Mexican – American War
History 121 – American History
Christopher Zilz
November 13, 2022
Shahi 2
The Mexican War, which lasted from 1846 to 1848, was a confrontation between
the United States and Mexico that was sparked by a disagreement over the annexation of Texas by the US in 1845. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on
February 2, 1848, officially ending the war and expanding American territory
across the continent to the Pacific Ocean after two years of battle and a string of
American wins. The region obtained included most of New Mexico and Arizona,
as well as portions of Colorado and Wyoming, as well as what would eventually
become the states of Texas, California, Nevada, and Utah.
The rights and obligations between the United States and Mexico were revised as a
result of the Mexican American War, since Mexico lost a significant amount of territory to the United States.
In 1836, Texas won its freedom from Mexico. At first, the US refused to admit it
into the union, partly because political forces in the north opposed the creation of a
new state that backed slavery. In addition, the Mexican government urged border
raids while announcing that any annexation effort would result in war. However,
annexation proceedings were swiftly started after Polk’s election in 1844. A strong
supporter of the theory of Manifest Destiny, Polk ran on the platforms of “re-annexing” Texas and “re-occupying” the Oregon Territory. In addition, Polk had his
sights set on the rest of what is now known as the American Southwest, including
California and New Mexico. He moved troops into a disputed area between the Rio
Shahi 3
Grande and Nueces River that both nations had previously acknowledged as a portion of the Mexican state of Coahuila after his offer to buy those lands was turned
down.
About 12 American soldiers serving under General Zachary Taylor’s command
were killed when Mexican cavalry attacked them on April 25, 1846, in the disputed
area. The Rio Grande’s Fort Texas was then under siege by them. The Mexicans
were defeated by Taylor at the Battles of Palo Alto and Palma after he requested
reinforcements and used superior firearms and artillery. After the conflicts, Polk
said to the U.S. Congress that “the cup of tolerance has been spent, even before
Mexico exceeded the boundary of the United States, invaded our territory, and
shed American blood upon American soil.” Despite opposition from several northern congressmen, Congress declared war two days later, on May 13. Mexican government had fled as American forces advanced into mexico, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, officially putting an end to the Mexican-American War.
After losing its army and losing control of its capital, Mexico City, in September
1847, the Mexican government submitted to American demands and began peace
talks.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which was signed on February 2, 1848, in Mexico, marked the formal conclusion of the conflict. The treaty expanded the United
Shahi 4
States’ territory by 525,000 square miles, encompassing the territory that now comprises all or a portion of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico,
Utah, and Wyoming.
Overall, I do oppose war because it kills both civilians and soldiers, damages the
environment, and causes severe financial crises, although I do acknowledge that
some battles had to be fought in the past. But I’m hopeful that in the future, we
won’t have to fight any wars that are unjustified.1 After a Guadalupe Hidalgo peace
treaty, Mexicans living in California were struggling for their citizenship, lands
rights because of recent political events. I am hoping that we won’t have Botiller v.
Dominguez became a landmark case again and both nation will respect the peace
treaty.
Bibliography:
McGerr, Michael E., Camilla Townsend, Karen M. Dunak, Mark Summers,
and Jan Lewis. Of the People: A History of the United States with Sources.
(New York: Oxford University Press, 2022), 395-405
1
Michael Mcgerr et al. Of the People (New York: Oxford University Press, 2022), 404
Shahi 5
“The Mexican-American War in a Nutshell. ational Constitution Center #onstitutioncenter.org. Accessed November 13, 2022. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-mexican-american-war-in-a-nutshell.

Purchase answer to see full
attachment