Individual Response Paper Latinos helped shape the U.S. in many diverse historical experiences. During the 1840s John L. O’Sullivan, the editor of the Democratic Review wrote the infamous term Manifest Destiny to label American expansion. Manifest Destiny was a dream and an “American Mission” to expand the country to the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. To many Americans, it was a God given right because an expansion would offer advancement, income, freedom and even self-sufficiency. We know that without Manifest Destiny, the United States wouldn’t be the size it is today.
The claim that it was the Americans who were wronged in the border battle was deeply seeded within the propaganda published by the American newspapers. Statements such as the one stated in Document B, “Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory, and shed American blood,” exhibit the dramatic retellings of the fight to reflect upon Mexican savageness while neatly avoiding American flaws. It was also rooted into American morale that it was correct to annex Texas from the “imbecile and distracted, Mexico [who] can never exert any real government authority,” according to Document A. Ultimately, the question of which country was justified in the Mexican-American War is debatable. However, to side with the Americans would mean disregarding the blatant disrespect displayed by the settlers, the betrayal of the American government for the annexation of what was still viewed as Mexican land, and the ambiguity of the border dispute for both.
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. One reason the Mexican War was justified was Manifest Destiny. In Document A, John O’Sullivan writes: “Texas is now ours...Let their reception into the “family be frank, kindly, and cheerful….”
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).
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.
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.
To begin, the war waged against Mexico was unjustifiable because their goal was to expand slavery in the United States. In Document E, house representative Joshua Giddings states his stance on the war, “Mexico has
Did you know California, and Texas was owned by the Mexicans before it became a state? This was the result of a war that took place in Mexico fought by the Mexican and US soldiers during 1846-1848. The war started because President Polk convinced Congress that Mexico had invaded the US. However, no one knew the most important detail, the unspoken truth. The United States was not justified in going to war with Mexico because the war started because racially motivated (Manifest Destiny) ideas, the disputed area does not belong to the United States, and not the whole truth was offered to the Congress.
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.
In “A Mexican Viewpoint on the War With the United States,” Voices of Mexico,Issue #41, the issue states: “In the eyes of the [Mexican] government, the mobilization of the US army was an outright attack on Mexico.” This shows that, to Mexico, the Americans randomly entering what they thought was their land would have been seen as an attack. The Americans should have realized that Mexico would take the intrusion as an attack before sending in men to do nothing but walk in the undisputed land, obviously just attempting to egg the Mexicans on to shoot at
The Mexico and United States war started in 1846 and it ended in 1848 the Mexico and United States war was a border dispute. Texas was annexed and americans got killed during the Mexico and United States war. I personally l don't think they were justified because Mexico invaded America and they wanted to take all their land back and America wasn't so happy about that. One reason for the war is because the Mexican army is attacking the Americans on their land. Another reason is that it will clear up the border dispute another reason is that it will also help them with manifest destiny.
The Mexican-American war was a conflict between the United States and Mexico that began in 1846 and ended in 1848. The war was a result of a dispute over the U.S. annexation of Texas and the Mexican government's refusal to recognize the Rio Grande as the southern boundary of the United States. The war resulted in a U.S. victory and the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which allowed the U.S. to acquire large swaths of Mexican territory, including the modern-day state of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Oklahoma. Despite the U.S. victory, the war was not justified and was a violation of Mexico's sovereignty. The first reason why the Mexican-American war was not justified is that it was based on pretenses.
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. Conflict between Mexico and the United States began when Texas, previously part of Mexico, became part of the United States.
and Mexican forces had taken place in U.S. territory.” “Further, legislators were at odds over whether Polk had the right to unilaterally declare that a state of war
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. To begin, the Texans began an unreasonable war because they didn’t follow Mexico’s laws and conditions. When Mexico started selling cheap land, they set conditions for the people moving in. The people had to convert to Catholicism, learn Spanish, become a Mexican citizen, and have no slaves. Many Americans didn’t like being told what to do, and disobeyed the rules and laws.
