Manifest Destiny and Mexican American War Essay Example

then United States President Thomas Jefferson bought a piece of land to the west of Mississippi river for around $15 million estimated to be around 828, 800 square miles. The land forms part of the current fourteen states. After the purchase, the president sends an expedition team to analyze the area, and the process took around three years. The expedition aimed at bringing a deeper understanding of the new land in regards to the resources and the geography of the region before making any decisions about the process of settlement in the region. The expedition process took a significant time to ensure collection of all relevant information.

It is after the expedition process that the idea of manifest destiny came on board in around 1830s and 1840s. The manifest destiny was the idea that the United States was destined to expand across the continent and played a significant role in promoting further territorial expansion. The United States added Texas in 1845 and 1846; the signing of the Oregon Treaty stopped the claims by the British to the Oregon territory. During the Mexican-American war in 1848, Mexico gave out part of the Southwest to the United States and in 1853; the United States bought another land from Mexico. Some factors ensured there was a rapid migration of the settlers to the west footnoteRef:4. One of the main factors was the Homestead Act passed in 1862 and provided that settlers be allowed 160 acres of land for free. Completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 was another factor, facilitated faster migration of settlers towards the west, and provided room for economic development. 4: Horsman, Reginald. 1981. Race and

manifest destiny the origins of American racial anglo-saxonism. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10314254.

In justification of the western expansion around the mid-nineteenth century, the United States used the whole concept of Manifest Destiny effectively. One of the major ways that manifest destiny promoted the idea of western expansion is the idea that the United States was a chosen nation by God and had right and freedom to expand its borders westwards. Westward expansion meant many privileges for the United States leaders and its occupantsfootnoteRef:5. Supporters of manifest destiny believed that God-given right to expand towards the west was due to the advanced culture and though their culture would be used to bring civilization to the West. Majority believed that expansion to the west would benefit the Indians and the people living in the newly acquired territories footnoteRef:6. The influence could mainly be through passing the American religious and cultural values and institutions. The belief of superiority played a significant role towards the employment of the concept of manifest destiny towards westward expansion by the United States. Despite the Americans believing in the concept of westwards expansion through manifest destiny, there was some objection by some of the people. They believed that God being just would not allow the United States a right of expansion at the expense of the rights and the lives of many innocent people living in the region to be taken by the United States. 5: Go?mez, Laura E. 2007. Manifest destinies the making of the Mexican American race. New York: New York University. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10202511. 6: Kirkpatrick, Terry. 2012. Sixty miles of border: an American lawman battles drugs on the Mexican border.

New York: Berkley Books.

The United States also used the idea of manifest destiny to justify their idea of westward expansion through the idea that the foundations of the new union could be strengthened. Through manifest destiny, the United States believed that they needed more space to accommodate the increasing population and could be attained through the westward expansion. The expansion could also make the United States stronger because it could control more resources at different parts. The expansion was possible through the land purchase though there were debates on what parts of the land to be the Free states and which to become the slave statesfootnoteRef:7. During the expansion process, they encountered the Indians inhabiting the lands. The contact with the Indians brought some problems, and the Congress moved swiftly and passed the Indian Removal Act I 1830 that was later signed by the then president Andrew Jackson. The Act provided for negotiations with the Indians to relocate from their lands to the lands specifically meant for the Indians. Despite the intention of the United States to make the removal voluntary, there was rejection among the Indians, and thus, the United States were used to remove them forcibly, and it led to the deaths of many Indians during the entire process. 7: Payan, Tony. 2006. The three U.S.-Mexico border wars : drugs, immigration, and Homeland Security. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Security International.

Another important aspect to note about the manifest destiny is the Mexican-American war that occurred at around 1846-1848. The war occurred after the annexation of Texas in 1845. Even after the Texas Revolution, the Mexican Congress did not recognize the Texan independence, viewed it as

rebellious, and could be retaken. It was after the annexation of Texas that Mexico broke its ties with the United States leading to disputes between the two. The Mexicans believed that Texas extended only to Nueces River while on the other hand the Texans believed that their territory extends to Rio Grande RiverfootnoteRef:8. It created some form of revolt and each side started to put measures in place to ensure that their territory was safeguarded fully. 8: Carlisle, Rodney P. 2007. Manifest destiny and the expansion of America. Santa Barbara, Calif. u.a.: ABC-CLIO.

