mexican american war essay questions

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Mexican-American War

By: History.com Editors

Updated: August 10, 2022 | Original: November 9, 2009

Mexican-American War 1846-1848: Battle of Buena Vista. (Credit: Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

The Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848 marked the first U.S. armed conflict chiefly fought on foreign soil. It pitted a politically divided and militarily unprepared Mexico against the expansionist-minded administration of U.S. President James K. Polk, who believed the United States had a “Manifest Destiny” to spread across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. A border skirmish along the Rio Grande that started off the fighting was followed by a series of U.S. victories. When the dust cleared, Mexico had lost about one-third of its territory, including nearly all of present-day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.

Causes of the Mexican-American War

Texas gained its independence from Mexico in 1836. Initially, the United States declined to incorporate it into the union, largely because northern political interests were against the addition of a new state that supported slavery . The Mexican government was also encouraging border raids and warning that any attempt at annexation would lead to war.

Did you know? Gold was discovered in California just days before Mexico ceded the land to the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Nonetheless, annexation procedures were quickly initiated after the 1844 election of Polk, a firm believer in the doctrine of Manifest Destiny , who campaigned that Texas should be “re-annexed” and that the Oregon Territory should be “re-occupied.” Polk also had his eyes on California , New Mexico and the rest of what is today the American Southwest.

When his offer to purchase those lands was rejected, he instigated a fight by moving troops into a disputed zone between the Rio Grande and Nueces River that both countries had previously recognized as part of the Mexican state of Coahuila .

The Mexican-American War Begins

On April 25, 1846, Mexican cavalry attacked a group of U.S. soldiers in the disputed zone under the command of General Zachary Taylor , killing about a dozen. They then laid siege to Fort Texas along the Rio Grande. Taylor called in reinforcements, and—with the help of superior rifles and artillery—was able to defeat the Mexicans at the Battle of Palo Alto and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma .

Following those battles, Polk told the U.S. Congress that the “cup of forbearance has been exhausted, even before Mexico passed the boundary of the United States, invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon American soil.” Two days later, on May 13, Congress declared war, despite opposition from some northern lawmakers. No official declaration of war ever came from Mexico.

U.S. Army Advances Into Mexico

At that time, only about 75,000 Mexican citizens lived north of the Rio Grande. As a result, U.S. forces led by Col. Stephen Watts Kearny and Commodore Robert Field Stockton were able to conquer those lands with minimal resistance. Taylor likewise had little trouble advancing, and he captured the city of Monterrey in September.

With the losses adding up, Mexico turned to old standby General Antonio López de Santa Anna , the charismatic strongman who had been living in exile in Cuba. Santa Anna convinced Polk that, if allowed to return to Mexico, he would end the war on terms favorable to the United States.

But when Santa Anna arrived, he immediately double-crossed Polk by taking control of the Mexican army and leading it into battle. At the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, Santa Anna suffered heavy casualties and was forced to withdraw. Despite the loss, he assumed the Mexican presidency the following month.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops led by Gen. Winfield Scott landed in Veracruz and took over the city. They then began marching toward Mexico City, essentially following the same route that Hernán Cortés followed when he invaded the Aztec empire .

The Mexicans resisted at the Battle of Cerro Gordo and elsewhere, but were bested each time. In September 1847, Scott successfully laid siege to Mexico City’s Chapultepec Castle . During that clash, a group of military school cadets–the so-called ni ños héroes –purportedly committed suicide rather than surrender.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 

Guerrilla attacks against U.S. supply lines continued, but for all intents and purposes the war had ended. Santa Anna resigned, and the United States waited for a new government capable of negotiations to form.

Finally, on Feb. 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, establishing the Rio Grande (and not the Nueces River) as the U.S.-Mexican border. Under the treaty, Mexico also recognized the U.S. annexation of Texas, and agreed to sell California and the rest of its territory north of the Rio Grande for $15 million plus the assumption of certain damage claims.

The net gain in U.S. territory after the Mexican-American War was roughly 525,000 square miles, an enormous tract of land—nearly as much as the Louisiana Purchase’s 827,000 square miles—that would forever change the geography, culture and economy of the United States.

Though the war with Mexico was over, the battle over the newly acquired territories—and whether or not slavery would be allowed in those territories—was just beginning. Many of the U.S. officers and soldiers in the Mexican-American War would in just a few years find themselves once again taking up arms, but this time against their own countrymen in the Civil War .

