Learning, Exploring and Discovering: Our Homeschool Life: California History Lesson 19 (Bear Flag Revolt)

California History

Bear Flag Revolt

Lesson 19

The United States wanted to expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. This was known as Manifest Destiny. This meant the United States needed to gain control of California. Mexico, however, refused to sell California to the United States. The economy of Mexican California was very weak. Only some of the landowners wanted Mexico to rule California. The Mexican government did not have the money to pay soldiers in California. Squatters who lived on California land without permission were afraid that the Mexican leader would attack them and make them leave. When James K. Polk became President, he sent Thomas O. Larkin to stir up the natives to revolt against Mexican rule. After tensions rose, John C. Fremont, with the support of President Polk, set out to attack an old fort in Sonoma. He had seen that California was not well defended and hoped to get control of California. American settlers rebelled and created the Bear Flag Republic. Those who marched into Sonoma called themselves Osos which is the Spanish word for “bear”. The Mexican general there was ready for the quarrels between the Californios and American settlers to end. He willingly surrendered; allowing papers to be drawn up and signed and himself to be taken into custody at Sutter’s Fort. The California Republic was born. This was to be known as the Bear Flag Revolt.

Fremont continued south to capture Monterey and Santa Barbara. A flag was raised in Monterey and then the ports of San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles were seized. The Californios rose up and forced out the American army from Los Angeles; but later it was recaptured by U.S. forces. The United States had declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846. The Mexican-American War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 3, 1848. The United States paid Mexico $15,000,000 and kept Texas, California and all the land in between. The Californios became citizens of the United States and were allowed to keep their land. The first Governor of California was General Kearny who had helped defeat Mexico. Nine days earlier, gold had been found in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Neither Spain nor Mexico had discovered any. The history of California might have been different if they had.

Activities:
1) True - False Statements Worksheet

Bear Flag Republic and Mexican-American War True or False Statements

1. Many people felt that the United States should expand to reach from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. This idea became known as Manifest Destiny. _________________

2. Mexico refused to sell California to the United States. _________________

3. The economy of Mexican California was very strong _________________

4. All the landowners wanted Mexico to rule California. _________________

5. The government in Mexico City did not have the money to pay soldiers in California. _________________

6. During his first expedition to the West, John C. Fremont noticed that California was well defended. _________________

7. John Fremont hoped to take control of California. _________________

8. Squatters who lived on California land without permission worried that California’s Mexican military leader, Jose Castro, would attack and make them leave. _________________

9. American settlers rebelled and created the Bear Flag Republic. _________________

10. The 30 settlers who marched into the town of Sonoma on June 14, 1846 called themselves the Osos. Oso is the Spanish word meaning “bear”. _________________

11. The Bear Flag Revolt began in Sacramento. _________________

12. The United States declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846. _________________

13. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-American War. _________________

14. After the Mexican-American War the Californios became citizens of the United States of America and could keep the land they had owned before the war. _________________

2) Shade states acquired from Mexico by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on a map.