The year was 1803, and the United States had agreed to buy the mid-eastern plains from France, resolving as the Louisiana Purchase. However, James Polk, who was elected as president in 1844, created the Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the United States was destined to claim the land of the West coast, which at that moment, was all a part of Mexico. He had his eye especially on California, and was not ready to let Mexico ruin the Manifest Destiny from becoming fulfilled. Eventually he proposed to Congress to start a war with Mexico, and only sixteen denied the request. Even before Polk was president, the Battle of the Alamo occurred between Mexico and the U.S., both wanting Texas. Although the war resolved with Texas gaining its …show more content…
After the battle of the Alamo, Texas had declared their independence. However, America and Mexico were at debate on whether or not Texas had actually become an independent country. Mexico denied Texas’s independence and still thought they were a part of Mexico. As a result, Mexicans had protected the border, which was believed to be between the Nueces River. Yet America believed their boundary was between the Rio Grande River. (Roden 315) While Mexico was assumed to be protecting their border, Americans had stepped on the disputed territory, which what the Mexicans thought was an ambush, and killed sixteen of the soldiers. This was a commitment of protecting their border, yet the Americans saw this as killing sixteen innocent men and declared a war with Mexico for the whole West coast to complete the Manifest Destiny. Yet even before this decision, there was yet another war between Mexico and America: the Battle of the Alamo. Ten years before the Mexican-American War, Texas was still a part of Mexico and had decided to become a country of its own. Resulting that in 1836, the Battle of the Alamo occurred in Texas. Sadly, the Texans and Tejanos lost and General Santa de Anna won the ferocious battle. Eventually on April 21, Texas had won its independence the battle of San
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.
After America declared independence, we had our sights on expanding our land, and we all believed Manifest Destiny. After getting Louisiana from france, the next big part of land was Texas, owned by Mexico. Mexico wanted people to live in Texas because most of their people lived down south in Mexico, so they gave a deal, you can get free land in Texas if you follow three simple rules. You have to be loyal to Mexico, live on the land for ten years, become Catholic, and no slavery. After a while a ton of americans came and there was ten thousand americans, while only two thousand Mexican residents in Texas.
On April 24, 1846, a Mexican army attacked American troops with no motive on U.S. soil. The United States of America was right in declaring war on Mexico because of Manifest Destiny, Mexico being aggressive, and Mexico being the ones to attack first. The first reason is Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny is the idea that God wanted America to extend its territory further West to the Pacific Ocean, which President James K. Polk believed in.
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.
At that time, only about 75,000 Mexican citizens lived north of the Rio Grande. As a result, U.S. forces led by Stephen W. Kearny and Robert F. Stockton were able to conquer those lands. Taylor advancing, and captured Monterrey in September. With the losses adding up, Mexico turned to old standby General Antonio López de Santa Anna, the strongman who had been living in exile in Cuba. Santa Anna convinced Polk that, if allowed to return to Mexico, he would end the war on terms positive to the United States.
In Document B, President Polk said, “I had ordered and efficient military force to take a position...to meet a threatened invasion of Texas by the Mexican forces….invasion was threatened solely because Texas had determined….to annex herself to our Union,... it was plainly our duty to extend our protection over her citizens and soil.” President Polk then mentioned the attack at the Rio del Norte, where the invasion in Texas happened. This evidence shows the US was justified in going to war with Mexico because Texas was invaded by Mexico, meaning that the U.S. should protect Texas by fighting
The way they claimed annexed was by saying the Rio Grande was the southern boundary of Texas but Mexico said it was the Nueces River. In regards to the war, Americans were greatly divided. The northerners hated it because of the fact that Texas favored slavery. Those in the south liked the idea of a war because it would help expand to the west. This expansion would provide more land and opportunity.
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 1836 Texas declared its independence.(O’Sullivan 323) The war with Mexico happened in Mexico and the US. It started in 1846.(Roden 315) To start the war, Mexicans fired on Americans. People who believed Manifest Destiny believed that it is God’s plan to expand America to the Pacific Ocean.
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.
The cry of war was heard between two nations that continually fought for land. Different boundaries are being claimed between America and Mexico for the fight of Texas, but the result is the increasing number of the dead. The United states chose to start the annexation of Texas. Mexico was angry with this unfair request. American troops were sent to southern Texas to only result in meeting the same set of foes.
Americans were already settling into Texas and so why shouldn 't Texas just be apart of the US. (Doc. D) In essence, the United States of America fought because of their endangered counterparts in
Introduction The Battle of the Alamo is considered one of most important battles in Texas History that occurred February 23, 1836. This battle took place in San Antonio, Texas during the Texas Revolution. The Texas Revolution began in 1835 due to the conflict between the United States immigrants and the Mexican government. The Immigrants wanted to start their own republic so they decided to revolt against the Mexican government. After several successions, the Texan Army had gained control of the territory, but later lost it at the Battle of Coleto and the Battle of the Alamo.
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.
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.