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mexican american war essay questions

The Mexican-American War: Arguments for and against Going to War

By tim bailey.

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The Impact of the Mexican American War on American Society and Politics

mexican american war essay questions

On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed which officially ended the Mexican-American War. However, as the guns fell silent, and the men returned home, a new war was brewing, one that continues to shape the course of this country to this day. 

While Ulysses S. Grant might have argued that the Civil War was God’s punishment for the Mexican-American War, a “wicked war" that was rooted in imperialism and the expansion of slavery, many Americans supported the Mexican-American War as they viewed it as the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny: the promise that the United States would extend from “sea to shining sea.” While Manifest Destiny remains a core of U.S. national identity, in the 1840s it encouraged a slew of ideological debates over this potential new territory, specifically if the territory should be free or enslaved. The Louisiana Purchase caused a major crisis over the organization of new states which Congress ultimately resolved with the Missouri Compromise, the compromise to end all compromises. It is important to note that the debates in 1820 were largely split among party lines, i.e. Democrats vs. Whigs . However, the Mexican American War reopened past wounds and sent the United States into another legislative crisis.

Even before the war was won and territory had been ceded, Congress was already discussing how to organize any potential new territory gained as reparations from Mexico.  One of the most important of proposals was the Wilmot Proviso  which Representative David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed in 1846, two years before the war ended. Under this proviso, any territory gained by war with Mexico should be free and thus reserved exclusively for whites. Wilmot was a free-soiler, which meant that he did not want to abolish slavery in the places it currently existed but rather prevent its expansion to new territories. However, Wilmot was also a Northern Democrat, and most Democrats supported slavery and protected it, even if they themselves did not own slaves. Many Northern Whigs believed in something called the Slave Power Conspiracy, a conspiracy theory in which slaveowners (the Slave Power) dominated the country’s political system even though they were a minority group, which was accomplished through a coalition with “dough-faced Democrats,” Northern Democrats who supported and protected slavery. While the Wilmot Proviso failed in the Senate, it passed in the House of Representatives because of a coalition between Northern Democrats and Northern Whigs and illustrates the first shift from party alliances to sectional alliances. Indignation over the Wilmot Proviso united southerners against northern threats to their most valuable institution, slavery. After this vote, the antebellum political landscape was forever changed.

The failure of the Wilmot Proviso only put off the issue of slavery for so long. With the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded over 525,000 square miles of territory to the United States in exchange for $15 million and the assumption of Mexican debts to American citizens, which reopened the slavery issue. In order to promote party loyalty without aggravating sectional tensions, the Whigs did not include specific resolutions on slavery in their official platform for the Election of 1848. The Democrats ran on popular sovereignty , which is the idea that the status of a territory will be determined by the people residing in that territory. Popular sovereignty is neither explicitly pro-slavery or anti-slavery; however, it does nullify the Missouri Compromise . Neither party adopted a firm stance on slavery in the 1848 election; however, the free-soilers made the election about slavery. Consequently, the Whigs and the Democrats developed campaign materials to be sectionally distributed which highlighted their candidate's support and opposition for slavery respectively. The separate campaign materials in this election reveal the growing sectional divide in antebellum America.

Despite the growing sectionalism, Zachary Taylor, a hero of the Mexican-American War and a slaveholding Whig was elected president in 1848 and served for two years before dying in office of natural causes. The Mexican-American War projected Taylor into a position of celebrity and enabled his election in 1848. After his election, Taylor promised not to intercede with Congress’s decision for the organization of the Mexican Cession. Many southerners felt betrayed by Taylor, a slaveowner from Louisiana, as they equated his position with those of a free-soiler. In this time of heightened sectional tensions, southerners believed that if one did not actively protect slavery and its expansion, one supported abolition.

As a direct result of the Mexican Cession, the California Gold Rush began in 1849 which caused a massive frenzy to organize and admit California into the Union.  The Missouri Compromise stated that any territory north of the 36°30’ parallel would be free; however, the line would divide California into two sections. California was never a US territory and approved a free constitution, elected a Governor and legislature and applied for statehood by November 1849. Since California did not wish to be divided into two separate states, a new compromise was formed, aptly named the Compromise of 1850. Under the Compromise of 1850 , California was admitted as a free state without deciding the fate of the remainder of the Mexican Cession. Additionally, under this compromise, there was the federal assumption of Texas debt, the abolishment of the slave trade in the District of Columbia, and a stronger fugitive slave law. While controversial, the Compromise of 1850 alleviated the growing tensions over slavery and delayed a full-blown crisis over the issue.

