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The Mexican War
墨西哥战争
Texashad been an independent republic for nine years, having gained independence in 1835 after defeating the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto. It was recognized as a nation by France, Great Britain, and the United States, but the goal of many Texans was to become part of the United States.
1835年，在圣哈辛托战役中击败墨西哥军队后，德克萨斯州获得独立，至1845年已有9年的历史了。虽然德克萨斯被法国、英国和美国承认是一个独立的国家，但大部分德克萨斯人却想归属美国。
Many Americans also felt that as part of the nation's "Manifest Destiny" to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the United States should take steps to annex Texas, the Oregon Territory, California, and the rest of the southwest. In 1844, James K. Polk was elected president, and he began to realize this dream. Just before President John Tyler left office in 1845, Congress passed a joint resolution to annex Texas. Polk then sent an agent to California to support a revolution against Mexican control if one should break out. He also sent John Slidell to Mexico with an offer to buy New Mexico and California for $30 million, but Mexican officials refused to talk to him. In 1846, the boundary dispute with Great Britain over the Oregon Territory was finally settled. The northern border of the United States would be extended along the 49th parallel to the Pacific Ocean.
很多美国人认为，美国应该采取措施吞并德克萨斯、俄勒冈区域、加利福尼亚和西南地区的其他领地，认为这是美国从大西洋向太平洋扩张的“天定命运”的一部分。1844年詹姆斯·K.波尔克当选总统，于是开始努力去实现这一梦想。在1845年上一任总统约翰·泰勒离职以前，美国国会就通过了吞并德克萨斯的议案。波尔克上任后，他先派代理人去加利福尼亚，支持当地人举行的反对墨西哥领导的重大变革，继而又派约翰·斯莱德尔去墨西哥，与墨西哥政府谈判以30,000,000美元低价赎买墨西哥和加利福尼亚，然而墨西哥官员拒绝与其交涉。1846年，就俄勒冈区域界限的争议与英国达成一致。美国北部边界线扩伸至沿太平洋北纬49°。
Trouble with Mexico erupted over a border dispute in Texas. The United States claimed that the border between Texas and Mexico should be the Rio Grande River, while the Mexicans claimed the border was farther north at the Nueces River. President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to take an army into the disputed region, and in April 1846, one of Taylor's patrols was attacked by Mexican troops. Claiming that "American blood has been shed on American soil" Polk asked Congress to declare war. Congress passed the declaration of war, although congressmen such as Abraham Lincoln and John C. Calhoun believed the war was just an excuse to seize land.
就德克萨斯边界线的争议致使美国与墨西哥两国之间的动乱终于爆发。美国声称德克萨斯与墨西哥应该以格兰德河为界，而墨西哥人认为边界线应该设在往北一些的纽埃西斯河。波尔克总统命令扎卡里·泰勒将军率兵前往争议地区。1846年4月，泰勒的一支巡逻队遭到墨西哥军队的袭击。波尔克总统声称“美国人的血已经流到了美国的土地上”，请求国会向墨西哥宣战。虽然亚伯拉罕·林肯和约翰·C.卡尔霍恩等议会会员认为宣战只是侵占领土的一个借口，但议会还是通过了宣战请求。
The Americans attacked on several fronts. Taylor's army advanced into the region south of the Rio Grande, winning victories at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma in May 1846. He captured Monterrey in September, and his victory over Santa Anna at Buena Vista in February 1847 ended fighting in northern Mexico. An army led by General Stephen Kearny captured Santa Fe and moved across the deserts and mountains into California. General Winfield Scott was sent to capture Mexico City. After victories at Vera Cruz and other cities along the way, Scott captured the capital city on September 14, 1847.
美军在几个地区开战。泰勒的军队挺进格兰德河以南地区，1846年5月，分别在帕洛阿尔托战役和雷萨卡的拉帕尔瓦战役中取得了胜利。同年9月他占领了蒙特雷，1847年2月在布埃纳维斯战役中击败圣塔·安那后结束了墨西哥北部的战斗。另一支由斯蒂芬·科尔尼将军领导的军队占领了圣达菲，继而又穿过沙漠和高山挺进加利福尼亚。温菲尔德·斯科特将军被派去攻占墨西哥城。在攻占维拉克鲁斯和沿途的城市后，斯科特于1847年9月14日成功地占领了墨西哥城这个首都城市。
Congress approved the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to end the war on February 2, 1848. Mexico agreed to give up all claims to Texas, establish the Texas border at the Rio Grande, and cede California and the New Mexico territory to the United States for $15 million. This added over 500,000 square miles to the United States.
1848年2月2日，美国议会通过了《瓜达卢佩·伊达尔戈条约》，结束了战争。墨西哥放弃了所有对德克萨斯的所有权，把格兰德河订为德克萨斯州的边界，并同意以15,000,000美元低价把加利福尼亚和新墨西哥割让与美国。这让美国一下子就增加了5,000,000平方米的领土。
Words and Phrases 单词和短语
the Battle of San Jacinto 圣哈辛托战役
manifest ['mænifest] adj. 明白的，明显的
destiny ['destini] n. 命运，天数
Manifest Destiny n. 昭昭天命（美国领土扩张的借口）；天定命运
stretch [stretʃ] v. 延伸
annex [ə'neks] vt. 并吞，兼并，霸占
Texas ['teksəs] n. 德克萨斯州（美国州名）
Oregon ['ɔrigən] n. 俄勒冈州（美国州名）
joint resolution n. 上下两议院的共同决议案
parallel ['pærəlel] n. 纬线，纬圈
erupt [i'rʌpt] vi. 爆发；突然发生
patrol [pə'trəul] n. 巡逻，巡逻队
declare war 宣战
declaration [ˌdeklə'reiʃən] n. 宣布，宣告，声明
capture ['kæptʃə] vt. 俘获；夺取，占领
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 瓜达卢佩•伊达尔戈条约
claim [kleim] n.要求；主张
cede [si:d] vt. 让给，割让；放弃
课外练习
用北美洲地图、美国地图和墨西哥地图分别找出以下位置。
1. 格兰德河 2. 纽埃西斯河 3. 蒙特雷 4. 维拉克鲁斯 5. 墨西哥城
6. 圣达菲 7. 墨西哥－美国边界 8. 加拿大－美国边界
用美国小孩的方法学英语最有效
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