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Mexican American War Dbq

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President James K Polk massively believed in the Manifest Destiny, the belief that the American people had a duty to expand westward across North America. This idea sparked a fire that believe it or not most didn’t want. The result: The Mexican-America war. While the war gained America five different states and was one of the largest territorial expansions in United States history, many critics believed that America was headed down a bad path. That we were going to end up like most great conquerors in the world, dead or with innocent blood on our hands that God will never forgive us for. Critics such as Henry Clay, Fredrick Douglass, Ulysses S. Grant all believed this war wasn’t going to do anyone any good. To really understand why this war …show more content…

Being a critic, he spoke about the war with Mexico and how he believed that his country was involved in an “unnatural” war that could have been prevented. Clay states “If General Taylor had permitted to remain… at the point of Corpus Christi; and if a negotiation had been opened with Mexico, in a true spirit of amity and conciliation, War possibly might have been prevented.” (University of Texas, 1846). The citizens were told that there still wasn’t peace between Mexico and Texas, and if the annexation of Texas were to happen a war would occur. Yet the government denied this statement and ensured that no war would take place. Clay believed that America was headed down a warlike and destructive path that would lead us all fatal consequences much like past conquerors. He compares the cities of Greece, Rome, and France lands of Alexander the Great, Caesar, and Napoleon. Asking the listeners “Do you believe that the people of… were benefited by the triumphs of their Captains?” answering no “Their sad lot was immense sacrifice of life, heavy and intolerable burdens, and the ultimate loss of liberty itself.” (University of Texas, 1846). He ends his speech with a reference to Christendom, which leads to my next critic who argued that this war was going to cost than currency but our

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However, Whigs were not opposed to expanding territory in a non-violent way and granting “the blessings of American Liberty, even to Mexicans and Indians” (48). However, after seeing the Democratic majority agree to the resolution affirming a state of war between Mexico, many Whigs in Congress were in favor of such “war, pestilence, and famine” (47). However, Polk was “suddenly more hungry for more territory” and was able to provide the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, a treaty that granted Mexican territory to the United States in a return payment of 15 million dollars. Since this was a transaction of money and not bloodshed, the Whigs agreed. However, as Ralph Emerson said, “Mexico will poison us” and the “poison was slavery”(51).

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Have you ever wondered what the country would look like if President Polk decided to not start a war with Mexico? President James Polk, who favored the Manifest Destiny, would choose to take another route. In fact, he might focus on a negotiation with the Mexican government, in which he would offer the protection from European countries, the help in building up a stable government, and the establishment of a strong relationship between two countries in exchange for the annexation of Texas and the area of California and New Mexico. Let first take a look at the condition of the two countries before 1846. In 1845, James Polk took the office and he started to aim for gaining new territories.

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93 Words | 1 Pages

The American-Mexican war commenced in the year 1846 and lasted until 1848. The whole war began because of a strained relationship, between United States and Mexico. Which came to be, when Texas, gave part of Mexico 's land to the United States, when they had no right to declare themselves as part of the U.S.A. In the end, many Americans citizens did not support the war, but their was also many that did supported it. Their was a painting called manifest destiny the artist name was John Gast. The symbolic meaning behind this painting was

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699 Words | 3 Pages

Polk provoked the Mexican people knowing that they would go to war, James Polk wanted war, and

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However, this is an invalid argument. The land that Polk tried saying was invaded was actually land that was being disputed between Mexico and America. As, at the time they were having disagreements on where their borders were. Joshua Giddings wrote, “the army was within the United States they could not commit violence upon Mexico… It seems that the President expected General Taylor to find Mexican citizens located within the United States.”

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The victories in the Mexican-American War won him the election to the White House and known as a “national hero.” At the time James K. Polk was the president of the United States, and people believe that he provoked the war with Mexico. Polk idea was to push Mexico into negotiating with the U.S., and was willing to create a war because of it. But the negotiations might have gone a different way if there was a different approach, and not the approach Polk wanted. Mexico refused both the annexation by the United States and the annexation occurred and all relations were broken and withdrew Washingtons minister or independence of Texas.

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President James K. Polk went to war with Mexico for one simple reason, and that was the basis of his so-called, “Manifest Destiny”. Since the beginning of President Polk’s campaign for Presidency, his main objective was for the expansion of the nation. He sit his eyes on the prize, which were Neuvo Mexico and the California territories, which included parts of the present-day states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. (1) He also placed great emphasis in the re-annexation of Texas, which undoubtedly brought great discontent with Mexican and United states governments. President Polk initially attempted to buy Neuvo Mexico and the Californias but the Mexican government turned it down.

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Walter Nugent believes that the Mexican War was an exercise in American Imperialism, he suggest that America was imperialistic from its very beginnings. Norman Graebner disagrees with Nugent’s theory; he believes that President James Polk took it in his hands and demanded to purchase New Mexico and California from Mexico, however, when Mexico refused Polk, he had no choice but to force the territories which led to the Mexican War. The war has definitely impacted society today. There is a ton of bitterness because of this war, even today presidential candidates have suggested their political views in regards to Mexicans. I believe that the Mexican War was an exercise in American Imperialism because America has always focused on the country’s

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The fight between Mexican and American troops officially opened fire on April 25, 1846. It was a war that was fought for land where Mexico battled to keep what they thought was their property. The war consisted of eight major battles that were fought in different locations and with different Mexican and American officers. The first battle fought was the battle of Palo Alto on May 8, 1846. The war took place between Fort Texas and resulted in the American troops winning and Zachary Taylor protecting the Rio Grande.

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698 Words | 3 Pages

The United States went to war with Mexico in 1846. The Manifest Destiny was what some some believed to be God’s plan to expand the United State’s territory. James K. Polk was elected in late 1844, and he was a believer in the Manifest Destiny. This is part of what caused some future disputes. Mexico had declared itself free from Spain in

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The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) marked the primary U.S. armed conflict in the main fought on foreign soil. It emptied a politically divided, militarily unprepared, all around unprepared Mexico against the expansionist-minded administration of U.S. President James K. Polk, World Health Organization believed the U.S. had a “manifest destiny” to unfold across the continent to the Pacific. A border encounter on the river started off the fighting and was followed by a series of U.S. victories. Once the mud cleared, United Mexican States had lost due to simple fraction of its territory, together with nearly all of current Golden State, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New

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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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Because the US took Mexico's territory to advance slavery, the Mexican-American War was not justified. The Americans believed that the best course of action for obtaining the territory was to go to war with Mexico due to the belief in Manifest Destiny. Although there were many negative effects, Manifest Destiny claimed that it was God's intention for people to take and settle on new territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The reality that the war ended up causing the slavery debate and the Civil War was the main result that had the biggest effect. The Mexican-American War's historical context is provided here.

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95 Words | 1 Pages

The two conflicts that occurred in the 20th centuries was The Spanish- American War and The Russo-Japanese War. The two ways The Spanish American War conflict challenged Western colonial empires, was between the Spain and the United States, they both gained control over Cuba and Puerto Rico. Also, the Americans took over the Philippines and made it their territory. The Russo-Japanese War conflicts challenged Western colonial empires because it caused the military conflict, when Japan forced Russia to abandon its policy in the Far East, and when Great Britain and the Japanese allies became powerful.

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1083 Words | 5 Pages

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.

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