War With Mexico

Mexican Soldiers

Did you know that part of Colorado was once Mexico? The Arkansas river was the border of Mexico in 1833 when Bent St. Vrain & Company built the fort. In fact the Santa Fe trail ended in Santa Fe which was also Mexico at that time.

American Dragoons

Before Texas became a state it was an independent republic (its own country). While Texas was an independent republic, they fought with Mexico over the boundary between Texas and Mexico. This fight was still unresolved when Texas became part of the United States in 1845. The United States then began to fight with Mexico over the border issue. This was the Mexican American War which started in 1846 and lasted until 1848.

Current map of the Southwest
(© randmcnally.com)

At the end of the war, all of Colorado and almost all of New Mexico and Arizona had become territory of the United States.

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