Quite recently, one of the presidential candidates, Donald Trump, declared that if elected president, he would construct a wall between Mexico and the United States. Considering that the border of the United States and Mexico is approximately 2,100 miles today, it seems like a waste of taxpayer dollars and time. Many consider it so and brush off Trump as a lunatic. However, while the concept appears insane now, imagine if America had not secured a victory in the Mexican-American War. A war that concluded roughly a hundred and seventy years ago, the Mexican-American War was a conflict between, as the name would imply, Mexico, and the United States over the territories of California, Texas, and New Mexico, 525,000 square miles of land, which
…show more content…
There were several major battles, and the United States claimed victory during each one. The U.S.’ streak of victory was unscathed during the war, but that did not say much for the lives lost. Thirteen thousand and two hundred Americans lost their lives in the War, about seventeen percent of those who participated. Believed to be the highest casualty rate ever recorded in the history of wars fought by Americans, it astounds scholars, since the Mexicans lost every battle, however, the casualties was not a direct result of battles themselves. Diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, dysentery, and small pox claimed the lives of these American soldiers. As suspected, the Mexican troops lost almost double the amount, approximately twenty five thousand soldiers and innocent bystanders, deceased. Fortunately, the War ended on February 2, 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and a payment of $15 million. The author of the Treaty was actually considered a traitor to President Polk and was treated as so when he returned. In 1847, State Department clerk, Nicholas P. Trist, possibly spared the lives of hundreds because he disobeyed the orders of Polk to return …show more content…
However, through the two years of hardship and war, America managed to secure about seven states, one of those being New Mexico. Without this War, New Mexico may have never been a part of the United States, and America would be nearly five hundred thousand square miles of land short. On the other hand, having acquired these new states, the U.S. had one more crucial question to ask. Which states would free, and which would be slave? Thirteen years later, a war on American soil would force the some states to show their
There were several major battles, and the United States claimed victory during each one. The U.S.’ streak of victory was unscathed during the war, but that did not say much for the lives lost. Thirteen thousand and two hundred Americans lost their lives in the War, about seventeen percent of those who participated. Believed to be the highest casualty rate ever recorded in the history of wars fought by Americans, it astounds scholars, since the Mexicans lost every battle, however, the casualties was not a direct result of battles themselves. Diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, dysentery, and small pox claimed the lives of these American soldiers. As suspected, the Mexican troops lost almost double the amount, approximately twenty five thousand soldiers and innocent bystanders, deceased. Fortunately, the War ended on February 2, 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and a payment of $15 million. The author of the Treaty was actually considered a traitor to President Polk and was treated as so when he returned. In 1847, State Department clerk, Nicholas P. Trist, possibly spared the lives of hundreds because he disobeyed the orders of Polk to return …show more content…
However, through the two years of hardship and war, America managed to secure about seven states, one of those being New Mexico. Without this War, New Mexico may have never been a part of the United States, and America would be nearly five hundred thousand square miles of land short. On the other hand, having acquired these new states, the U.S. had one more crucial question to ask. Which states would free, and which would be slave? Thirteen years later, a war on American soil would force the some states to show their