However, in 1854 tensions over slavery once again skyrocketed over the organization of Kansas and Nebraska. While Kansas and Nebraska were not part of the Mexican Cession, their debates over their organization are linked to the Mexican-American War. As stated above, the Mexican-American War re-opened the discussions over how to organize territory, and one of the proposed solutions was popular sovereignty. While the Compromise of 1850 elected not to include popular sovereignty, it reemerged in 1854 with the Kansas-Nebraska Act , where Kansas and Nebraska would be organized using popular sovereignty.  The Kansas-Nebraska Act caused Bleeding Kansas , where pro-slavery and anti-slavery Americans flocked to Kansas in an attempt to establish either a slave or free government in that state, which eventually erupted into violence where neighbor killed a neighbor in the name of slavery and abolition. Bleeding Kansas is also the first instance where John Brown , famous for his 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry, used violence to enact his radical abolition vision. Moreover, the Kansas-Nebraska Act propelled future President Abraham Lincoln into the national spotlight. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois’s pet project and popular sovereignty is often associated with Douglas. Lincoln and Douglas engaged in a series of debates in 1858, which mainly focused on popular sovereignty and slavery’s expansion. While Lincoln lost the senatorial election in 1858 to Douglas, he became well known because of the debates, which positioned himself to be the Republican candidate for the Presidential Election of 1860. Additionally, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was the final nail in the coffin for the Whig Party and paved the way for the establishment of the Republican Party, the first prominent anti-slavery party which was rooted in sectionalism.

Ralph Waldo Emerson prophetically wrote, “Mexico will poison us.” The Mexican-American War and the massive territory gained reopened debates over slavery which diminished party alliances and increased sectional alliances. These debates over slavery eventually led to the demise of the Second Party System and paved the way for the rise of Republicanism. Sectional tensions had never been stronger and there were open discussions of disunion which increased as the 1850s progressed. All these tensions and issues would come to head with the Election of 1860 and eventually with the Civil War, where brother fought against brother. To say "Mexico poisoned" the United States is an understatement, the bloodshed during the Civil War rivaled any other American conflict and today we are still in the process of healing wounds that occurred over 150 years ago.

Further Reading:

  • So Far From God: the U.S. War with Mexico 1846-1848 : By John S. D. Eisenhower
  • A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico : By Amy S. Greenberg
  • The Fate of Their Country: Politicians, Slavery Expansion and the Coming of the Civil War : By Michael F. Holt
  • The Impending Crisis: America Before the Civil War 1848-1861 : By David M. Potter

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Debating the Mexican-American War, May 1846

mexican american war essay questions

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Suggested Sequencing

  • Use this Primary Source alongside the  Chapter 7 Introductory Essay: 1844–1860  and the  To Go to War with Mexico?  Decision Point to explore the United States’ decision to declare war on Mexico.

Introduction

On May 11, 1846, President James K. Polk sent a special message to Congress asking for a declaration of war against Mexico. In his message, the president outlined a series of grievances against the Mexican government and argued that the Mexicans had started a war by attacking U.S. soldiers in southern Texas. Congress declared war two days after the message, but the debate continued over the war and the expansion of slavery in the West. Congressman Joshua Giddings of Ohio issued a scathing reply to Polk two days later and accused the president of starting a war of conquest to safeguard slavery. Giddings was not alone in his beliefs; many northerners and opponents of slavery especially feared that the conflict was an excuse for the expansion of slavery.

Sourcing Questions

  • Who was the speaker in these two documents?
  • What was the goal of each speaker in their respective speeches?

President Polk, War Message to Congress, May 11, 1846

Congressman joshua giddings, debate on the mexican war, house of representatives, washington, may 13, 1846, comprehension questions.

  • Why was it necessary to station U.S. troops between the Nueces and the Del Norte Rivers?
  • According to Polk, when did the U.S. troops move from their position?
  • Where had the Congress of Texas set its boundary?
  • What two reasons does Polk give to justify this boundary from the perspective of Texas?
  • What additional reasons does Polk give to justify this boundary?
  • What was the immediate cause of this conflict, according to General Ampudia’s warning to General Taylor?
  • Do you think it is clear from this account who fired first?
  • According to this passage, how did Mexico start this conflict?
  • What reasons does Polk give for Congress to declare war?
  • What does Giddings accuse President Polk of doing?
  • What does Giddings think the purpose of this conflict was?

