The Mexican War was a test to the belief that the United States had about itself and its destiny of gaining land. The book To the Halls of the Montezumas by Robert W. Johannsen demonstrates the way in which race interweaves with the war, with Americans not just viewing Mexicans as inferior, but as superior to others themselves, functioning independent of any other race. The victories against Mexico simply support the argument; the demeaning of Mexicans was another way to justify the military actions. The overblown ego and sense of the entitlement that the United States has is what makes the territorial expansion, and the means through which it acquires land, seemingly in the American spirit. This attitude is fitting with its actions.
It was the early victories that the United States experienced that at first was shocking, but then gave credence to the belief of the inferiority of Mexicans. As the contact and fighting between the United States and Mexico grew, so did the justifications in the racial superiority of the Americans . It is with this confidence that people began to feel that they could accurately point to the problem of Mexicans, mainly that they seemed a combination of all different races, the worse qualities of each being the ones that remained . This belief that the white population of the United States, as a whole, was comprised of a better people was confirmed by the Army as it encountered them militarily and culturally as it marched deeper into the country.
The Mexican War was viewed as one of the most controversial wars in United States history. Originating from the annexation of Texas, or the lack thereof in Mexico’s eyes, the final spark to cause the war was an incident between soldiers of both countries in disputed land. Both Mexico and the US claimed to have been provoked by the other, and that they were only protecting their country. Many US citizens argued the war, as it appeared President Polk was using it for reasons other than self defense. By going to war with Mexico, the US faced the possibility of gaining much more of Mexico’s land and extending slavery in the country. The United States' decision to go to war with Mexico was based on a desire to extend slavery, to gain land they had
According to James Polk’s War Message,Washington, May 11, 1846, he states “I had ordered an efficient military to take position between the Nueces and the Del Norte.” This quote proves that between the Nueces and the Del Norte was Mexico’s land, that Mexico was just trying to protect. According to Jesus Velasco-Marquez from “A Mexican Viewpoint on the War With the United States”, Jesus states, “In the eyes of the [Mexican] government, the mobilization of the US army was an outright attack on Mexico.” This evidence shows that Mexico viewed the mobilization of the U.S army as an attack on them, and that Mexico wasn’t trying to escalate things, they were just trying to protect their
Some of the territorial expansion that was taken for example was Florida and the Southeast in 1820. Texas, California and the Southwest by 1855, and Central America and the Caribbean by 1898. Most of these events were supported by the presidents of the United States such as Jefferson, Jackson and Teddy Roosevelt, whom believed that any action in favor of the US was ordained by nature. To justify this actions leaders will use foreign policy contradictions such as the “Manifest Destiny”. The concept of Manifest Destiny was a dogma of racial or religious actions to explain western expansion. “America for the Americans” for example was one notion used to express the white supremacy. Even though Congress had stated Mexican-Americans citizen of the US many of them became immigrant’s minority of their country of
The aftermath of the Mexican American warManifest Destiney, the annexation of Texas, and the actions of President John Polk are all factors leading up to the Mexican-american war. It is known that the annexation of Texas was what pushed Mexico leaders over the edge. In 1836 Texas gained independence from Mexico, after becoming an American State the relationship between Mexico and the U.S quickly came to an end. Polk not only had his eyes on Texas but also on California and New Mexico. Polk won the support of the american people by declaring he would complete Americas Manifest Destiny, to reach the West coast. Mexico denied Polk’s offer to buy these lands, leading America to send troops onto disputed territory. April 25, 1846 Mexican troops killed american soldiers on the disputed land, marking the beginning of the war, this was the battle of Palo Alto. The Mexican-American war had a major impact on both Mexico and U.S history. This essay will discuss the political, social, and economical effects between Mexico and the U.S after the Mexican American war.
The Mexican-American War was incorrectly named; it was not simply Americans vs Mexicans, but a war between opinions. America’s war with Mexico: a war for land, for the sake of Manifest Destiny, or perhaps, a war to be started and ended in victory by… a thief. This war was supported and criticized by Americans and Mexicans alike. Manifest Destiny was a belief that it was God’s Plan to for America to expand to the Pacific Ocean, and a very controversial belief, at that. Before this war of opinions, the US already created a tense relationship with its neighbor by providing aid to the Texas Rebellion, and later annexing Texas. The United States was not Justified in going to war with Mexico because Texas was signed over, with no extra land, America was obviously itching to go to war, and settlers agreed to become Mexican citizens in the first place
During the 19th Century the United States sought to expand westwards and increase their land. Since Mexico stood in the way they did all they could to provoke it and start a war. “The Mexicans fired the first shot. But they had done what the American government wanted” (Zinn 151). What they wanted was California, soon they wanted Texas and then Arizona and New Mexico came along. For a long period of time, probably still today; Mexican-Americans are seen as “an ahistoric people” (Romano 44). An assumption that is completely wrong. Mexican American have been fighting for their rights and equality since they became part of America. In fact they had two movements conduct by different generations. The Mexican-American Generation between 1930 and 1960; and the Chicano generation between 1945-1960. Although both generations were had the same ancestry, they had different world view because their history and the events that were going on in their time. Both Mexican-American generation and Chicano generation similarities and differences help understand the overall Chicano history in the 20th Century.
