"Wonder how many Mexicans were in what is now America at that time" About 2-300k total population in CA, NM, AZ, NV, UT, and CO. That was well under the popula

"Wonder how many Mexicans were in what is now America at that time" About 2-300k total population in CA, NM, AZ, NV, UT, and CO. That was well under the population of several native tribes on the same land. And the ones in NM were not even officially Mexicans; they were loyal to the Spanish crown and refused to pay taxes to Mexico City. When General Kearny arrived in Santa Fe '46, there was a parade instead of a battle because Mexico and the Navaho would have to stop raiding them now they were American. The Mexican claim to America's southwest was just a line on a map -- total indefensible and non credible. In fact, it was just like America's border enforcement today.