Historical Reasoning Questions

  • Compare the tone of the two speeches. How does each serve to further the author’s message?
Provided that, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any territory from the Republic of Mexico, by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys therein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for crime, whereof the party shall first be duly convicted. —Wilmot Proviso, 1846
  • Did Wilmot agree with Polk’s or Giddings’s explanation for the war? Explain.
  • Unlike Giddings, Polk never mentions slavery in his address. Why do you think the president focused on the issue of national sovereignty and security in his speech?

Polk’s War Message:  https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/may-11-1846-war-message-congress

Giddings:  https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Full%20text%20of%20Giddings%20Speech.pdf

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mexican american war essay questions

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

In our resource history is presented through a series of narratives, primary sources, and point-counterpoint debates that invites students to participate in the ongoing conversation about the American experiment.

The Mexican-American War Essay

The US-Mexican War started on 25 April 1846 and lasted for 2 years until 1848 (Bauer, 1992). The war broke out mainly because both the US and Mexico were interested in Texas, which had gained independence from Mexico in 1836. People have divided opinion on whether the US should have been involved in this war. On one side, some people argue that the US should not have been involved in the war because it had refused to incorporate Texas into the Union in 1836 after gaining independence. On the other side, some individuals hold that the US should have been involved in the war as retaliation after Mexico attacked American soldiers on the disputed land. However, this paper holds that the US should not have engaged in the 1846 Mexican-American War.

The Mexican president at the time, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, had warned the US that any efforts to annex Texas would break the already fragile relationship between Mexico and the US (Frazier, 1998). However, the US president at the time ignored such warnings. Mexico and the US were equal partners in the region, and President James Polk should have respected the calls to leave Texas alone. The Mexican president was only concerned about the peace of the region. President de Santa Anna even went to the extent of begging the US to stay out of Texas, but President Polk was determined to annex Texas to the Union. Therefore, for the interest of peace in the region, the US should not have engaged Mexico in this bloody war.

To show its commitment to resolve the Texan conflict amicably, the Mexican government decided to negotiate with a low-level US government official. Having a low-level government official would keep politics out of the already volatile issue. However, the US government would not divorce the politics of supremacy from the confrontation, and thus it sent a minister to negotiate with Mexico. At this point, it is clear that the US was set for a military confrontation by defying all the demands from the Mexican government. If the US sent a low-profile government official as required, perhaps the war would have been averted.

However, the proponents of the war argue that Mexico had to be held responsible for attacking American troops and killing two officers (Henderson, 2008). Apparently, Mexico had no right to dictate whether Texas wanted to join the Union or remain an independent country. Texas needed help from its allies after being ravaged by the struggle for independence from Mexico. Therefore, the US was simply helping its ally at the time of need through annexation. Additionally, Mexico refused to honor its promise of receiving the US emissary with honor befitting an American government official in foreign land. Therefore, Mexico pushed the US into the war.

In conclusion, there are compelling reasons explaining why the US should or should not have engaged in the Mexican-American War. However, the US should not have engaged in the war. Mexico had categorically stated that the annexation of Texas to the United States would cause conflicts in the region, and President Polk should have respected this stand. Besides, Mexico indicated its willingness to negotiate with a low-profile US government official. However, the US sent a high-ranking minister in the government.

The proponents of the war hold that Mexico had no right to determine if Texas would join the US. However, this argument is weak because Mexico wanted peace in the region and the US should have respected that view. Therefore, the arguments on why the US should not have engaged in the war are highly compelling because peace should surpass supremacy battles.

Bauer, J. (1992). The Mexican War: 1846–1848 . Winnipeg, MB: Bison Books.

Frazier, D. (1998). The U.S. and Mexico at war . Basingstoke, UK: Macmillan.

Henderson, T. (2008). A glorious defeat: Mexico and its war with the United States. New York, NY: Hill and Wang.

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IvyPanda. (2020, August 25). The Mexican-American War. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-mexican-american-war/

"The Mexican-American War." IvyPanda , 25 Aug. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-mexican-american-war/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'The Mexican-American War'. 25 August.

IvyPanda . 2020. "The Mexican-American War." August 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-mexican-american-war/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Mexican-American War." August 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-mexican-american-war/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Mexican-American War." August 25, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-mexican-american-war/.

