The "american dream" we call it, where we are so privileged to have so much freedom unlike many others, a land of such vast space to fill america's dreams and hopes. A "american dream" that has been given through America's long-lasting courage to fight the battle, yet what if there was no need for a battle at all? What if the battle wasn't even about freedom but greed? The Mexican-American war started because of a dispute on Texas border lines and California property, then further escalated into a disagreement about rightful land from Texas to the Pacific regions. The United States, in the end, won the war and bought 54% of Mexico for 15 million dollars. The Mexican-American war, was said to be both sides fault, but for various reasons the United States is to blame for a majority of the war represented through their selfish actions and provocative efforts to cause Mexico to defend her border lines. So, was there really a just reason for the U.S to start a war or was it based on avarice intentions?
The United States reasoning of claims to Texas and land to the pacific ocean was absolutely absurd based on that, God had told them it was their duty as Americans to "expand" by taking anothers home. The United States did not take a small percentage of Mexicos land, but 54% of the land it used to be, all based on the posturous idea from one man. Proclaimed in document A by John O'Sulivian, ¨It is time for opposition to the annexation of Texas (addition of Texas to the U.S) to cease. Texas is now ours...Other nations have undertaken hostile interference against us, hampering our power, limiting our greatness, and checking the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by God for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.¨ The excerpt presented is meaning that ¨Manifest Destiny¨ was a message from God to spread their lands, in which doing so they thought this excuse made it fair to seize the land, that was rightfully Mexico´s sense they had been present and inherited the land when they broke off from Spain, in order to have their own independence. As well from their excuses on claims to the land, the U.S declared war as it fell most importantly convenient for them because of all the ways in which they had angered Mexico, to which then Mexico could only protect themselves. In numerous times the U.S insulted Mexico without hesitation, expecting there to be no outcome, and when there was a response they pointed blame right at Mexico. Now, some of the U.S was not on board with going to war with Mexico based on some of their intentions presented, one including United States Lieutenant Colonel Ethan Allen Hitchcock. According to Document E, Lieutenant Hitchcock believed that the U.S sent troops in order to cause a war, ¨as to have an excuse for taking California and as much of this country as possible¨. Not only was there a separate excuse for the U.S taking California, but there was a hidden agenda. Benjamin Lundy (active in the anti-slavery movements of the 1820s) believed that the main goal of the war was to ¨re-establish the SYSTEM OF SLAVERY¨ and to open up a ¨profitable slave market¨ to add to the United States. Though, Lundy was not only one with this information, Charles Summers ( a lawmaker who served on the U.S senate for 24 years) suspected that the country he trusted for 24 years was wrong on their reasons for resulting to an all out war. Charles Summers stated, ¨Slaveholders crossed into Texas with their slaves, in defiance of the Mexican law of freedom. Our newspapers got the public excited about the possibility of territorial robbery.¨ Mexico had welcome with open arms people to come populate Texas and instead Texans completely disregard their laws and brought in 38,000 slaves (by 1847) into the state and later branched off to continue with the slave market profit. Still, this was not enough for the U.S and strove for more, but how would they get more if Mexico was not going to negotiate? War, and the only way to do this was through blame towards Mexico. At the time in 1846, (proclaimed in Document C by Jesus Velasco-Marques) on the presidents orders, the troops arrived at the Rio Grande, across from the city of Matamoros, ¨thus occupying the territory in dispute and increasing the possibilities of a confrontation.¨ The Mexican government saw the mobilization of the U.S. army as an outright attack on Mexico and in the only way they could they ¨reaffirmed the instruction to protect the border¨, so the United States at multiple times had shown indications of wanting war and Mexico in defense had to protect its country from invasion, but that was just what the U.S wanted. Through the intentions of the U.S not properly seen at the time, it caused and all out war. Though the United States was a country not defending itself but a country overcome by greed, but in order to have the same reputation of being the great nation they needed someone to talk the fall for the war, and sadly that country was Mexico. America the Great? Or is America not the innocent country they´ve claimed to be for so long, and have they always been power-hungry? Most importantly, are they now?
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AuthorSo, I'm Kaya and here is where you can ask me anything and I will also post what's going on in my life as well! Archives
October 2018
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