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Causes and effects of mexican american war
Essay about mexican-american war
Causes and effects of mexican american war
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Justified or Not? Did the United States have a plausible reason to go to war with Mexico? Like many other wars that have happened thus far, it had its supporters and opposers. The Mexican-American War lasted for nearly two years (1846-1848) and ended rather abruptly. This territorial dispute resulted in a lot of unnecessary blood shed and the only thing gained was a piece of land that was known as Texas. There are many conflicts that still reside over this topic; the major one being: was it justifiable? To begin with, the growing populations West of the Mississippi wanted more land and pressured the government into annexing Texas, Oregon, and other territories (Textbook 354). About twenty years before this, Mexico declared their independence …show more content…
This two year war was over the land of Texas, or any land in between the US and the Pacific Ocean, and who would own it. With a single misunderstandment, sixteen American troops and an unknown amount of Mexican troops were killed; Polk saw this as a means to war. American troops were outnumbered and attacked by the Texas-established border of Rio Grande. Both sides considered Texas to be theirs, although Texas had been annexed to the United States. Many saw the annexation of Texas as a curse, but some saw it as a blessing. One in particular, John L. O’Sullivan, states that the American citizens should embrace Texas with hospitality and that soon enough California will be theirs too. He states that although weak, Mexico has challenged the nation and is restricting them from completing the plans of God (DOC A). To have a war, both houses of Congress must consent. After Polk’s War Message that stated he had stationed troops at Rio Grande to protect Texas; it was his duty because Texas was now a part of the Union now. He tells of the attack and then states that Mexico has crossed a line and now they must not surrender, they must fight back. On May 13, 1846 the houses voted; in the US Senate it was forty to two, in the House of Representatives it was one hundred and seventy-four to fourteen (DOC B). From Mexico’s viewpoint, they saw the annexation of Texas to be “inadmissible for both legal and security reasons” (DOC C). …show more content…
Many states like Massachusetts objected the war. Charles Sumner, a state legislator, states in his “Objections to the Mexican-American War” that Mexico should just charge the United States with robbery. He also says that by expanding slavery, American citizens denied “the great truths of American freedom” (DOC D). Sumner saw Mexico as pure because they rejected slavery, while many parts of America were pro-slavery. Although annexed to the US, it was never really clear what was going on with Texas. It went from one nation to another without hesitation. Yes, Texas left Mexico but Texans knew that the Mexican government would never accept the annexation to America. This war was not justified, they could have had various meetings and talked it out like many generations have done before. Both sides made rash decisions and for that many troops paid the price. The United States could of found another way, but greed clouded the minds of many and would not let go until it had what it wanted: more
Rodolfo Acuña and Norman A. Graebner take opposing standpoints on this topic. Acuña takes the standpoint that the Americans took advantage of the Mexican government, which was young and unstable at the time. He argued that the United States waged an unjust war solely for the acquisition of new lands. His excerpt from Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, 3rd Edition provided the basis for his argument. On the other hand, Graebner took the standpoint that President James Polk pushed a policy, enforced by a stronger nation, to force Mexico to sell New Mexico and California and recognize the annexation of Texas to the United States without starting a war. His argument was taken from his article “The Mexican War: A Study in Causation”. Both sides of the American Imperialism argument contain their own strengths. However, after the examination of the articles, Graebner proposes a more convincing
Many people do not know that the Mexican War had increased the United States by 50%. The Mexican War started in 1846 and ended in 1848 and took place mostly south of the Rio Grande. What forced Mexico to declare war was the annexation of Texas, the citizens in Texas disobeying the Mexican laws, and Americans crossing the border. Do you think the United States had enough justification for going to war with Mexico? The United States was justified in going to war with Mexico because the United States’ Manifest Destiny beliefs, the Mexicans passed the border of Rio Grande, and the American citizens supported going to war.
Later they wanted to annex it but Mexico said that any attempts to annex Texas would be an act of war. The Mexican War started in 1846, when Mexicans attacked a group of United States soldiers, under the command of Zachary Taylor, in a disputed zone on the border of United States and Mexico, killing about a dozen American soldiers. President Polk told the U.S. Congress that the “cup of forbearance has been exhausted” which means the Mexicans hit the last straw and it is time for war. President Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to Nueces River vs. Rio Grande to poke the Mexicans to shoot and they did. The Mexicans have shed “American blood upon American soil.” The United States wanted war with Mexico now they have a reason to declare war ( History.com
The war between Mexico and the United States started in 1846, should the United States go to war with Mexico? The United States was indeed justified in going to war with Mexico, because 16 Americans lost their lives in a battle with Mexico. Second, Mexicans were mad about the revolution, and Mexico treated U.S. diplomats poorly. Many mini-huge and impactful battles took place to unite the country and to fulfill God’s will to take all the land. While trying to execute Manifest Destiny, 16 Americans killed for the right but made a sacrifice to take dominance over Mexico.
This caused conflict between the two countries. Is it right for the United States to declare war against Mexico? America was justified in going to war with Mexico because they could gain economic benefits, Mexico threatened America first, and citizens and James K. Polk wanted to fulfill their manifest destiny. Another reason that the Mexican War was justified was because Mexico had already threatened the United States by advancing past the boundary of the United States.