The perception of history is often crafted by the information given and the information available, however, almost too often the facts accessible are warped by the viewpoints of others before they can be properly assessed. Differing outlooks thus explicate the controversial nature of historical events and why the motives and conclusions behind certain occurrences are called into question. The Mexican American war as many American historians would call it ushers a contrary tone in Mexico as their own historians would claim the “war” as United States invasion; the difference in referral is based on the different perceptions of the conflict. In the American viewpoint, the Mexican American War was driven by economic, social and political pressures to bolster United States territories, through the annexation of Texas. In the converse, it could be argued that Mexico did not declare a formal war against the United States but rather was interested in defending their country’s territorial integrity and resisting United State’s invasion. In a Mexican viewpoint then, the war was not a result of arrogance but a consequence of defending Mexican territory from United States invasion. Nonetheless the aftermath of the war produced immense repercussions, furthering American exceptionalism, slavery, and disregard for international borders prompting the inquiry of not only the unjust methods applied but the unjustified results.
The factors that started the Mexican War lay heavily on American shoulders. Whether if the factors were created by social, political or economical needs, they have all become the center of attention for the question of being a national interest or disgrace. However, the Americans felt that they existed for “…spreading the blessings of peace.” according to Andrew Jackson. There will always be controversy between the two sides of this matter, the Americans who feel that it had to be done, to the Mexicans who felt that it was an injustice done to their nation.
The Mexican War of 1846-1848 was one of major importance to U.S. history, but has since fallen into annals of obscurity. It was the nation’s first war fought on foreign soil: a war that advocated the concept of “manifest destiny”, the United States God-given right to claim territory for the establishment of a free democratic society (Stevenson 2009). Even though many historians claim the war was forced on Mexico by slaveholders greedy for new territory, President John Polk viewed the war as an opportunity to defend the annexation of Texas, establish the Rio Grande as its border, and to acquire the Mexican territories of California and New Mexico (Stevenson 2009).
The Mexican war was justifiable to an extent, and not simply an excuse perpetrated upon both the american and mexican people in order to seize land from the weak neighborhood. Manifest destiny and treaties helped seized land from mexico. One way america supported the mexican war was through show fate ( manifest destiny ). This state of mind filled western settlement, Native American expulsion and war with Mexico. American trusted this development would include not only regional tribute but rather, the advance of freedom and individual monetary open door, all through the drift.
Walter Nugent and Norman Graebner explains their view on if the Mexican War was an exercise in American Imperialism or not. Nugent believes that the war was an exercise in American Imperialism. He explains that the United States were imperialistic from the beginning and to expand their territory was one of the primary objectives. Graebner on the other hand does not believe that the war was an exercise of American Imperialism. He suggests that the war occurred from a lack of communication and believes that President James Polk wanted a war. He made a decision to take over territory initially by negotiations but, those negotiations didn’t work which left him with his final decision; war. This war has impacted the United States and Mexico
Firstly, America took a completely one sided view to the Mexican War. This can be very clearly seen in the biased rhetoric used in James K. Polk’s address to the Senate and House of Representatives (Document B). The document shows a complete disregard for both sides of the story; it is
During the 19th Century, the United States sought to expand westwards and increase their land. Since Mexico stood in the way they did all they could to provoke it and start a war. “The Mexicans fired the first shot. But they had done what the American government wanted” (Zinn 151). What they wanted was California, soon they wanted Texas and then Arizona and New Mexico came along. For a long period of time, probably still today; Mexican-Americans are seen as “an ahistoric people” (Romano 44). An assumption that is completely wrong. Mexican American have been fighting for their rights and equality since they became part of America. In fact, they had two movements conduct by different generations. The Mexican-American Generation between 1930 and 1960; and the Chicano generation between 1945-1960. Although both generations were had the same ancestry, they had different worldview because of their history and the events that were going on in their time. Both Mexican-American generation and Chicano generation similarities and differences help understand the overall Chicano history in the 20th Century.
Dr. Henderson’s purpose for writing A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States is to explain the causes of Mexico going to war with the United States in 1846, and the reasons Mexico suffered severely from it. Dr. Henderson’s focus throughout the book is not solely on the military tactics, but rather on the political and diplomatic maneuvering. This approach to the book is to provide to the reader the conflict’s real significance, as to the how and why the United States and Mexico went to war. This book does not point blame at either side, but tells the war from the Mexican point of view. Furthermore, Dr. Henderson explores Mexico’s weaknesses at the time and how those weaknesses led to the war with the United States.
The last and final reason the Mexican War was justified is that the Mexicans had attacked the US first. According to Jesus Velasco-Marquez from “A Mexican Viewpoint on the War With the United States” he states, “in the eyes of the [Mexican] government, the mobilization of the US army was an outright attack on Mexico.” This evidence