Document F

   U.S. Naval Commander John D. Sloat was ordered by the government to sail to California at the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.  Sloat was sent to California for two reasons:

   1. to make sure that the British did not attempt to seize California

   2. claim California in the name of the United States.

     When Sloat's forces arrived off the coast of Monterey California was in a period of economic decline.  The Mexican farming ranching industries had suffered heavy losses and the Mexican population had not effectively grown over the past decade.  There were 4,000 Californians of Spanish descent living in the territory.  The area's biggest city was San Diego with a population of 1,300 followed by Monterey with 1,000 then the cities of Santa Barbara and San Francisco with 800 people living in each community.  With such small numbers scattered around California, Sloat knew that the Mexican government would have a tough time defending the area.


 Your H.W. tonight is to finish marking up Document F.

   Then find 3 reasons why the Mexican-American War was not justified and use three quotes from the Primary Source Packet that supports those reasons.