Mexican American War Justified Dbq Essay

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.

The Mexican-US War California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada; these are some states the United States of America gained after the Mexican War. Americans fought with Mexicans, but was war really the best option? In my opinion, the USA was 100% justified to go to war with Mexico; Americans were attacked on American soil and Mexico was trying to stop the American expansion. Therefore I think the United States was justified in going to war with Mexico.

Was the United States Justified in Going to War With Mexico? 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.

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.

INTRODUCTION 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. So you 're probably wondering why the war was fought but you 'll find that out later.

Jesús Velasco-Márquez, a modern-day Mexican professor of studies wrote an article in 2006 about the Mexican-American War. He said, “US historians refer to this event as ‘The Mexican-American War’, while in Mexico, we prefer to use the term ‘The U.S. Invasion... From Mexico’s point of view, the annexation of Texas to the United States was inadmissible for both legal and security reasons. ’’’ (Velasco-Márquez, 12). During the time of the independence of Texas, Mexico was ruled by the dictator General Antonio López de Santa Anna.

More so because of the Texas revolution that happened years earlier. The border of Texas had not been originally confirmed or settled. The U.S then as written, journeyed out to claim the land there selves The Mexican war began at the time and year when James Polk was elected as president. Year 1845, James Polk offered a proposition to the Mexican government.

The causes of the Mexican-American war were the Annexation of Texas, Land Disputes between Mexico and the United States of America and President Polk’s Greed. The country of Mexico was upset and angry with the United States of America because they took the state of Texas away from them. The two continued to dispute over Southern Texas and the land between the rivers Rio Grande and Nueces. President Polk later sent a messenger to offer thirty-million dollars for the SouthWest. Mexico declined the offer and President Polk declared war on Mexico.

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

The Mexican American War started in 1846 because of Mexican resentment caused by the 1836 loss of Texas and the American’s desire for Mexico’s more northern territory. “On September 9, 1847 after two years of fighting, the Mexican American war essentially ended when the American Army captured Mexico City after the Battle of Chapultepec”( 6). The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war. United States leaders then acted morally superior in their negotiations of the treaty 1. During negotiations, United States officials viewed the “forcible incorporations” (1) of almost one half of Mexico’s land as an “event foreordained by providence and Manifest Destiny” (1).

It started because of a dispute over borders between Texas and Mexico. President James Knox Polk supported Texan claims regarding the border and he also wanted to bring what is now New Mexico and California into the union. To settle the border issue, Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to attempt to negotiate the purchase of New Mexico and California. However, Slidell was denied offers of settlement. Polk then ordered General Zachary Taylor to occupy disputed territory near the Rio Grande River.

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.

Manifest destiny also affected the relationship with Mexico. Several factors led to the Mexican- American War in 1846. The factors were that the U.S citizens were moving into California and Mexico. Since there were many revolutions happening in Mexico throughout this time period the Mexican government was not able to protect the U.S citizens in this region. Another factor was that Mexico was upset that Texas declared independence from them and then the U. S annexed Texas in 1845.

The Mexican-American War changed the Unites States of America in a monumental way. This war changed The U.S.A.’s relationship with foreign powers and the economic standpoint of the nation. The Mexican- American war, and its strong ties to manifest destiny, shaped the nation in a country bordered by two seas with a chance for common folk and foreigners to have a sustainable life due to the gold rush. The war can also be accounted for the downfall leading to the Civil War over the conflict of slavery due to the land purchased in the wars treaty.

Because of this, Mexico has thrusted war upon us. We believe what James K. Polk said, “The constitution, public treaties and the laws oblige the President to regard Texas as an independent state, and its territory