Sam Houston: Ethical Leader

When Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821, a string of ruthless dictators and weak presidents made Mexico an easy target for its powerful neighbor, the United States. The US swooped in to expand its territory and its popular institution of slavery. By doing so, the US started a war with Mexico that was justified for illegitimate reasons. The Mexican-American War was not justified because the US took Mexico’s land for the expansion of slavery, and justified their taking advantage of Mexico when it was politically weak by hiding behind Manifest Destiny.

Justified is defined as having, done for, or marked by a good or legitimate reason. Texas won its independence in 1836. America’s wars are often very controversial. The United States was justified in going to war with Mexico because of three main reasons: Americans were killed, Texas was already annexed, and Manifest Destiny allows it.

Throughout the 1840s and 1850s a major war happened called the Mexican American War which drastically changed the U.S. and Mexico and lead to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to be signed and which established the Rio Grande and not the Nueces River as the U.S Border. This also lead to the U.S. annexation of Texas and lead to the Mexico agreeing to sell California and the rest of the territory for 15 million.

After the siege of Charleston, Sir Henry Clinton traveled back to New York leaving Cornwallis in command of the British campaign in North and South Carolina. On the morning of August 16, 1780, General Horatio Gates chose to fight Cornwallis’ force even though just the previous night his men suffered the terribly infectious illness of dysentery. Gates was confident in his American army of around 3,700 soldiers because they outnumbered the British army of around 2,100 troops.

Imagine inviting neighbors into one 's space and they take it for themselves. This is how Mexico felt in the Mexican-American war. Mexico had a substantial amount of land after declaring itself free from Spain. They wanted to increase the population by allowing U.S. settlers to come into Texas. However, this wasn’t a good idea because Americans had different beliefs on things such as slavery. After many fatal encounters between the two, America had gained control of the territory. They applied for annexation into the United States twice, but congress did not want to aggravate Mexican officials. Although, after James K. Polk was elected president in 1844, congress voted to annex Texas. The United States was not justified in the war with Mexico because they didn’t follow their laws, undisputed territory, and the idea of manifest destiny.

Americans were outraged over the border dispute at the Nueces and the Rio Grande rivers, and Mexicans were irate with America’s annexation of Texas. President James K. Polk availed in the atmosphere of animosity, hurrying to place troops on conflicted land. On May 9, 1846, he found his cause for war. Mexican and American troops had engaged in combat on April 24, which led American blood spilt on contended soil. However, through all their fighting spirit, the Americans faithfully ignored their own mistreatment of the Mexicans. They ignored the original reason of the enmity, which was the annexation of Texas, and the actual uncertainty of border uproar. This brings into question; were the Americans as justified as they believed in their cry against

Everyone knows what the Alamo is and most know the story of it, how the Texans, led by William Travis, James Bowie, and Davie Crocket, had to try and fend off the Mexican soldiers led by Santa Anna. Being outnumbered all the Texans rebels had to fight for was for the pride of Texas and that is what they did and from that some famous myths about certain things were created during the fight like Travis’s line in the sand or Davie Crockets willingness to fight to the death. Randy Roberts and James S. Olson are able to relate the well-known story of the Alamo to the readers and really get into both the Mexican and American perspectives. In “A Line in the Sand the Alamo in Blood and Memory”, Roberts and Olson are able to separate what really happened

Who started the Mexican-American War? Firstly, The United States went to Mexico in 1846. Texas declared its independence from Mexico in 1836. Certainly, Americans were being extremely greedy and wanted more and more land. Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico? The United States was not justified in going to war with Mexico because they did not respect their laws, culture, and their beliefs.

War is going on all the time and whether the causes are appropriate or not is debatable. Many times war is the last result, but for the US, in this case, armed conflict was the only option. On April 25th, 1846 a massive Mexican Army attacked Captain Seth Thornton and his US Army north of the Rio Grande. Many were overtaken by fear, of what was to come. War. However, the question still remains to this day, was the US justified in going to war with Mexico? Justified means to have good reason or be right about a decision. Did the US have good reason to start a war with Mexico? As far as the US-Mexican War is concerned the Americans did have appropriate causes for war. They 're acceptable reasons were Manifest Destiny, wanting to protect Texas, and the Mexicans ' strike on America because of a border dispute.

