Manifest Destiny And The Mexican-American War

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.

From 1820-1860 Manifest Destiny played a major role in American Politics. Manifest Destiny was the expansion of American settlement onto Western land, and the belief that it is God-given land. Manifest Destiny impacted America politically because Americans felt they had a right to all Western land, so this resulted in the creation of the Missouri Compromise of 1820,and the Mexican American War of 1846. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 created a border line between free-soil states, and slave States in Western territories. The Mexican American War of 1846 was a war between the Mexicans, and Americans for Western land.

The Mexican War of 1846 started because the U.S. had this idea of that they had to possess land from the Pacific to the Atlantic destined by God also known as “manifest destiny.” During this time, the U.S. President, James Polk, had the leadership and wanted to expand land and had in mind to annex Texas, occupy Oregon, and take control of California. The reason why the Mexican War began was due to Polk’s idea that he wanted to expand land west and he had also in mind to obtained Texas, Oregon, and California. In Texas there was a dispute over where the border line would be between Texas and Mexico.

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.

With Polk’s narrow victory, the Democrats immediately called to admit Texas as a state, but was only successful by using a joint resolution,which included admitting Oregon as a state to satisfy Northern expansionist desires and balancing the number of slave-owning and free soil states. Not satisfied with these states alone, Polk turned to Mexico’s northern provinces (such as California and New Mexico) and endeavored to start a revolution in California. Polk’s audacious move to incite a revolution in California--done by sending Thomas Oliver Larkin to influence famous Californios to seek independence, seizing San Francisco Bay, and employing John Slidell to try to buy California--was met with greater tensions between the U.S. and Mexico for a war. These acts led to Polk utilizing more aggressive tactics to expand U.S. territory; Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to occupy disputed territory and “provoke a fight” (Pg. 419 Henretta), and the war concluded with American triumph. The war had started with patriotic expansionism, but soon divided the nation: the Whigs, who were against the war and did not support “this wretched cant about a ‘manifest destiny’”

Manifest Destiny was a big stepping point in America. When American settlers wanted more land, they decided to take Natives land, so they could expand their own land. This caused them to retaliate causing the Civil War. This made the Native Americans and Americans relationship to be worse. It made the Native American population decrease drastically.

In 1846 The Mexican-American War began lasting till 1848. The United States acquisitive need for more land was their only motive for starting a war with Mexico. The United States started an unjustified war with the newly independent country just more territory. Polk stated that “The Mexican Government not only refused to receive him [the U.S. envoy] or listen to his propositions, but after a long-continued series of menaces have at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil.

The Mexican-American War took place a little while after Texas gained its independence in 1836. Firstly, The US did not want Texas apart of the Union because they wanted less slave states not more. The Mexican government started stating that they would do border raids and that if any invasion, and or takeover were to try to happen this would cause a war. Still in the 1844 election of United States President James K. Polk did not care he truly believed in “ manifest destiny ” which was another of say he believed that it was the “US destiny to spread across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. ”Believing in this President Polk tried to purchase what is now the U.S southwest.

and Mexico. Unfortunately, the history books miss the mark on details that made this happen, Polk had already stated that he wanted to take over Texas and California even if it meant by force in Document C. It would make sense if he would send troops crossing the border, towards the center of Mexico trying to cause action from the Mexican government. Document C explains this ¨(In early 1846, on Polk´s orders)¨ the troops commanded by General Zachary arrived at the Rio Grande, across from the City of Matamoros, thus occupying the territory in dispute and increasing the confrontation.¨ In Mexico´s shoes, sending an army close to the center of the young country was seen as a direct attack as stated in Document C ¨In the eyes of the (Mexican) government, the mobilization of the US army was an outright attack on Mexico.¨ That is why the U.S. is not Justified in going to war with

The president at that time was Polk, he promised that he would annex Texas and Oregon; and gain New York and California. He also wanted to serve one term as president and wanted to accomplish this. According to Document E written by Joshua Giddings, who was part of the U.S. congress debate on the war with Mexico. This debate was between the House of Representatives on May 13, 1846. “The order was also to abstain from all aggressive acts toward citizens.

In 1846, America declared war on Mexico and fought to win much of what currently makes up the Southwestern portion of the United States. The war with Mexico was just one example of the many militant acts that undoubtably paralleled Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny emerged instinctively and inevitability out of fundamental want and need for people to explore, conquer new lands and establish new borders with other nations. With this growth came moral, cultural, social, ideological, and economic differences between people, states and countries. The term Manifest Destiny was often used by those who wanted secure territory in places like California, and Mexico.

policy towards the Mexican War of 1846. Dominated by the editors who strongly believed the concept of Manifest Destiny, the United States Democratic Review justified the war with Mexico. In the article titled, The Mexican War - Its Origin and Conduct, the author listed several reasons to war against Mexico such as the annexation of Texas, boundary dispute, the threat to the U.S. economic interests in the region and above all, the U.S. expansionist policy towards the West. Deeply influenced by the ideas of Manifest Destiny, President Polk framed his foreign policy in his presidency and successfully fulfilled the God-given mission to stretch the U.S. territory as far as the Pacific region, negotiate with the Great Britain to acquire the Oregon territory and sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Mexico in 1848. Without the ideas of Manifest Destiny, the U.S. expansionism would not thrive, the newly born democratic nation would not increase his territory astronomically and the young republic would not have enough political and economic power to be a giant at the stage of international

Manifest Destiny was an era of expansion of the U.S. to the western side of the North American continent. It took place from 1812 to 1867. Manifest Destiny was the belief that America was destined, by God, to expand its territory westward. Manifest destiny was caused by acute American supremacy; it widely affected natives while being essentially negative in that it promoted racism, encouraged Americans’ culture superiority, and generated the extermination of Native American people. Manifest Destiny was the cause of plummeting numbers in the Native American population.

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.

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.