Was the War with Mexico Justified?

Blake Jewell

I think that the United States were justified with going to war with Mexico. There are many
mixed reasons that advocate for the war between the two countries. Mexico believed that there was
emptiness in their northern lands bordering the United States. To solve this problem, they strived to
increase population by welcoming settlers from the United States into their country. Mexico proposed
special efforts to encourage American farmers to settle in the once-present Mexican province, Texas.
Mexico prospected their plan to receive more population to the United States Congress, twice over the
following nine years, and both times, the United States turned them down with a ‘no’. They believed that
the population should stay the same. However, when James K Polk was elected President of the US near
the end of 1844, he was a believer of Manifest Destiny, and thought that it was God’s plan to extend the
United States from coast to coast, the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Polk turned down Mexico’s proposal,
and countering, he did not just want to earn Texas, but was hunting for California.

Although there were many efforts to gain population for both the United States and Mexico, there
were a few flaws that came with B.B.the benefits. The country of Mexico was Catholic, and believed in
anti-slavery, and they wanted to keep Texans under their ruling and under their control. However, the
American settlers were mostly Protestant, supportive of slavery, and mainly ignored the Mexican
authority. Obviously, the country of Mexico had characteristics that completely contrasted the population
characteristics that they were looking for in Texas. According to the ‘Background Essay’ document, it did
not take long for the two opposite differences to boil into revolt. Obviously, this would be a reason for the
Texans to stay with the United States, as they shared the same beliefs. Finally, the Texans segregated
from Mexico, after bloody wars and encounters such as the Alamo, where the Texans won their
independence and became part of the United States in 1836.

According to document A, the United States claims Texas, delivering the message to Mexico, It is
time for the opposition to the Annexation of Texas to cease… Texas is now ours… Let their reception
into the ‘family’ be frank, kindly, and cheerful…”After reading this passage, I can infer that the United
States has won Texas over Mexico, and is telling Texas that this action has taken place. In Document B,
there is a statement that mentions that California will be captured by the United States after Texas. In fact,
there was already action going into capturing the land from Mexico. The document claims, “California
will, probably, next fall away from Mexico.” This implies that there is a plan to gain California, land
along the Pacific Coast. It also mentions, “The Anglo-Saxon foot is already on California’s borders…”
This is obviously a military force along the shores of California, attempting to win and fight for the land
of California. Also in document B, it is mentioned that the United States sends military personnel to
capture the Rio Grande. However, they are pressured an attacked by Mexican Forces.

Through this negative encounter with the Mexican personnel, the United States was forced to
dispatch from the American camp on the Rio Del Norte. Through this relationship between the two
nations, the current president of that time, James K. Polk, was furious because the United States was not
treated correctly since they won their own state. Basically, the Mexican forces were attempting to drive
out the United States from a state that the US won over Mexico. Essentially, Mexico was working under a
grudge, and was attempting one last time to take back their state. Document D shows and represents the
differences between the nations. Texas matches the characteristics of the United States, who strongly
supported slavery, believed in Protestant religion, and largely ignored the ruling of Mexico. This is also a
strong reason and justification for why Texas would like to join the United States.

Finally, I believe that the United States was strongly justified in going to war with Mexico. I
think this because the United States had the right to attempt to gain land, and they did this in a manner
consistent with the law. Ultimately, they gained Texas, a land that they were fighting for, and rightfully
earned it. However, even after winning the state, the military forces of Mexico acted to win back their
state, and acted angrily through the upset in the annexation of Texas by the United States. However, both
Texas and the nation of the United States had the same characteristics and plans for a nation. But, Mexico
wanted to keep Texas for land and population purposes. The United States also needed more of a
population and more land. Thus, they fought Mexico over Texas. Since Mexico drove the United States
out of the US’s own land, this was unjustified, and they essentially ‘fired shots without reason’. Because
of this, the United States had the right to fight back, and the two nations went into war.

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Document Analysis - Facts and Inferences

Document A
Inferences
From this document, I can infer that the United States has won over Texas. This is because there is a
passage in the document stating, “Texas is now ours… Let their reception into the ‘family’ be frank,
kindly, and cheerful.” This statement leads me to believe that the United States is telling Texas that they
are part of the country now, and that they will peacefully accept Texas.

Also, when it is stated, “Other nations have undertaken… hostile interference against us.” I believe that
the United States plans to have peaceful relations with Texas, and only peaceful relations, since they now
know that Texas is a state within the US. The United States mentions that other nations have been acting
under hostility towards them, but they are wishing that Texas does not do the same.

Finally, I predict that the United States is looking for California to also become part of their nation. This
is because it is stated, “California will, probably, next fall away from Mexico.” By saying this, the United
States is probably looking for the ownership of California. I am predicting that the United States is
attempting to fight for California.

Facts
I think that a fact is that the United States is in ownership of Texas now. This is because the United States
blatantly mentions that Texas is part of their nation, in the phrase, “Texas is now ours… Let their
reception into the ‘family’ be frank, kindly, and cheerful.”

Another fact is that the United States have met negative relationships with other countries. I know this
because in the statement, “Other nations have undertaken…. Hostile interference against us,” it indicates
the United States have met with negative relationships within different nations, which is shown by “Other
nations have undertaken…”.

The last fact is that there was already progress towards capturing California from Mexico. This is
mentioned through the sentence, “The Anglo-Saxon foot is already on California’s borders… armed with
the plough and the rifle, and marking its trail…” This allegation shows that the United States is in
progress of winning California from Mexico.

Document B
Inferences
From this document, I can infer three things. These three things are that the United States was offended
by the actions of the Mexicans, the US captured Texas, and that there are still harsh relations with the
other nations, through the persepctive of the United States.

Facts
From document B, I three facts are that:
- James Polk positioned military forces near Mexico; in Texas
- At the time when the troops started moving, Texas became part of the United States, thus the
military was in United States territory
- Sixteen american soldiers were killed and wounded in the retaliation by Mexico.

Document C
Inferences
- The nation of Mexico was angered that the United States signed a treaty with Texas.
- Mexico felt threatened by the movement of troops
- Mexico retaliated to gain their piece of land back, after Texas annexated.

Facts
- The bloodiest battle between the United States and Mexico was referred to “The Mexican War.”
- IN 1846, James Polk’s troops arrived in Texas.
- When the Mexican government learned of the United States’s treaty with Texas, they wanted to
declare war.

Document D
Inferences
- People fled Mexico to join the United States because of their policies
- Mexico became overwhelmed with the loss of population and began to riot and go into chaos.
- People ‘discontented at home’ joined the United States, as it fit their needs better.

Facts
- Mexico changed their policies on slavery to adapt to Texas, to keep the land of Texas within their
nation
- Citizens rapidly started moving from Mexico to the United States
- In revolt, Mexico took back their slavery promise, and recklessly supported slavery.