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James K. Polk's War: The War With Mexico

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The War with Mexico The War was fought between The United states and Mexico from April 1846 to February 1848. According to (www.History.com) Texas Got its Independence from Mexico in 1836, the United States had declined to incorporate it into the Union, Mainly because the Northern Political interests were against the new addition of the new Slave state. The Mexican Government had also said that any attempt towards annexation would lead to war. In 1844 after James K, Polk was elected President annexation procedures were quickly put into place. Polk had also been campaigning that Texas should be ¨re -Annexed¨ and he also had said that the Oregon Territory should be ¨re-occupied¨. Polk had tried to purchase those territories, but when …show more content…

Polk was the 11th president of the United States and he served as president during the Mexican American war. According to (www.History.com) Two days after Polk took office, however, diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States were severed over the American annexation of Texas.In March of 1847 President Polk sent his Chief clerk Nicholas P, Trist to Mexico along with Gen. Winfield Scott's troops in order to commence treaty negotiations and while Trist was there he signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.(www.Shmoop.com) James k. Polk served a really big role in the Mexican american war because he was the one that had wasn't afraid to go to war. Polk had wanted Mexico to negotiate with them and he knew that if he was going to have to go into war, he knew that he would come out with a …show more content…

Scott was the first American to lead an invasion of a foreign capital when he took over Mexico city in 1847.(www.Shmoop.com) Scott and his soldiers battled through many city’s just to get the Mexico city, it only too them about 1 year to get through 5 cities. According to (www.Shmoop.com) (The Mexican campaign emphasized the general's boldness and daring strategy; though the war made Scott a national hero, the Whig supporters political opponents in the Democratic Polk administration recalled him in early 1848.) Throughout the Mexican American war The United States and Mexico City could not agree on a border between them.(www.Mexicanamericanwar.blogspot.com) The Americans thought that Some Mexican Soldiers crossed into America to attack. But then some thought it was mainly just and excuse. President polk wasn't afraid to go to war if he had to because he was pretty confident. But with the help of some key individuals, such as Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott, He managed to Go into Mexico and take out their cities and later sign the Treaty of Guadulaupe

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In Chapter 8 titled “We Take Nothing By Conquest… Thank God” Howard Zinn states that the reason why the United States wanted to take the land away from Mexico was to be able to conquer and expand the territory. John Tyler wanted to initiate the war in order to make Texas a state. On the other hand James Polk wanted Texas to become a state that formed part of the United States. Polk also wanted to take over California and initiated the war by sending American soldiers into the territory.

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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

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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

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During Polk’s regime, the ambitious, new leader focused on adding the Oregon country, taking California along with New Mexico from Mexico, and cutting taxes. By the time Polk had been inaugurated, Texas had already fallen into American hands; therefore, Polk prioritized the securement of the Oregon Territory. Polk was playing a dangerous game; if he tried to take the territory from Britain, war would be inevitable and many lives would be unnecessarily cost. Being the daunting character he was, Polk did not back down from a fight. However, his attention was divided because Mexican relations with the U.S. were degrading.

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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

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With presidents Martin Van Buren and William Henry Harrison both during these time periods we would see diplomatic ties with the US by Sir Andrew Jackson. This motive will later lead to a war with Mexico if political individuals proceed to try to achieve power of Texas. Which in result from the text we learn that Mexico tries to take over Texas and the US would respond with aggressive actions forcing the US and Mexico to declare war at the time for the annex of Texas. When the United States pushed to purchase Texas and Mexican California, we see that their attempt did not prevail whilst Mexico views this as an insult. Polk would act and ordered men to “take a bold, firm course towards Mexico.”

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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.

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According to President James Polk, “Mexico had passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.” (Document B) Clearly, this document shows that an affair with the Mexicans inside the border of America caused Americans to become injured and killed. According to Jesus Velasco-Marquez, “Thus occupying the territory in dispute and increasing the possibilities of a confrontation… In the eyes of the [Mexican] government, the mobilization of the US army was an outright attack on Mexico…” (Document C)

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James K. Polk and the Expansionist Impulse by Sam W. Haynes Haynes’ biography of James K. Polk is a little bit different from the traditional biographical book with enumeration of important dates from life of historical figure. Instead the author takes different approach: while recounting development of Polk’s career, he looks at the Polk’s presidency through the lens of expansionism. Though he frames the 11th President as a strong adherent of aggressive territorial expansionism, Haynes also emphasises that Polk’s decisions cannot be separated from the political and social climate of his time. The author renders Polk from one side as the initiator of expansionists political moves, and from the other, as a product of contemporary social beliefs,

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Blood from Americans to Mexicans splashing one another fighting for what Polk really wanted which is taking nearly half of Mexico territory. Polk rewrites this war message to Congress and fills it full of stirring rhetoric Mexican soldiers had crossed into American territory and shed American blood. Polk bully Mexico he thought that intimidating would force Mexico to give up what he really wanted. The battle of the Mexican- American War began on the field of Pablo Alto. Even though Mexico had more solders than the Americans, the Americans had something really powerful which was flying artillery that was developed by a soldier named Samuel Ringgold.

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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

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The annexation of Texas by the United States provoked the Mexican ambassador to dissolve connections between the two nations. Jose Joaquin Herrera, president of Mexico, wanted to negotiate because he knew his country was not capable of waging war. During negotiations, the two presidents disagreed on the boundaries of Texas. Mexico believed Texas ended at the Nueces River while Polk claimed that the Rio Grande was the western border of Texas, which made Texas larger. While discussions continued, Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to approach the Rio Grande.

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