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Mexican American war and manifest destiny
Mexican American war and manifest destiny
Mexican American war and manifest destiny
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Reasons For the Annexation of Texas The Annexation of Texas was one of the most debatable events in American history. The question at hand would deeply impact the United States for generations to come. There was on one side a long list of reasons for why to not allow annexation, but there was the same kind of list on the other side for reasons to push forward for annexation. Some of these reasons of both sides were slaves, war, manifest destiny, politics , and constitutional rights. Also the way Texas began in a way said that they should be apart of the United States In the end there were more important reasons for annex Texas into the union, than to leave Texas the was she was. From the early days of pioneers and settlers, thousands of Americans began to move into what would become Texas. The Mexican government was wanting to populate the Texas area to increase the economy. For a long period of time the Mexican government had placed many laws on the territory, but none that were deeply inforced. Finally when a new dictatorship came into power, they began to enforce the laws. Slavery among other issues was the big problem with the American Settlers, which with in a few years out numbered the Mexican population twice if not more in Texas. The United States had been trying to purchase Texas and other territories unsuccessfully. A movement began to stir in Texas for revolution. The American Settlers were tired of Mexican dictatorship and wanted the same freedoms they enjoyed back in America. So with a little bit more influence from America a revolt was formed. Eventually Texas would capture Santa Anna the Mexican dictator and with independence for Texas. So a major reason for Texas to be annexed into the United States was that the overwhelming majority of the population was former Americans. From the very time of winning independence, annexation of Texas to the United States was at the top of the list of things to do. But as soon as the Texas minister was sent to Washington to neglagate for an annexation, the Martin Van Buren administration told that the proposition could not be entertained. The reasons given were constitutional scruples and fear of war with Mexico. The real reason behind Washington’s excuses was slavery. From the very second the words of annexation of Texas hit the US borders anti-slavery activists were on the ball... ... middle of paper ... ... to brake apart into four other states. Thus creating four sovereign states out of one. Texas would use that money to pay off its national debt and set up an educational fund. So in the end it was a great deal politically. Even though there still were a few down sides, most of which would have came anyways. Though we will never know, that if Texas had not been annexed, if the Civil war would have still taken place. But with the coarse of events that had happened prier to the annexation it would seem that the country was already headed into that direction. If so the Civil war may have still taken place even if Texas had not been annexed. The great fear of a war with Mexico would have also inevitably have still have taken place. Manifest Destiny would have push for the war because it was the only way to get to the Pacific. Therefore, it was for the greater good of United States of America to have proceeded in the coarse it chose, too annex The Republic of Texas into the union. For if Texas had not been admitted, not only would the boundaries of the United States be changed, but the entire history, government, and the American way of life would have been altered.
On June 23, 1845, the Republic of Texas was annexed to the U.S. as a slave state. Foley notes "the annexation of Texas as a slave state…became the great white hope of northern expansionists anxious to emancipate the nation from blacks, who, it was hoped, would find a home among the kindred population of 'colored races' in Mexico."(20) But rather than uniting as kindred races, discord between poor whites, African Americans and Mexicans resulted from competition for farmland as either tenant farmers or sharecroppers.
Even throughout continuously losing battle after battle, Mexico thought that Texas was theirs. Still, the United States was still justified in going to war with Mexico. Mexico thought that they were at Texas first and that, that meant that they had the right to call the land theirs but Americans counteracted that they were positive that Texas was theirs and God even tells them that it is destiny to have Texas.
Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836. In the year 1844, James K. Polk was elected president. He was a strong believer in manifest destiny. Congress decided to annex Texas into the United States. Mexico felt that America stole Texas from them.
got their land from Mexico through war. The war with Mexico killed many people for the United States personal benefit of getting more land. At the beginning of the essay we had one question, was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico. The answer to this debatable question was that the United States did not have a good reason to go to war with Mexico, This was proven by the Manifest Destiny showed that “God’s” words told the U.S. to go out and take other people's land, which is totally wrong. Next border disputes occurred leading the U.S. to use it as an excuse to start the war with Mexico. And lastly the American viewpoint showed that the U.S. did not follow the laws of having Texas as a slave free place. These topics all show that the United States had to use something to make an excuse to start the war since they had no good reason to do
Southern slave owners. Citizens of the U.S. where starting to move to Texas and the Mexicans welcomed them to settle because they thought it would be a good idea (Doc D). Soon after, Mexico realized that cultural effects would become be a big factor in differences (Doc D). In Mexico slavery was illegal at the time but because it was still allowed in the U.S. the slave holders defied Mexico's laws and took there slaves with them across the Sabine river into Mexico (Doc D). Obviously Mexico didn’t enforce their anti-slavery laws (Doc D). Since Mexico didn’t enforce certain laws it made them look weak to other people, so the United States took over Texas. The citizens expected Texas to become part of the U.S. and that was finally fulfilled.
The American way of living and thinking in Texas have changed tremendously over the past century. Political ideals are one thing that changes with time, and have transformed with the changing times well. The Texas constitution of 1876 was a landmark for the state and has been part of the state’s history since then. The Texas constitution of 1876 is still in use today but with all its harsh restrictions it is considered one of the most confusing of all the state constitutions. The constitution became one of the most prominent changes to Texas education system and politics.
Just before Polk's presidency Texas had freed itself from Mexican rule and desired American annexation. This desire came from thousands of former American citizens that settled in Texas in the 1820s. This was due to the Mexican government supplying huge land grants to entice new settlers to Texas and secure its northern border from America. The Mexican government failed to realize the true impact that their persuasion of Americans for settlement would cause. In 1830, Mexico finally put a freeze on all American immigration due to the large number of American settlers and their certain revolution. In 1836, The Republic of Texas was est...
