Mexican-American War Dbq

The Mexican-American war had one of the highest mortality rates. With 79,000 U.S. troops taking part in the war, 13,200 died, making a mortality rate of 17 percent. Not only were the American casualty rates high, the amount of Mexican people that died was high too, with 25,000 troops and civilians dead. This shameful war began when Texas was annexed as the 28th state of the United States. Whether the war was justifiable is very questionable. Although the United States war against Mexico resulted in the gaining of America’s most valuable land, the war itself was unjust because the American settlers didn’t follow the rules in Texas, the president sent U.S. troops into the disputed area, and because of the Americans’ motivations.

The

disgraceful battle between Mexico and America was unreasonable due to the Americans’ discourtesy toward the Mexican precedents in Texas. In a letter written by Rafael Antonio Manchola, a Tejano who witnessed the flooding of Americans in Texas, stated that “We cannot trust the Anglo-American colonists because they are continually demonstrating that they refuse to follow our laws, unless it is convenient for them.” Essentially, this letter displays that the American settlers that moved to Texas constantly revolted the rules they already knew that they were getting into. These people overstepped the Mexicans’ boundaries which led to a new era of tensions between the two nations. It was later written that “They have been…forgetting that they swore to obey the laws of Mexico.” This clearly shows that the Americans did not follow the regulations Mexico set on Texas. Not only did they go against the rules, they also swore to obey the them. It is in plain sight that the Americans started all of the tension between Mexico and the United States, which is why the war was unjust. These actions are what ignited the fire between Mexico and America.
The next reason why the Mexican-American war was unethical is because the 11th of the United States purposefully sent U.S. troops into the quarrelled area after 16 U.S. soldiers were killed. In a U.S. Congress debate on declaring war with Mexico, Joshua Giddings, Congressman, gives his thoughts. He mentions, “It seems that the President expected General Taylor to find Mexican citizens located in the United States…” Simply put, President Polk sent the army to go to Texas and talk to the Mexicans, without the use of aggressive acts. Why wouldn’t the United States Army be allowed to force violence on Mexico while still in the United States? This shows that Polk knew Texas wasn’t his land. In the same debate, Giddings said, “...The president obviously intended to involve us in war with Mexico.” Adding on to Giddings’ argument, if the President did not want us to go to war, he wouldn’t have deliberately pushed Mexico’s buttons. He undeniably knew that he was sending American soldiers onto disputed land.
The last reason why the American invasion of Mexico was uncalled for because of the Americans’ disgusting intentions for the expansion of slavery.

In the U.S. Congress debate on going to war with Mexico, congressman Joshua Giddings gave his argument saying, “It has therefore become necessary to extend our dominions into Mexico in order to render slavery secure in Texas.” His words show that the soul reason for American extending out to Texas is to spread the beastly act of slavery. Americans want to expand and bring slavery with it under any means possible, even if that is going to war with another country and killing other people. The pamphlet written by Benjamin Lundy stated, “The immediate cause and main goal of this war...has been to grab the large and valuable territory of Texas from the Mexican Republic, in order to re-establish the SYSTEM OF SLAVERY…” The pamphlet distinctly indicates that America’s objective for moving west and gaining Texas was strictly to spread slavery. The Americans wanted to keep expanding this hideous act and make it part of a typical American

lifestyle.
Even though there are numerous reasons to support that the war was inexcusable, there are opponents who believe otherwise because 16 American soldiers were killed by the Mexicans.

However, this claim is invalid because it was the United States’ decision to send those people over there. Further on, Polk sent these troops into land that wasn’t his, and he knew it. Sure, the Mexicans shouldn’t have killed those people, but we were invading, acting as if Texas was ours. If we didn’t send those troops over there in the first place, they wouldn’t have died then and there, but guess what, we did send them there. How would you expect Mexico to react to an invasion like that? Would they role with the punches or defend their country and

people?
Although the United States war against Mexico did gain America’s most cherished land, the war was unjust because the American settlers resisted Mexico’s rules, President Polk sent U.S. troops into the disputed area, and because of the American’s sickening motivations. The people in Texas shouldn’t have challenged the rules they were already aware of when moving to Texas. President Polk shouldn’t have invaded the disputed area because it wasn’t America’s land. America shouldn’t have wanted to expand for slavery to dominate America. This war cannot be disguised as justified. About 38,000 Americans and Mexicans died in all due to this war. Was it really worth all those lives just to work towards expanding slavery? Was it really worth putting thousands of men, women, and children through the terrifying misery of a war, just to get a grasp on more land?