Fought over the belief that one human being can possess another, the American Civil War helped to not only reshape the United States, but also reshape the ideas and values of Americans to this day through literal blood, sweat, and tears. While it may not seem like it, the New Mexico territory played a pivotal role in the outcome of the Civil War. On the western frontier of the nation in the New Mexico Territory, several crucial battles waged, and while they may not have had the mass casualties compared to other battles during the War, they proved to be just as essential to the course of the War. The New Mexico territory played a role in the American Civil War because of its strategic location, the First Battle of Mesilla, and the Battle of Glorieta Pass.
One of the major reasons that the New Mexico Territory played a critical role during the American Civil War is because of its strategic position regarding several aspects. For one, the New Mexico Territory served as the gateway to one of the most promising economic opportunities that the Confederate States of America ever had in their grasp. Established nearly forty years before the
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Though it may not have had as many battles or not garner much historical attention, the New Mexico Territory played a crucial asset to whichever side controlled the land. Because of its often overlooked usefulness, the Territory helped the Union win the American Civil War and allow the United States to today become the true land of the
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at the end of the Mexican American War caused economic success in the United States due to the discovery of resources, and American distrust of Mexicans, especially those living in Texas and the area of land ceded in
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. To begin with, The United States was not justified because they didn’t abide by Mexico’s
James K. Polk was the president at the time of the war, had his generals by his side. General Zachary Taylor distributed the first troops to set out and recover the land, but back fired when the Mexican forces had attacked. Major General Winfield Scott had provide U.S with a win, because of going westward and having the advantage. 73,532 regulars had volunteered to participate in the Mexican war, as for Mexico 70,000 had participated close to the same amount.
This showed President Polk’s Greed and desire to spread the United States of America from the east to the west. By the end of the war, America was victorious and in result they took half of Mexico’s
The big debate across the growing United States was the debate of slavery and which states would come in as free or slavery states. The Mexican-American War was a major turning point in this debate because it settled the debate over which states would become free or slavery states. This war lasted a little over a year and 9 months long on the border of the United States and Mexico (Texas and Mexico City). This war would helped settle many disputes, but the main debate it would settle would be the huge slavery debate. The Mexican-American War helped the United States gain new territory is the south-western part of the United States.
The Mexican-American war altered the United States environmentally, culturally and politically. First, on February 2, 1848, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo two years post the beginning of the war. The treaty not only achieved President Polk’s goal to achieve California from Mexico but also granted the U.S. over 500,000 square miles of new territory. The new land caused approximately 90,000 spanish speaking, mostly Catholic Mexicans under American jurisdiction. Second, Nativism, a rising anti-catholic and anti-immigrant deemed the Mexicans inferior.
American history is full of events that have changed the curse of its history, some more recent than others, an often overviewed war or conflict is the Mexican war, probably because it was only 13 years before of one of the most bloodshed periods and important periods of this country 's history, the Civil War; the Mexican War might have nit had as big as an impact as that of the Civil War, but nonetheless it was a period that is certainly important, we can also think that no war is ever unimportant (Shaara,10). Since the Louisiana purchase, there was a fervor for expansion among the American people, in 1845 the then independent nation of Texas was annexed by the United states (Shaara, 12). But there were several doubts about what was the real
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.
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….”
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.
As a compromise, Maine was also admitted. This agreement also established the 36°30 line that allowed no slave states above it. This angered the south because it stopped them from spreading their political views to the rest of the states. Citizens who volunteered for the Confederate army put themselves through unimaginable horrors to protect things very important to them. Texans fought in the Civil War for states rights, sectionalism, and to keep their slaves.
As stated before, the US was justified in going to war with Mexico because of three reasons, Americans were killed, Texas was already annexed, and Manifest Destiny allows it. The United states had many superb reasons for going to war with Mexico. This essay is significant because it helps explain the United States’ choice to go to war with
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.
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.
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.