The Mexican-American War: A Forgotten Fight What do most people think of when they think of the Alamo? Defenders dying in a heroic last stand? Or the unmerciful slaughter of innocent men trying to protect their homes from invaders? Is that all they think of? There is much more to the Mexican-American War than most people think there is. Despite the fact that it is overshadowed by other major historical events, the Mexican-American War is one of the most important events in the history of the United States because of the direct influence it had on the Civil War. There were several factors that lead to the beginning of the war, some of which were political and others were violent. One of the political factors involved the relations between
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Manifest Destiny was the idea that Americans should expand from coast to coast for control of the entire continent. This idea was becoming increasingly popular in the years leading up to the war according to Joseph G. Dawson III, professor of history at Texas A&M University and author of the article “Leaders for Manifest Destiny: American Volunteer Colonels Serving in the U.S.-Mexican War” (254). In fact, expansionists had been focused on the acquisition of new territory sometime before the war. This is shown by their goals at the time, which were possessing Oregon and California along with annexing Texas (254). There were also differing opinions on why new territory should be gained. Slave owners wanted to make their presence in the Union larger by expanding and gaining new lands, specifically southward (Henderson 32). Henderson also explains why people who opposed slavery wanted to expand as well. They felt that new land would be the perfect place to put freed slaves, thus preserving the “racial uniformity” of the U.S. (33). Several prominent politicians such as Thomas Jefferson believed in preserving “racial uniformity”, as shown by Henderson: “Thomas Jefferson, though himself a slave owner, was convinced that slavery’s days were numbered, but he was equally convinced that the white and black races were profoundly unequal and would be unable to live side by side in peace” (33). By the time …show more content…
University of Tennessee at Knoxville graduate student John Pinheiro discusses this connection in his article titled “’Extending the Light and Blessings of Our Purer Faith’: Anti-Catholic Sentiment among American Soldiers in the U.S.-Mexican War”. Pinheiro says this in his article: “Many Americans believed to some degree that the Manifest Destiny of the United States included not only the spread of Anglo-Saxons and their republican institutions, but also Protestantism” (129). This, along with the popular sentiment among American soldiers that the spread of Protestantism in Manifest Destiny was vital to a growing republic proves that many people connected these ideas and that the very ideal of Manifest Destiny was built upon Protestantism (129). This was problematic for Mexico, because Catholicism was very popular at the time. There were many Americans who opposed Mexican Catholicism, but supporters of it existed as well. One of these biggest supporters was the U.S. Catholic Magazine (137). However, the support of the Mexican religion did not mean that they opposed the war (137). There were also many higher-ups in the U.S. government who tried to ensure that the Mexican clergy would not be disrespected along with not offending the religious feelings of Mexico (130). Opponents of Mexican Catholicism included author Joseph Latrobe, who
Manifest Destiny was the idea that Americans should expand from coast to coast for control of the entire continent. This idea was becoming increasingly popular in the years leading up to the war according to Joseph G. Dawson III, professor of history at Texas A&M University and author of the article “Leaders for Manifest Destiny: American Volunteer Colonels Serving in the U.S.-Mexican War” (254). In fact, expansionists had been focused on the acquisition of new territory sometime before the war. This is shown by their goals at the time, which were possessing Oregon and California along with annexing Texas (254). There were also differing opinions on why new territory should be gained. Slave owners wanted to make their presence in the Union larger by expanding and gaining new lands, specifically southward (Henderson 32). Henderson also explains why people who opposed slavery wanted to expand as well. They felt that new land would be the perfect place to put freed slaves, thus preserving the “racial uniformity” of the U.S. (33). Several prominent politicians such as Thomas Jefferson believed in preserving “racial uniformity”, as shown by Henderson: “Thomas Jefferson, though himself a slave owner, was convinced that slavery’s days were numbered, but he was equally convinced that the white and black races were profoundly unequal and would be unable to live side by side in peace” (33). By the time …show more content…
University of Tennessee at Knoxville graduate student John Pinheiro discusses this connection in his article titled “’Extending the Light and Blessings of Our Purer Faith’: Anti-Catholic Sentiment among American Soldiers in the U.S.-Mexican War”. Pinheiro says this in his article: “Many Americans believed to some degree that the Manifest Destiny of the United States included not only the spread of Anglo-Saxons and their republican institutions, but also Protestantism” (129). This, along with the popular sentiment among American soldiers that the spread of Protestantism in Manifest Destiny was vital to a growing republic proves that many people connected these ideas and that the very ideal of Manifest Destiny was built upon Protestantism (129). This was problematic for Mexico, because Catholicism was very popular at the time. There were many Americans who opposed Mexican Catholicism, but supporters of it existed as well. One of these biggest supporters was the U.S. Catholic Magazine (137). However, the support of the Mexican religion did not mean that they opposed the war (137). There were also many higher-ups in the U.S. government who tried to ensure that the Mexican clergy would not be disrespected along with not offending the religious feelings of Mexico (130). Opponents of Mexican Catholicism included author Joseph Latrobe, who