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Discussion Questions

  • American schoolchildren often read heroic stories about “the Mexican-American War” of the 1840s, while their Mexican counterparts learn about the “War of the North American Invasion.” What is the meaning of this difference?
  • What were the principal differences between the Liberal and Conservative parties by the mid-nineteenth century? How did these contrasts actually affect politics in Mexico?
  • Porfirio Díaz is one of Mexico’s most controversial figures: many see him as a dictator, while others praise his promotion of economic development. Was tyranny a necessary price for progress?
  • What were the causes and consequences of the Mexican Revolution? How did it change society and politics?
  • What explains the rise, demise, and return to power of the PRI? Does it now pose a threat to Mexican democracy?
  • What should be done about illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States? What kind of policy reform would you support?

Mexican-American War

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The Mexican American War Trivia Quiz | History In A Nutshell

This quiz tests your knowledge on a not often discussed conflict in American history – The Mexican-American War. This war remains a source of controversy due to how the U.S. acquired Mexico’s northern territories.

How much do you know about this war between the U.S. and Mexico? Find out via the quiz below!

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Home — Essay Samples — War — Mexican War — Why the U.S. Was Not Justified in Going to War with Mexico

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Why The U.s. Was not Justified in Going to War with Mexico

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Published: Sep 12, 2023

Words: 866 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

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Territorial disputes: questionable claims to mexican land, the controversial outbreak of war: polk's role, ethical concerns: the impact on mexico and indigenous peoples.

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Mexican American War Background Essay

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In what year did Mexico win its independence from Spain?

In what year did Texas win its independence from Mexico?

Why would Mexican officials have been upset by the annexation of Texas by the United States?

They felt like Texas was still part of Mexico

They didn't want to make the United States angry

They were happy to allow Americans to come to Texas

They wanted a buffer between them and the Native Americans

What does it mean to annex?

To make peace

To add to the country

To go to war

Who was the President at the time of the Mexican American War?

Andrew Jackson

James K. Polk

Abe Lincoln

James Madison

What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise?

It made the slave states more powerful than the free states.

It made the free states more powerful than the slave states.

It kept the balance between the slave states and the free states

It made Mexico angry because it added Texas

What is our historical question?

What is the reason for Texas being its own country?

How did Mexico win its independence from Spain?

How did the Constitution guard against tyranny?

Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico?

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  4. The Mexican-American War: Quiz & Worksheet for Kids

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  5. Causes of the Mexican-American War Essay Example

    mexican american war essay questions

  6. Causes of the mexican-american war essay

    mexican american war essay questions

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  6. "The Mexican-American War: A Brief History of a Controversial Conflict" || #shorts

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  1. Mexican-American War: Causes & Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

    Did you know? Gold was discovered in California just days before Mexico ceded the land to the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Manifest Destiny

  2. The Mexican American War History Essay

    The Mexican-American War was a conflict between the United States and Mexico. It commenced on 25 April, 1846 and ended on 2 February, 1848. President Polk played a large role in the United States government's involvement with the Mexican-American War. Not all American citizens supported the war. There were many individuals who were against to ...

  3. Mexican American war

    Mexico United States Major Events: Battle of Buena Vista Battle of Cerro Gordo Battle of Contreras Battle of Palo Alto Battle of Chapultepec (Show more) Key People: John A. Logan

  4. PDF The Mexican-American War: Arguments For and Against Going to War

    The United States declared war against Mexico on May 13, 1846. The Mexican -American War (or Mexican War) lasted a little over a year and a half (from 1846 to 1848) and ended with the capture of Mexico City by US forces and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. This treaty gave the United

  5. PDF A nite tates istory Long Essay Question 3

    Evaluate the extent to which the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) marked a turning point in the debate over slavery in the United States. In the development of your argument, analyze what changed and what stayed the same from the period before the war to the period after it. (Historical thinking skill: Periodization). Curriculum Framework Alignment

  6. Mexican-American War

    Mexico claimed that the boundary was the Nueces River, which is 100 miles (160 kilometers) eastward. Many Americans had by that time adopted an idea known as Manifest Destiny, the belief that the country was "destined" to stretch westward to the Pacific Ocean and beyond.

  7. The Mexican-American War: Arguments for and against Going to War

    How did Americans justify or oppose the war with Mexico in 1846? Explore the historical background, the political debates, and the primary sources of this controversial conflict in this three-lesson unit from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

  8. The Impact of the Mexican American War on American Society and Politics

    October 23, 2018 • Updated September 25, 2023 Wikimedia Commons Share to Google Classroom Added by 165 Educators On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed which officially ended the Mexican-American War.

