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Us history chapter 12 manifest destiny
Manifest destiny james k. polk
Economic social and political effects of the mexican american war
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As a Democrat, I believe that President Polk was justified in starting the Mexican-American War. Also, as a strong supporter of Manifest Destiny, also known as Western expansion, I furthermore find reason to believe Polk was justified in initiating war with the Mexican people; being that the Mexican government refused peaceful negotiation. The Americans were the just owners of this western land, and we intended to get it. The Mexican government refused a meeting with our representative to establish the border between Texas and Mexico, along with an offer of 30 million dollars for Western territory. These western territories would provide substantial economic growth for the United States, as well as the obvious: making our nation larger as
Manifest Destiny is a unique, yet mysterious fundamental series of events in American history. No other country’s history contains such an eventful history as the United States. Amy Greenberg’s book, Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion, provides documented evidence that settlers believed they were destined for expansion throughout the continent. In other words, many religious settlers believed that it was a call from God for the United States to expand west. On the other hand, people believed that Manifest Destiny vindicated the war against Mexico.
President James K. Polk asked Congress for a declaration of war against Mexico because, as he said, “American blood had been shed on American soil”. President Polk wanted to gain some of Mexico’s territory. He decided to send someone to Mexico with an offer. The offer was that the United States would pay Mexico for the Texan boundary of the Rio Grande, New Mexico territory, and California. Mexico was not interested in the offer or selling the territory and refused the offer, which ended with an angry president Polk after learning their response.
First of all, Polk wanted the annexation of Texas, California, and New Mexico. He wanted all three preferably by purchase. Secondly, even though he is known for his expansions, he was known for his domestic issues as well; he greatly reduced tariff costs. Thirdly, he wanted to bring the United States
Mexico thought that the border was the Nueces River, while on the other hand, US believed it to be the Rio Grande which left a chunk of disputable land in-between. After Polk saw how the Mexicans had killed the Americans that he had sent to build forts [between the Nueces and the Rio Grande], he went to congress and asked congress into declaring war on Mexico (O'Brien). Mexico and the US went to war and since the US had settled the Oregon dispute it was easy for the US to end the war quickly. Both signed the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and Mexico also had to surrender control of New Mexico and California. Polk had successfully completed his first two action goals that he had made after his inauguration by getting both Oregon and
Polk provoked the Mexican people knowing that they would go to war, James Polk wanted war, and
However, because he was so stubborn, he was willing to go to war to obtain it, thinking that the Mexicans would not put up much of a fight. Polk had, at first, hoped he could gain California from Mexico the same way he had gotten Oregon from Great Britain--with what is called “eyeball diplomacy,” staring at the opponent and expecting he would blink first. This tactic obviously did not work, which angered him. Economically, the United States was not fit for a war, especially a war in a foreign country. Though the Americans did win the war, their relationship with the Mexicans became poor.
As mentioned earlier, Polk was a strong supporter of “manifest destiny”, but the concept was merely a belief that stemmed from religion. It wasn’t strong enough to act as a foundation of international decisions. In addition to its lack of strength, it increased the gap between the two nations because Mexico was Catholic and the US was Protestant. The religious and personal beliefs of Polk caused the US to become egoistic. To prove this point, John L. O’Sullivan stated, “Other nations have undertaken… hostile interference against us,… hampering our power, limiting our greatness and checking the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence (God)...”
Polk spread the rumor that it was their “manifest destiny” to extend America’s territory to the Pacific Ocean. Historians today ask the question: Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico? The United States was not justified, because the United States were greedy for land, “manifest destiny” is weak excuse, and because of the human cost. The United States had its eye on expand its territory and started with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
The Mexican War was a violent and devastating event between United States and Mexico that lasted from 1846-1848. President Polk had to lie to congress, to make United States declare war on Mexico. Lincoln considered President Polk provoked as a vote-fixing device and hoped the arguments against the war would cause his reputation in the United States House of Representative. Lincoln claims President Polk misrepresented the whole thing that the Presidents Polk evidence was not true by any means. Lincoln lays out evidence that president Polk gave is either incorrect or irrelevant reasons to gain support from congress.
Polk’s flowery language and fake solemn tone, after he started a fight, and did not believe in manifest destiny. Polk made a beautiful speech assuaging America of any guilt in the matter and blaming Mexico for everything, but people like Charles Sumner in Document D were not taken in and did not agree with this forcible theft of land and the noncompliance to Mexican laws that eventually led to the first hostilities. In Document D he rebukes Polk’s war address that denies American guilt and states, “...defiance of the Mexican ordinance… [and]...the lust of territorial robbery...in seeking extension of slavery, (our own citizens denied) the great truths of American freedom…” (Document D).
President James K. Polk wanted to expand the US into Mexican lands in the western part of the nation. He offered a large amount of money to cede California and New Mexico territories but Mexico declined the offer. President Polk began military exercises on the border and waters around Mexico. On May 9th, 1846, Mexico crossed the Rio Grande and attacked American officers as revenge. On May 11th, 1846, Mexico and America were at war; the US was overpowering Mexico because its army was stronger and well prepared.
A man by the name of John O’Sullivan, during this time developed the idea of Manifest Destiny, the concept that America was destined, by God, to spread freedom and democracy from “sea to shining sea” and that only America would be capable of this feat (Intres, 2016l). President James Polk took this idea on as his presidency platform and through a series of negotiations with Britain to obtain the Oregon territory, and the Mexican- American war to obtain nearly half of Mexico’s land, completed Manifest Destiny (Intres, 2016l). However, with this increase in America’s land mass and the annexation of Texas, a question arose which would from this point on tumble into a disagreement that would literally tear the nation in two…How far would slavery
The major conflict of President James Polk's term was the Mexican War that began during his presidency on 1846, and ended in 1848. May 13, 1846 is when congress officially declared war on Mexico, but previously to the U.S. declaring war the United States had already won two battles. This war was popular among young men and men, many people wanted to enlist in the army that recruiting stations had to turn away a large amount of people. During the war president James Polk sent a diplomat by the name of Nicholas Trist to try and settle peace with the Mexicans, but had an unsuccessful arrangement with Santa Anna president of Mexico. Therefore the war continued but ended shortly after when the United States won the battle of Mexico
President James Polk was pro manifest destiny. That means he believed that G-d wanted the Americans to spread throughout the whole continent. James Polk of course wanted to annex Texas. Doing this caused more problems for Mexico and America. Mexico’s borders were now screwed up and the issue of slaves came up.
