How Did The Mexican-American War Dbq

In Chapter 8 titled “We Take Nothing By Conquest… Thank God” Howard Zinn states that the reason why the United States wanted to take the land away from Mexico was to be able to conquer and expand the territory. John Tyler wanted to initiate the war in order to make Texas a state. On the other hand James Polk wanted Texas to become a state that formed part of the United States. Polk also wanted to take over California and initiated the war by sending American soldiers into the territory. The United States wanted the territory of Mexico to expand and own the land. Some territory that the United States wanted the most is where California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico are located now. In order to obtain the land the United

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.

It was April 25, 1846. The Mexican military invaded Texas, a disputed territory. When the U.S. military came to attack, the Mexicans killed 16 Americans. This is one of the many events leading to the Mexican American War. The Mexican-American War was a major war over Mexico’s land. This war happened mainly because the U.S. wanted to expand to the Pacific Ocean to fulfill their Manifest Destiny, trying to take away Mexico’s land. Mexico refused to to give land to the U.S. The big question is whether the U.S. was justified in fighting Mexico in the Mexican-American War. The United States was justified in going to war with Mexico because Manifest Destiny, too much Mexican interference, and Texas was invaded.

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.

The Mexican-American War was the first war to be fought mostly on foreign soil. During this period, the newly formed the United States was eagerly seeking to expand their territory towards the west. When failed attempts to obtain lands by purchasing them from Mexico for the price of $30,000,000 dollars. The U.S. government felt there was little hope of gaining these territories by peaceful means, a war was inevitable. Mexico was still bitter despite Texas gaining their independence in 1836, voluntarily selling their lands to the United States was not an option. The Mexican-American War was a fascinating part of our history that is filled with negotiations, conquests, deceit, failed battles, and unsurpassed victory.

With westward expansion becoming more popular, and with people thinking it was their manifest destiny-or God given fate to go west, populations increased. But conflict arose with our southern neighbor Mexico. This conflict could’ve been prevented, or resolved, but instead it grew worse. This conflict is often called the “Mexican American War” but in Mexico it is called the “US Invasion”. On April 24th, 1836 63 American men and officers went just south of the Rio Grande when Mexico attacked. 16 Americans were killed. Both sides had different view on the attack; Mexico believed the United States invaded, but the United States believed Mexico invaded. But alas, the United States did not have valid reasons to go to war with Mexico; even after this. The United States was not justified in going to war with

The Mexican–American War, also known as the Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States of America and the United Mexican States from 1846 to 1848. The Mexican War between the United States and Mexico started from the annexation of Texas in 1845. The war resulted in the United States’ acquisition of more than 500,000 square miles of Mexican territory extending westward from the Rio Grande to the Pacific Ocean America’s dedication of War on Mexico. There were many pros and conflicts following this war, which will be the main focus of this paper.

The people of the United States have one duty, that is to protect. In 1821, Mexico declared its independence from Spain, its mother country. Mexicans wanted a larger population, and in 1845, the annexation of Texas happened, meaning Texas was now a part of the United States. The annexation angered Mexico so, in 1846, the Mexican American War began. Was the United States morally right in going to war with Mexico? Morally right suggests that the United States was justified in declaring war on Mexico. The United States was justified in going to war with Mexico because of Manifest Destiny, the annexation of Texas, and the benefits of the economy.

The annexation of Texas occurred in the early 1800’s. American colonists were expanding into the Northern sector of the Rio Grande, which developed the need for Texas to become a part of the United States. In the South, the people supported the drive toward the annexation of Texas, but the Northerners opposed this idea. Texas was another slave state and the nature of their society did not appear appealing to the North. Therefore, William Ellery Channing wrote a letter to the Senator of Texas, Henry Clay in 1837. In this letter he addresses the issues he felt would arise if Texas were to be added to the United States. One concern Channing had was that the Texas freedom from Mexico would result in a war, entangling America with England and other European countries. William Ellery Channing also felt the annexation would cause complications in America from the preservation of slavery, not only in Texas, but in other territories that the United States chose to takeover, which would force into a

The many battles of the Mexican American war led to what is now the U.S. borders The Mexican American war led to social inequality over Mexican immigrants, a debate on slavery in the new U.S. territory, and a treaty which ended the war. On May 13,

The true spark if the war was lit when America annexed Texas without the permission of Mexico. Along with this, America chooses to ignore Mexico’s decisions all in all. The 11th president of the United States was President Polk. President Polk was for the Mexican American War and even decided

By September 1847, American troops had captured Mexico City after winning a series of hotly contested battles. The Mexicans still refused to surrender. With the American army went a special envoy, Nicholas Trist, who unauthorized to deliver Polk’s terms of peace. Therefore, in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which signed on February 2, 1848, Mexico ceded its northern provinces of California, New Mexico (included today’s Arizona, Utah, Nevada and part of Colorado) and accepted the Rio Grande as the boundary of Texas. The United States was to pay Mexico $15 million and assume up to $3 million in Mexican debts to American citizens.

The United States war with Mexico continues to be a divisive topic due to the unjust and just reasons being argued. The Mexican & American War was the war between Mexico and the United States began because of disputed territory and Mexico shedding “American blood upon the American soil” although “American blood” wasn’t actually shed on “American soil.” The disputed territory was the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande that Mexico and the United States both claimed. It was also the area where 16 American soldiers were killed sparking the idea of the Declaration of War. The war against Mexico was unjustifiable because it went against the constitution, Texas was in the wrong, and the war was based on false pretense.

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.

In May of 1846, US President James K. Polk sent a letter to Congress asking for a declaration of war with Mexico. Polk an ardent expansionist saw an opportunity to secure Texas for the United States of America. At this point in time Texas had seceded from Mexico and was offered statehood by the US Congress. Mexico disagreed and was instigating war in an attempt to win Texas back. ( Polk, 374). President Polk is interested in expanding the borders of the US by means of war with Mexico.