One of the most significant conflicts little known in history is the Battle of San Jacinto and is considered the most critical dispute of the Texas Revolution (Williams, 2014). On April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston launched a surprise attack against the Mexican army. The event took place near present day Houston, Texas and only lasted a total of eighteen minutes. The Mexican army was led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The Texans thoroughly routed the superior Mexican force at the Battle of San Jacinto and captured hundreds of Mexican soldiers including Santa Anna. “In exchange for his freedom, Santa Anna signed a treaty recognizing Texas’ independence” (Battle of San Jacinto, 2015). General Houston and his army were heavly inspired for victory following the massacres at the Alamo and Goliad. Santa Anna lost the Battle of San Jacinto due his previous viciousness, arrogance, and misuse of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets effectively. Had Santa Anna not made these mistakes, the Battle of San Jacinto would have turned out differently and Texas may have not won its independence from Mexico (Wright, n.d.).

The Rock once said, "Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." John Wilkes booth didn't understand this. He wanted greatness and thought that would lead him to success, which was one of the reasons he failed. John Wilkes Booth did not accomplish his goal because he didn't motivate the South, he didn't keep the Civil War going, and he didn't become known as a Southern hero.

In the book Sleuthing the Alamo, by historian James E. Crisp we are faced with some surprising truths about the Texas Revolution as he draws attention to many facilities that have been said to be truths over the years. These facts are often covered by tales of racism and political correctness. Over the course of this engrossing interpretation of the Texas Revolution this historian works like a detective to bring light to the more difficult truths behind all the tales that many believe.

A soldier that was on lookout reported back to the mob letting them know that a mob of Caucasian officers was assembled outside the military grounds. The soldiers of the third battalion African American army wasted no time opening fire on the officers and expressing their outrage for the treatment they had endured and were still enduring at this time. “Sergeant Henry led over 100 armed soldiers toward downtown Houston by way of Brunner Avenue and San Felipe Street and into the Fourth Ward.” (by Texas State Historical Association). The riot ended when it was discovered that the African American battalion had killed one of their own Captain John Mattes of the Illinois National Guard. However, after the final count it was discovered that on that day they had also killed 4 other soldiers that were their own. The riot resulted in the injury of twelve Caucasian officers and the death of fifteen others. Realizing that they had no sense of direction in the matter and that they had no leadership they began to dismantle. The death proved to be too much for Sergeant Henry who was initially the leader for the whole riot, as he shot and killed himself shortly after telling the rest of the soldiers to slip back into the base at night so that they would go undetected and be able to maintain their innocence. In an attempt to hurry and get the soldiers out of town the third battalion was relocated to Columbus, New Mexico where it would all seemingly come to an end. After arrival seven soldiers initially stood trial but agree to testify against the others in an attempt to gain a lesser sentence of clemency. “November 1, 1917, and March 26, 1918, the army held three separate courts-martial in the chapel at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. The military tribunals indicted 118 enlisted men of I Company

A Line in the Sand: The Alamo in Blood and Memory was written by Randy Roberts and James S. Olson. This book is written in two major sections; the lead up to and including the battle in San Antonio at the Alamo and Goliad and then the aftermath and the effects it had on Americans, including the fight for control of the Alamo, which is commonly referred to as the “second battle of the Alamo” within the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. Many points of view are stated from different historian’s books and research for the same events showing how the presumed facts can be sked based on an individual’s own bias and beliefs. It also contains the authors own point of view on the same events.

The United States war with Mexico continues to be a divisive topic among many people because of its background. The Mexican-American war was a fight between Mexico and America for land. America’s belief at the time was Manifest Destiny, which meant that they believed that America should extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific ocean. In the end, America benefited from the war and got the land. The United States expanded its size, achieving their dream of Manifest Destiny. Although the United States war against Mexico resulted in the gaining of America’s most valuable land, the war itself wasn’t legitimate because of the revolution in Texas, motivation for superiority, and the U.S. government’s actions.