James K. Polk Essay

As stated in President James Polk’s war message of 1846, “...I had ordered an efficient military force to take a position ‘between the Nueces and the Del Norte [Rio Grande].’ This had become necessary, to meet a threatened invasion of Texas by the Mexican forces” (Document B). From the perspective of the United States, the people of Mexico were not authorized to cross the Rio Grande into American territory. However, since the Treaties of Velasco that Santa Ana signed were invalid, Texas still belonged to Mexico. Mexican troops were not “invading” Texas; they were trying to retain the land that had been stolen from them. Therefore, President Polk had no right to send American troops to Mexican territory. Some may argue that the war was justified because Mexican troops attacked American soldiers on American territory. For example, they contend that, “Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil” (Document B). The United States declared war against Mexico because they believed American soldiers had been attacked by Mexican troops in American territory. However, since the annexation of Texas was illegitimate, that territory still belonged to Mexico. The American soldiers were not killed on American land; they were killed on Mexican land. Thus, America’s reasoning for declaring war was inaccurate, and the Mexican-American war was

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

In a U.S. Congress debate on the war, Joshua Giddings said, “The order was to abstain from all aggressive acts toward ‘Mexican citizens.’ It seems that the President expected General Taylor to find Mexican citizens located within the United States…” To summarize what Joshua Giddings said, Polk’s orders prove that he expected Mexicans to be located within U.S. territory, and what country would expect foreigners on their own territory? Unless it is not officially their territory, which means President Polk sent soldier to disputed territory with the knowledge that Mexico would consider it an act of war, due to the tensions between the countries, therefore, the President obviously intended to create conflict with Mexico. Polk was elected by running on the promise to expand the nation, which included annexing Texas. It took nine years to annex Texas, and in which the tensions between Mexico and America continued to rise in that time. This means that Polk knew that annexing Texas would only make things worse between the disputing countries and could possibly trigger a

Polk became President as the trouble with Mexico was happening. In 1846 under Polk's orders the troops of General Zachary Taylor were sent to the Rio Grande. The US considered the Rio Grande to be the new border between Mexico and the US but the Mexicans believed the border was farther north at the Nueces River. The Mexican government automatically thought the movement of the U.S. army was an attack on Mexico. (Doc C). The Mexicans knew they had to defend the border of the Rio Grande so that’s what they did. They set up troops along the Rio Grande to protect its border (Doc C). In document C it states "The American government acted like a bandit who came upon a traveler". The Mexicans described us as thieves and a threat to the peace (Doc C). Polk sent a known spy, William Parrott, back to Mexico on a diplomatic mission after Mexico made it clear that Parrott was Mexico's enemy trying to give the Congress a reason to go to war (Online book). Polk is trying to give Congress a reason to go to war with Mexico (Online book).All this time Polk looked like the "good guy" to the voters back home, defending the land and the people. The people are agreed to go to war with Mexico (Doc B), So in 1846 Congress votes to go to war (Doc B). The United States was ready to take action because we thought that we are superior to the Mexicans (Doc

The first reason why America was not justified into going to war is because it states that “ But now, after reiterated menaces, Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.” This explains Polk didn't say the whole story. But if he did say the whole story Congress would have voted differently but because he didn’t American went to war with Mexico.

As Texans began demanding freedom, they deciding to away from Mexico, causing tensions between the United States and Mexico. In 1845, tensions began to lead to threats between the two countries when the United States decided to annex Texas into their country and ultimately led to the Mexican-American war. The U.S. was not justified in going to war with Mexico. A reason is that James K. Polk, president at the time, decided to send American soldiers onto disputed territory which Mexico thought was theirs. Doc C is an article written by Jesus Velasco-Marquez discussing the Mexicans viewpoint on the war with the United States in 1846. According to Doc C,¨In the eyes of the Mexican government, the mobilization of the US army was an outright attack

U.S. War with Mexico had many effects on both countries. Even though American’s gained a considerable amount of land, it leads to a great deal of sectional tension. The two governments agreed to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which confirmed the annexation of Texas and ceded California and present day México, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah to the United States (Foner,474). With this huge land acquisition, the issue of slavery in the new territories was raised. The new land caused a great deal of conflict, and created great political sectionalism in America. Gaining this much land at a time seemed like a good idea until Americans had to deal with the political issues that went along with it. Residents from both the North and the South wanted

