Mexican War Dbq Analysis

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The war between the U.S. and Mexico transpired between the years of 1846-1848. There were many Americans migrating into Texas, this did not go unnoticed by President James K. Polk, so he to attempted to annex Texas. Likewise, he sought after territory in New Mexico and California. The U.S. alleged that the Texas southern border was the Rio Grande. Conversely, Mexico did not recognize this borderline and as an alternative thought the Nueces River was the border. Mexico would not tolerate this discrepancy of borderlines and attacked the U.S. With the belief that Mexico had invaded American territory, Polk went to Congress to request a declaration of war, which he was granted. The Americans came out victorious in this war that lasted about two …show more content…

Hugh White a Whig congressman from New York, was the first member of the House of Representatives to make a link between the war and slavery. He stated “. . . this Mexican war—a war, in my judgement, unnecessary, uncalled for, and wholly unjustifiable; offensive in its inception, and I fear of conquest and subjugation (slavery) in its ending. . . .” (Document 2) This very thing is why many abolitionist, such as, Frederick Douglass. Latter President Ulysses S. Grant was another American in opposition to the war with Mexico. In his personal memoirs he wrote “To this day, I regard the Mexican War as one of the most unjust wars ever waged by a stronger nation against a weaker nation . . . in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory.” (Document 3) On the other hand, there were publications like The New-York Daily Tribune would called the war “piratical” and the invasion was a “flagrant outrage” and it was also called “immoral and unwise”. (Document …show more content…

While it was a massive amount of evil perpetrated against Mexico it will probably go down as one of the most defining things in American history. This unjust war lead to the continuous expansion of our great country from sea to shining sea. These events that transpired of those two year, were horrible, but were also sadly a necessary evil to make this country what it is today. While many Americans of the time disagreed on a lot of things they all had one thing in common, and that was, what they thought, was the best thing for the