Battle of Buena Vista one of the classic examples of military combat and have ranked it as one of the most important battles fought in history, despite the fact that  there is no victor. How do you explain the importance attached to this battle?

    • The title of the drawing by Currier reads: "Battle of Buena Vista, Fought February 23, 1847, in which the American Army under General Taylor were completely Victorious." Why would he choose this title?
    • What did Zachary Taylor do after this battle?

  16. Veracruz. Find a description of the port and the city of Veracruz as they existed in 1847, and compare with a description of the present day site.  What aspects have changed? What have remained the same?

    • Considering that Veracruz is much closer to central Mexico than is the Border, why did the US. not make a landing earlier?

  17. The Human Cost of the War. Look closely at the lithograph, "Scene in Vera Cruz During the Bombardment." Assume that you are America's first foreign war correspondent and write a story of this scene for your newspaper back home. Next, assume that you are a reporter for a Mexican newspaper and write a story of the same event.

    • How will the two stories differ? 
    • Will one story be more true than the other? 
    • Look at the painting, "Mexican News." What story does it tell?
    • Can you see a relationship between "Memorial to the Mexican Dead (Our Lady of Guadalupe)" and the sheet music "The Warlike Dead in Mexico"?

  18. Support and Opposition: The Forms of Propaganda. Which images on this panel reflect support for the war? Which suggest opposition?

    • Select one image and explain how it would instill patriotism in the viewer or user.
    • Can you name an artifact or photograph from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or the two Persian Gulf Wars that encouraged viewers to support the war?
    • Can you find pictures that have led viewers to oppose a war? 
    • Read Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" and discuss why he opposes the war. Compare his essay with the story of John Quincy Adams' opposition. Are their reasons the same?  Why did Lincoln not support the war? What happened to him as a consequence?

  19. Who were the San Patricios? Why did they desert and join the Mexicans? Why do most people know so little about this aspect of the war?

    • Who is Samuel Chamberlain, who depicts the hanging of the San Patricios?

  20. Suppose you are led into a pointless battle. How will you feel when you learn that the battle was unnecessary? How do you suppose the American soldiers responded? Why did the Mexican soldiers defend the mill so fiercely, if it did not contain munitions?


  21. Chapultepec (Panels 23, 24). Who are the niños héroes? Why are they the focus of attention in present-day Mexican ceremonies?

    • How was Chapultepec Castle used in 1847? When was the castle used as an imperial palace? as a presidential palace? How is the castle used today?

  22. The Occupation of Mexico (Panel 25). Note the documents: two copies of the treaty, the page of a newspaper, and a copy of the general orders issued by Winfield Scott on September 14, 1847. Look also at the picture on panel 2: General Scott Enters Mexico. How have the documents influenced subsequent relations between the United States and Mexico? What feelings does the picture suggest?


  23. What does the map on Panel 26 tell you?  Did the doctrine of Manifest Destiny demand war? By what other means did the United States obtain continental territory?


  24. Make a vocabulary list of 25 Spanish words used in the Spanish text for the exhibit. Look these words up in a Spanish-English dictionary and write out the English translation beside the original word. Check your English word against the English text for the exhibit. Is your word the same?


  25. Translate the English captions for one panel of the exhibit into Spanish. Compare your translation with the Spanish version provided. Do you agree with the choice of words and phrases on the electronic exhibit?  Could you suggest options or improvements? Use the e-mail address to communicate your ideas and questions about translations.