James K. Polk was the 11th presidents of the United states of America. His name is perhaps most closely associated with Manifest Destiny, because a year before he became the president, the Manifest destiny started the embody the governing philosophy of the Polk administration and its ardently expansionist aims. Polk’s campaigning methods is the leading cause to his victory of becoming the president of America. He campaigned on an expansionist platform, and vowed to not agree with the British on the dispute over the Oregon Territory's northern border. After Polk took office, the tension with Mexico over the annex of Texas continued to grow. In May 1846, Polk got his cabinet to approve of him to send a message of war against Mexico to Congress. In May 1847, president Polk had Nicholas P. Trist, the chief clerk in the state department, to Mexico with Gen. In spite of Polk's wish, Trist signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in early February 1848. This was the Treaty that ended the Mexican American War. Polk still was unhappy with the land he had just ceased- but polk had to settle with what the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo had got him: California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and the disputed

While often thought of as a small and insignificant war fought by the Americans, the Mexican-American War serves a lot of importance to the foundation and history of our country. This war determined whether or not the United States would become a dominant power on the continent and it, more importantly, established the size of the nation. The Mexican-American War lasted from 1846-1848, but by the time President James Polk took office in 1845, United States-Mexico relations were already off to a bad start. While the Mexican-American War was mainly caused by the idea of ‘Manifest Destiny’ and the Texas War for Independence/Annexation, it was also a major turning point in the debate over slavery in the United States because of the Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and the Wilmot Proviso.

James K. Polk was elected as president of the United States in 1848 and with him he brought a determination to expand territory more than any other president had before. In his one term administration he expanded the country by two-thirds. Polks hunger for more land resulted in a war with Mexico over Texas which evoked lots of opposition from the Whig party. The idea of Manifest Destiny was germinating throughout Democrats everywhere, countering the Whig ideology of “true republicanism”. They believed “A nation cannot simultaneously devote its energies to the absorption of others’ territories and the improvement of its own,” (pg, 49). Polk ignored this belief and soon John C. Fremont was declaring California independent and Stephen Watts Kearny was leading his army to several victories south of the Rio Grande. Nicholas Trist was able to get Mexico to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, recognizing the Rio Grande boundary of Texas and ceding New Mexico and upper Californian to the US.

The US was provoking Mexico. The president played a big role in annexing Texas, he set up troops to defend against Mexico taking back Texas. John O’Sullivan also told Mexico that they were going to take California after taking Texas. Polk supported and played a big role in Texas being annexed. (Doc.A) The US needed his approval mainly to make Texas part of the US. The government voted that Texas should be annexed but without the President saying yes it would have taken a lot longer then it did to make Texas a part of the US. The President set up troops to fight with the Mexicans increasing the level of the situation also. Document B says the President set up troops between the Nueces and the Rio Del Norte. He did this because he felt that Mexico

Mexico and America had two different ideas of what was Mexico’s border and what America thought was there border. That’s when Polk decided to talk with the Mexicans, so Polk sent his men and they crossed Mexico’s border. Mexico offered to buy the land but Polk’s men said it was disputed territory so their for they could not buy it. Polk wanted Texas so he could have more land in America, but so did Mexico.

Polk was a president that wanted to expand the U.S across the east and all the way to the west. When Polk wanted to expand the U.S it was what Andrew Jackson started but did not

Polk was also heavily involved in purchasing the new states Arizona and New Mexico while still keeping peace between the Slave and Free states. This balance

James k had promised during the campaign to revive the presidency of MArtin Van Buren but repealed a year later by a whig-dominated congress. James intended to address four of the most contentious issues of the jacksonian Era each of which had sectional implications territorial expansion slavery banking and the tariff. James k polk achieved most of the domestic party while in the office curtailing the use of federal funds for internal improvements the restoration of an independent treasury that lasted until 1913 and a reduction in tariffs. James k polk oversaw the opening of the US Naval Academy and the smithsonian instit. The groundbreaking for the Washington Monument and the issuance of the first postage stamps in the united states. Promoted the policies of manifest destiny includ negotiating possession of the oregon territory from the british and buying california and new mexico from mexico after the