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The Mexican War: The Causes Of The Mexican American War

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Mexican American War “...May the boldest fear and the wisest tremble when incurring responsibilities on which may depend on our countries peace and prosperity…” -James K. Polk. What our 11th president meant by this is that we need to maintain good relations to bring success as this is the opposite of what Mexico wanted. In 1845, many Americans believed in manifest destiny which was the belief that the United States was destined to stretch from coast to coast. As this idea scattered through America, citizens of the U.S. spread with it. Americans going west ran into Mexican territory, where settlement was cheap. These settlers moved in and outnumbered the Mexicans six to one, because of this, tensions arouse. Although the United States war against Mexico may be viewed as controversial, the war was just due to the Mexican government refusing to hear an offer, the boundary dispute, and the 16 American soldiers killed. The new president of Mexico, Jose Joaquin de Herrera, refused all negotiation with the United States which called for an excusable war. John Slidell, the United States ambassador attempted to obtain a peaceful relation but Mexico thought otherwise. “An Envoy of the United States repaired to Mexico with full powers to adjust every existing difference… The Mexican Government… refused to receive him, or listen to his propositions. Mexico acted as if the U.S. were a little bug bothering them. “Hoping to settle the dispute peacefully, Polk sent John Slidell, a
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