DBQ Essay: The Mexican War

Texas and the United States believed that the proper borderline between Texas and Mexico was the Rio Grande, but for Mexico it believed that the border between them and Texas is the Nueces River.”(Hook) As you can see the United States and Mexico had different beliefs. This evidence shows the US was justified in going to war with Mexico because the US believed that Mexico had a smaller amount of land they what they think they have. But Mexico believes that it has more land. Mexico and the United States were fighting over the disputed territory which was between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, which made the tension between Mexico and the US more negative. “ on April 24th of April a party…..of sixty three men and officers, were… dispatched from the American camp up the Rio del Norte.(Doc B)” This evidence shows that Mexico had went against its boundary and fought with American men in the striped area where Mexico and the United states were already fighting for. This Made thing more difficult to handle because the Us and Mexico were already fighting for land and the probably made things worse between the two

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

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

The United States of America has been through many wars, wars concerning many things such as land oil, pride and respect. However, when the United States went to war with Mexico, it was planned over greed. The Mexican- American war was a war provoked by the United States, in efforts to expand the coasts of the country. Mexico was a small under privileged country who had previously to the war had already lost part of their country (Texas). Needless to say this war was cut throat and violent, it was however one of the smartest business decisions America has ever made.

The war the war was intense, but some of the soldiers wondered if the this war was justified to start. Many lives were lost during this terrible war. United Mexican States lost lots of it’s land and many soldiers died. This most likely weakened Mexico even more. The big question is was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico? There are many reasons going both ways, but there are some big reasons the us shouldn’t have gone to war. Some of the reasons are Mexico was still weak from winning their independence, Mexico never declared Texas entirely free, and the U.S. could try to work out a deal with Mexico to buy the land.

In Senator James Buchanan’s Letter to Edward D. Gazzam, 1844, (Document D) he said that Texas should remain independent but pointed out that, “But suppose that this cannot be, and that it should be satisfactorily established that we must either admit it or see it pass under the dominion of Great Britain; -what ought then to be done?” Some Americans feared that Britain would try to take over Texas if America did not. Briton William Kennedy pointed out in his diplomatic communications to Lord Aberdeen, 1844, (Document F) that war with Mexico would, “Produce an embarrassment of affairs, and would leave warm work and divided laurels for [Tyler’s] successor.” John O’Sullivan’s article in Democratic Review, 1845, (Document G) said that other nations have taken actions to stop the expansion of the United States, “This we have seen done by England, our old rival and enemy; and by France, strangely coupled with her against us.” Foreign relations worries were another cause of the war with Mexico, along with the desire to expand slavery and internal political

The American and Mexico war had an effect on many people all around the world. Many people also stole things and killed each other just so they can live and be free. The war between America and Mexico had many conflict between each other. Many amount of lives was lost, and half of Mexico’s territory was lost. Not so many good things happened, like many tensions had emerged between Mexico and America. The U.S was more unjustified than justified for many different reasons. Although the United States war against Mexico resulted in the gaining of America’s most valuable land, the war itself was unjust because they wanted to protect the citizens, U.S wanted to expand slavery, and sent soldiers to their land which they thought was going to be a good idea.

First reason of why America was not justified in going to war with Mexico because was because of America's invasion. “ the troops commanded by General Zachary Taylor arrived at the Rio Grande across from the city of Matamoros, increasing the possibility of a confrontation”. In other word this this evidence shows that Americans were not justified in going to war with Mexico because it was an invasion crossing the mexican border and claiming land without any approval from the mexican government . “...Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon

They accused us of robbing land from them. “Restless Spirits discontented at home… the work of rebellion sped” {Doc. D Paragraph 3} We then accused our newcomers from Texas of stealing the land. “...Might just charge our citizens with disgraceful robbery…” {Doc. D Paragraph 3} This evidence shows the US was unjustified in going to war with Mexico because we were the ones who stole the land from them but blamed our newcomers, because Mexico did not yet know these newcomers so would most likely not bring much harm. Mexico only wanted the disputed territory to make up for the land we robbed from them, they didn’t want any

With the widespread confusion and battles throughout the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, the U.S had offered a treaty to Texas, and shown in Document C “It would consider such an act ‘A declaration of War.’” Today Texans and American citizens believe that Mexico had attacked first, when in reality they were just defending their land. The U.S took Mexico’s land and had blamed them for attacking for the start of several battles and casualties when Mexico didn’t give up the land in the first place. Explained in Document D “Citizens of the United States had already begun to move

“The Congress of Texas, by its act of December 19, 1836, has declared the Rio del Norte to be the boundary of that republic…” ~President James Polk. The Congress of Texas declared the Rio Grande the boundary.” (Doc B Paragraph 2-3) When this happened the Americans did not listen to the boundary and crossed it. There were two major problems with this. The first problem with this was that the Americans were bringing slaves into this slave free dominion. The second major complication was that the Americans were crossing the boundaries and claiming land that was the Mexicans. This evidence shows the US was not justified in going to war with Mexico because the Americans were stealing Mexican land. They were also crossing the boundaries, and stealing the land right after Mexico declared they were a slave free dominion. “Certainly Mexico...might justly charge our citizens with disgraceful robbery, while, in seeking extension of slavery.”~Charles Sumner. (Doc D Paragraph

One reason that the Mexican-American war was not justified is that the Americans took land from Mexico. The annexation of Texas is an example of America taking land, stated in Document C. That was very wrong of the U.S to do at the time due to security and legal reasons for Mexico. Then Americans tried to take more land from Mexico by sending troops to near the Rio Grande River. As a security measure, the Mexicans decided to attack the American soldiers, killing 16 of the Americans. This shows that Americans were not justified for going to war with Mexico because Americans decided to send soldiers to invade the undisputed part of land between Texas and Mexico.

Document A is a magazine called “Annexation” written by John L. O’ Sulilvan in July, 1845. It was about how the country should feel elated and jubilant of the annexation of Texas because it was expanding the territory. According to Document A, it states, “(O)ther nations… hampering our power, limiting our greatness and checking the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent.” O’ Sulilvan states that America’s manifest destiny is supported by God who’s given us the right to spread our greatness, liberty, and way of life, into the rest of the Americas. He’s also sporting the fact that Mexico would attack us for annexing a piece of land that is rightfully ours is absolutely outrageous.

Mexico has constantly attempted to keep up a steady association with The U.S, however the annexation of texas annoyed the Mexican government. The annexation of Texas to the United States was unsuitable for both lawful and security reasons, from Mexico's perspective. Mexico expressed that the annexation of Texas to the United States was an infringement of the 1828 fringe arrangement, which had perceived Mexico's sway over that region. Despite the fact that the Mexican country was gravely annoyed by the United States, because of its activity in Texas having a place with Mexico, the Mexican government was set up to get a high positioned official, who might touch base in this capital from the Unite States, having the ability to settle the present clash in a serene, sensible and respectable way. The United States suit to near none arrangements, they likewise requested for the privileges of the regions of California and New mexico, yet mexico decreases, and both go to

At first Mexico wanted to have American settlers in Texas so they could expand their territory. This wasn’t a good idea for Mexico. In the background essay paragraph 4 it says “Mexico was Catholic, anti-slavery, and wanted to keep Texans under their control.”The American settlers were mostly Protestant, pro-slavery, and largely ignored Mexican authority.” Mexico had a law that says that. American settlers liked slaves though. In Doc. D paragraph 3 it says “citizens of the United States had already begun to (move) into Texas.” The slaveholders took their slaves into Mexico’s territory like it was there