DBQ: The Mexican War

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In 1846, the annexation of the Oregon territory occurred, but at the same time the Mexican War had just barely started. The Mexican War lasted from 1846 to 1848. The war was in Texas, over territorial issues. Also, Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836 (Background Essay, paragraph 4), and Mexico wanted Texas back. Mexico thought their land extended to the Nueces River, but the border was actually the Rio Grande(Hook Exercise, Map). Also, President Polk was looking for a reason to go to war (Background Essay, paragraph 8). So here comes the question: Did the United States have a good reason to go to war with Mexico? Mexico did attack America first, but America did go into Mexico’s territory. The United States was unjustified in going to war with Mexico because America instigated war with Mexico (Doc. C), annexation (Doc. A), and Americans ignored Mexican laws (Doc. D). One reason the Mexican War was unjustified was because America provoked war with Mexico. President Polk knew where the border between Mexico and America was. So he sent American troops directly into Mexican Territory (Doc. C, paragraph 3). Mexico then tried to protect their …show more content…
Many Americans were moving into Texas, when it was still part of Mexico, and not following laws. People are robbing the territory (Doc. D, paragraph 3). Americans brought slaves to Mexico even though slaves were illegal (Doc. D, paragraph 3). “Mexico, on achieving her independence of the Spanish Crown… decreed the abolition of human slavery within her dominions, embracing the province of Texas…” (Doc. D, paragraph 1). So, Mexico got rid of slavery. “Slaveholders crossed the Sabine [river between Louisiana and Texas] with their slaves, in defiance of the Mexican ordinance of freedom.” (Doc. D, paragraph 3).This evidence shows that the US was unjustified in going to war with Mexico because Americans did not follow Mexican

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