  9. Mexican-American War Questions and Answers

    Start Free Trial Questions & Answers Mexican-American War Questions and Answers What was the turning point in the Mexican-American War? What arguments did opponents of the...

  10. Debating the Mexican-American War, May 1846

    On May 11, 1846, President James K. Polk sent a special message to Congress asking for a declaration of war against Mexico. In his message, the president outlined a series of grievances against the Mexican government and argued that the Mexicans had started a war by attacking U.S. soldiers in southern Texas. Congress declared war two days after ...

  11. The Mexican-American War

    809 writers online Learn More The Mexican president at the time, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, had warned the US that any efforts to annex Texas would break the already fragile relationship between Mexico and the US (Frazier, 1998). However, the US president at the time ignored such warnings.

  12. Discussion Questions

    Discussion Questions. American schoolchildren often read heroic stories about "the Mexican-American War" of the 1840s, while their Mexican counterparts learn about the "War of the North American Invasion.". What is the meaning of this difference? What were the principal differences between the Liberal and Conservative parties by the mid ...

  13. Mexican-American War Essays

    They they start applying for annexation to the US. Texas was actually two times the size back then then it is today Show More Essay On Mexican American War being in a war and getting a giant amount of your land taken for no justifiable reason. That is what happened to the people of Mexico in the war.

  14. Mexican-American War Essay

    The war could save them, the war could give New Mexico the freedom that it wanted and deserved. The Mexican American War gave hope to New Mexico and changed New Mexico forever. The Mexican-American War was a tremendous war that started on April 25, 1846 and ended on February 2, 1848. The war greatly affected both Mexico and the United States.

  15. Mexican-American War DBQ Documents & Essay

    This DBQ asks the simple question: Was the United States justified in going to war with México? Before writing, the class will go over the attached documents to help you and your peers better formulate your arguments as to whether or not you think the United States was justified in going to war with México. Google Classroom

  16. Mexican American War Essay Thesis

    The Mexican-American War occurred betweenstarted from April 25, 1846 - May 30, 1848. In the United States, the president James K. Polk. In Mexico the general is General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna or has General Santa Anna. In most of the battles that Mexico and United States had, the United States now won most of the battles.

  17. Quiz: Mexican-American War

    10 Question Quiz. For webquest or practice, print a copy of this quiz at the Mexican-American War webquest print page. About this quiz: All the questions on this quiz are based on information that can be found on the page at Mexican-American War . Kids take a quiz or webquest on the Mexican-American War. Practice problems online test and ...

  18. Was the U.S justified in going to war with Mexico?

    Michael Koren | Certified Educator Share Cite The United States went to war with Mexico in 1846 in what is known as the Mexican-American War. I will share both sides of the issue regarding...

  19. Mexican American War Essay

    What prompted them to enlist in the first place? What did they think of the Mexican people with whom they came in contact? How did they feel toward the officers? Were they adequately supported with food, clothing, shelter, and medical care by their government? How did they spend their spare time? If they broke any rules, how were they punished?

  20. The Mexican American War Trivia Quiz

    This quiz tests your knowledge on a not often discussed conflict in American history - The Mexican-American War. This war remains a source of controversy due to how the U.S. acquired Mexico's northern territories. How much do you know about this war between the U.S. and Mexico? Find out via the quiz below! Grades: 4 8 Higher Education ...

  21. ᐅ Essays On Mexican American War Free Argumentative, Persuasive

    Pages 7 Mexican-American War The physical beginning of the Mexican-American war between the United States and Mexico began with a Mexican attack on American troops who were stationed on the southern border of Texas on April 25, 1846. The swift conclusion to the war took place as General Winfield … Mexican American War Mexico Words 916 Pages 4

  22. Why The U.s. Was not Justified in Going to War with Mexico

    Mexico argued that the border was the Nueces River, which lay further north. This disagreement over the border's location was a central issue that led to the war. From a legal and diplomatic perspective, the United States had not effectively established a clear and internationally recognized border with Mexico.

  23. Mexican American War Background Essay

    11th - 12th. LESSON. 21 Qs. Republic of Texas. 229 plays. 7th. Mexican American War Background Essay quiz for 8th grade students. Find other quizzes for Social Studies and more on Quizizz for free!

  24. Once-safe Mexican resorts no longer off-limits, overrun with violent

    The acts of violence against foreigners, particularly American tourists, have sparked rapid and "mandatory" responses from Mexican authorities, Mr. Armes told Fox.