The Causes Of The Mexican American War And The Dred Scott Decision

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The mid-1800s was a time of turmoil in the new United States, both socially and politically. Tensions grew between sections of the nations over countless issues of the time. In 1856, the United States declared war on Mexico, and within a short period of time, one and a half million square miles of land had been added to the United States. The Mexican American War was important, not only in its ramifications, but in its causes. Similarly, the Dred Scott Decision of 1857 had disastrous effects on the slave community, but even more importantly might have been the sectionalism that occurred as a result. The Mexican American War and the Dred Scott Decision, although completely unrelated at first glance, both furthered the sectionalism in America that led to the Civil War. The Mexican American war was bloody and costly, in both dollars and soldiers. While Polk saw it necessary to take the land that is now Southwest America, some saw it as otherwise. Out Of Many uses the term “covet” to describe Polks’ feelings towards the Mexican land, meaning “to desire what belongs to another,” insinuating that the textbook used in class …show more content…
He sided with Southerners to block the Wilmot Proviso from preventing slavery in any territories acquired by the Mexican American War, an obvious cause for Republicans, Whigs, and all anti-slavery Northerners alike to be concerned with the direction the nation was taking. The Southerners, on the other hand, obviously rejoiced in the bias that pushed political law to favor their use of slaves. James K Polk was obviously extremely influential during the mid 1800s. He’s the one who pushed for the expansionism that would later come into question during the Dred Scott Decision. The War was called “Mr. Polk’s War” because of all the skepticism that revolved around it and all of those who felt the war was unnecessary or

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