Through Manifest Destiny, the U.S. conquered many new territories. Ever since the U.S. became its own country, they always wanted more land. They thought that the Manifest Destiny gave them the right to expand and conquer more land. The United States were offered a deal known as the Louisiana Purchase which doubled their size. Even after they received this land, they were thirsty for more. They wanted to have Texas as their own. After Texas got their independence from Mexico, President Polk annexed it. Polk had his eye set on California next. But before he could get California, he had to deal with border dispute in Texas, leading to the war with Mexico. So, did the United States have a good reason to go to war with Mexico? The answer is simple, the U.S. was not justified into going to war with Mexico. This is proven through the Manifest Destiny, border disputes, and an American viewpoint on the war.
Was the United States Justified in Going to War with Mexico? The Mexican War, or the "U.S. Invasion" (according to the Mexicans) started on April 24, 1826. Many Americans and Mexicans died fighting in the Mexican War. This war was nothing compared to the Civil War just 15 years later but it was heart breaking for everyone at that time. At the end of the war half of the country of Mexico was taken by the United States as a war prize. So, was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico? I think the U.S. was unjustified to go to war with Mexico because, the United states provokes the war and starts the war, the only reason they had the Mexican war was to gain land and lastly Texas was stolen from Mexico by southern slave owners.
The Mexican-American War - Debate The Mexican-American war began in 1846, but reasons for the war began much earlier when Mexico made the crucial decision to entice settlers to Texas, with the promise of affordable land grants, actions which eventually led to the annexation of Texas by the United States. All they had to do was accept Mexico 's requirements of becoming citizens, speaking Spanish and converting to Catholicism, this to people who were use to a government that people had rights and freedoms, not experienced in Mexico. Mexico wanted them to develop these long uninhibited lands of Texas, in hopes that it would promote development in the area.(Nardo, 1991, p. 16). The selling of land grants started in the 1820s and the Mexican-American James W. Fannin took over the garrison at Goliad manning it with 350 untrained volunteers with guns, who would be considered pirates to Mexico.
The United States was not justified in going to war with Mexico because America came in and broke the laws, there were no borders for Texas, and America stole Mexico's land. Tejanos(Mexicans) invited Americans in to settle in Texas. Americans also known as Anglos Broke most of the few laws Mexico made. There was a war for the independence of Texas. A couple years later, President Polk went to go ask Mexico for some of their land because of their belief called Manifest destiny.
In 1845 the U.S attempted to Annex Texas. Basically America wanted Texas to become one of the states rather then and independent nation by itself. At this time Texas was an independent nation that was not a part of America or Mexico. Mexico wanted to keep Texas neutral if not a part of its own country. When the U.S attempted to annex Texas Mexico became outraged, " In November 1843 Mexico had warned that if the United States should commit the 'unheard-of aggression' of seizing an integral part of 'Mexican territory' Mexico would declare war " (Bound for the Rio Grande, 62). Despite the warning the U.S attempted to annex Texas. In doing so Mexico retaliated by breaking off all diplomatic relations with the U.S. Mexico felt that the U.S was insulting them by not taking them seriously when they threatened with war. So at this point America showed a very large interest in possessing Texas. America was very close to actually acquiring Texas when they made their first mistake in the war.
On May 31, 1846, President James K. Polk declared war. A small California Republic, The Bear Flag Revolt, seized Sonoma for naval forces to occupy in hopes of winning the war. The Mexican War didn’t bring about much fighting, just a hot potato game of territory conquering, but in January of 1847 Andres Pico, a Mexican official, surrendered to U.S. lieutenant John Fremont (Uschan 10). Formally in May of 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was reviewed by both temperamental parties and after approval from the United States of America and Mexico it was signed.... ...
One of the factors that led to the Mexican independence is the socio-political conditions of the native Mexicans after being invaded by Spain. After the fall of Tenochtitlan, and for the three hundred years that followed, indigenous
In addition, during Polk’s term he expanded the United States’ border to the west coast. His desire to enlarge the country stemmed from his belief in “manifest destiny” which was the idea that the United States was destined to stretch to the Pacific Ocean. His presidency; his decisions for the country were influenced by manifest destiny. In the article titled “Mexican-American War,” James K. Polk wanted to acquire California and the southwestern land of the United States. Polk’s movement of troops into the conflicted zone between the Rio Grande and Nueces River initiated a conflict with Mexico. The conflict developed into a war, with hefty Mexican losses, but finally ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with the U.S. as the victor. In the treaty, Mexico decided to sell all the land north of the Rio G...
One reason that the Mexican War was not justified was because the Americans invaded Mexican land and went beyond approved borders. “The congress of Texas, by its act of December 9, 1836, had declared the Rio de Norte to be the boundary. ” This quote shows that there were set boundaries and Americans made up their own without Mexico’s permission. “Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City to try
Also the way Texas began in a way that said that they should be apart of the United States. In the end there were more important reasons for annexing Texas into the union, than to leave Texas the way she was. From the early days of pioneers and settlers, thousands of Americans began to move into what would become Texas. The Mexican government wanted 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 enforced.