...negotiate. In 1846 alone, the position new hands four times, the war office six times and the finance office sixteen times. But, Mexican public opinion and all political groups agreed that selling the territories to the United States would ruin the national honor. Mexicans who similar direct conflict with the United States, including President José Joaquín de Herrera, were viewed as traitors. Military opponents of de Herrera supported by populist newspapers, considered Slidell's presence in Mexico City an insult. When de Herrera considered receiving Slidell to settle the problem of Texas annexation peacefully, he was accused of treason and removed. After a more nationalistic government under General Mariano Paredes y Arrillaga came to power, it publicly reaffirmed Mexico's claim to Texas; Slidell, convinced that Mexico should be "chastised", returned to the U.S.
The years 1840 to 1890 were a period of great growth for the United States. It was during this time period that the United states came to the conclusion that it had a manifest destiny, that is, it was commanded by god to someday occupy the entire North American continent. One of the most ardent followers of this belief was President James K. Polk. He felt that the United States had the right to whatever amount of territory it chose to, and in doing this the United States was actually doing a favor for the land it seized, by introducing it to the highly advanced culture and way of life of Americans. Shortly after his election he annexed Texas. This added a great amount of land to the United States, but more was to follow. The Oregon Territory became a part of the United States is 1846, followed by the Mexican Cession in 1848 and the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. At this point the United States had accomplished its manifest destiny, it reached from east to west, from sea to shining sea. Now that the lands it so desired were finally there, the United States faced a new problem- how to get its people to settle these lands so they would actually be worth having. Realistically, it is great to have a lot of land, but if the land is unpopulated and undeveloped, it really isn't worth much. And the government of the United States knew this. One of the reasons that many did not choose to settle there immediately was that the lands were quite simply in the middle of nowhere. They were surrounded by mountains, inhabited by hostile Indians, and poor for farming. Because of these geographical conditions, the government was forced to intervene to coax its citizens into settling the new lands. Basically the lands were not settled because they were available, they were settled because of various schemes the government concocted to make them seem desirable.
As more Americans moved west and into Texas it became evident. that there was going to be a continued clash between Mexico and the white frontiersmen who quickly flooded. certain areas of the world. The American government wanted to purchase this valuable land but eventually it was taken by Americans. frontiersmen where it was declared its own realm.
Now, the Mexican Revolution was just a small beginning for the eventual state of Texas. Back in 1809, Texas was just a provenance in the Spanish Empire and its inhabitants were mostly converted Native Americans and people of Spanish descent, but not native born of Spain. The Spanish born people had more rights and were, according to the law, superior to all others. This and more oppression by the Spanish against the Mexicans (i.e. the Native Americans and non-Spanish born), caused an uprising by the common people that was started by a Catholic priest in 1809. It would take 16 more years before Mexico had won its independence from Spain like the US had from Great Britain.
In times before the confrontation at the Alamo, the Mexican government welcomed settlers into Texas. The motive behind Mexico’s act was to create a buffer zone between Mexican settlements and the Indians. Settlers were able to come to Texas as long as they promised to convert to Catholicism and become Mexican citizens among other stipulations. Moreover, Mexico had further problems, the most noticeable was Mexico’ s financial standing. The independence movement that freed Mexico from Spain also left Mexico “dead broke;” furthermore, they had no real way of watching or parenting the fledgling Texas. Hence, Texas became accustom to doing things without Mexico interfering. Soon after Mexico opened the door to Texas the population of settlers grew to make up 75 per cent of the whole population. This could be seen as a bad thing to the Mexican government because if Texas became entirely made up of settlers what was to stop Texas from breaking away from Mexico for good. To add to the pressure pot the settlers were illegally trading, and engaging in illegal slavery, among other illegal acts. According to Walter Lord the American Settlers refused to pay any form of tax, in fact according to Lord’s figures only 1,665 pesos where collected from Texas in Two years.
It is very clear that Texans supported slavery, were advocates for states’ rights, and were very passionate for Texas. These are probably the main reasons for Texans marching off into the Civil War. These also may have been the reasons why Texans stayed fighting the bloody battle of America. During the Civil War, the South and the North were enemies, but today, Texas can live up to it’s origins-Tejas; those who are
The main cause for the Texas insurrection was the difference of opinions that U.S. Anglos had from Mexican government and the U.S. citizen’s refusal to cooperate with the Mexican government. In the 1820s Stephen F. Austin was able to get approval from Mexican government to allow U.S. citizens to settle in Texas. Mexico wanted the requirement that the U.S. citizens entering into Texas to convert to Catholicism, learn Spanish, and be loyal to the Mexican government. But the U.S. citizens disagreed with this and were allowed concessions from the state government on issues of slavery, taxations, and converting to Catholicism. U.S. Anglos wanted to stick with traditional American frontier institution wanting a local armed militia for protection
Throughout the years people wondered why it is important to study Texas history and its events. One of the main events, people should study or have acknowledge of, is about The Texas revolution which has been the most significant event in Texas that initiated on October 2, 1835 and ended on April 21, 1836. The revolution allowed Texas to gain its independence from Mexico and its dictatorship. During the revolution they’re has been important events that mark this revolution, whether it’s the battles, the abolition of the federal constitution, and its influential leaders who led Texas to be an independent state.