The border dispute led to war between the Mexicans and the Americans after the Mexican Calvary attacked the American unit of about seventy men in 1846 send to spy on an area between two rivers. The attack led to the death of some of the American troops bringing hostility between the two nations. Soon after the attacks, the then United States president asked the United States to declare war on Mexico something that was waited for a long time. Despite the attacks by the Mexicans, many people especially those from the northerners did not believe that it was not a legitimate reason for the United States to enter into war with Mexico. Some of the critics to the war included Abraham Lincoln, who believed that the war could increase the power of the slave statesfootnoteRef:9. The war, therefore, faced mixed reaction from different people. Considering the cause of the war, other avenues could be employed to solve the border issues between the United States and Mexico. Considering the number of deaths caused by the war, it was not necessary since some of the

innocent people were affected greatly by the war. Manifest destiny could be blamed because of the above since it placed the United States in a situation that made it use all means to ensure that the manifest destiny was fulfilled. The manner that the war ended proves beyond doubts that the American-Mexican war was unwarrantedfootnoteRef:10. After some time, the war officially ended in 1848 when Mexico and America made an agreement to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Upon signing the treaty, the Mexicans recognized Texas as independent. On the other hand, the Americans required land that included California, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. 9: Stephanson, Anders. 1995. Manifest destiny: American expansionism and the empire of right. New York: Hill and Wang.
10: Kirkpatrick, Terry. 2012. Sixty miles of border: an American lawman battles drugs on the Mexican border. New York: Berkley Books.

To date, the manifest destiny continues to have a major impact on the United States history, on the Native Americans, and the Mexican Americans. The major impact on the United States history lies in the ability to conquer new territories that led to the expansion of its size. The reason for the expansion was to accommodate the increasing population in the United StatesfootnoteRef:11. Manifest destiny shaped the politics of the united states especially at times that the there were issues concerning the role of the United States in the new territories and the idea of slavery. 11: Horsman, Reginald. 1981. Race and manifest destiny the origins of American racial anglo-saxonism. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10314254.

Native Americans and the Mexican Americans were also affected greatly by the manifest destiny. One of the major

impacts brought by the manifest destiny was the Mexican war that led to the death of many Mexicans due to the power of the Americans. It is also clear that the Mexican-Americans adopted the cultural and religious practices of the Americans that influence their lives to date. On the other hand, the natives Americans were subjected to different forms of slavery and deprivation of other rights that affect them to datefootnoteRef:12. It is indeed clear that the whole process of manifest destiny affected the majority of the Native Americans greatly up to date. The native Americans continue to be viewed in a negative way and form the majority of the lower class positions due to the violation of their rights during the process of manifest destiny. 12: Merk, Frederick. 1995. Manifest destiny and mission in American history: a reinterpretation. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Univ. Press.

To conclude the above analysis of the manifest destiny, it is clear that the whole process of manifest destiny occurred due to two main reasons, they include; the Americans viewing themselves as powerful, and it was their mandate to expand westwards and spread their cultural practices to the western people. Another major reason for manifest destiny was the belief that the United States had God given right to expand its borders to meet the needs of its continuous growing population. The analysis of the above also indicates that the United States could have used other methods to solve their differences with the United States rather than engaging in the war that led to numerous destructions. Finally, due to the strong belief in the United States in manifest destiny, it is clear that

under all circumstances, westward expansion could happen and the whole idea of manifest destiny could not be ignored.

References

1. Carlisle, Rodney P. 2007. Manifest destiny and the expansion of America. Santa Barbara, Calif. u.a.: ABC-CLIO.
2. Go?mez, Laura E. 2007. Manifest destinies the making of the Mexican American race. New York: New York University.http://site.ebrary.com/id/10202511.
3. Heidler, David Stephen, and Jeanne T. Heidler. 2003. Manifest destiny. Westport (Conn.): Greewood press.
4. Horsman, Reginald. 1981. Race and manifest destiny the origins of American racial anglo- saxonism. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10314254.
5. Kirkpatrick, Terry. 2012. Sixty miles of border: an American lawman battles drugs on the Mexican border. New York: Berkley Books.
6. Longyear, Barry B. 1980. Manifest destiny. United States: iUniverse.
7. Merk, Frederick. 1995. Manifest destiny and mission in American history: a reinterpretation. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Univ. Press.
8. Mountjoy, Shane. 2009. Manifest destiny westward Expansion. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10292163.
9. Payan, Tony. 2006. The three U.S.-Mexico border wars : drugs, immigration, and Homeland Security. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Security International.
10. Stephanson, Anders. 1995. Manifest destiny: American expansionism and the empire of right. New York: Hill and Wang.