I recently view a show on the history channel on this topic. It seemed to paint my country in an extremely bad light. We pretty much invaded a sister republic and annexed half of its land. With the recent immigration debates raging, I decided to do a little research on this war.
(BTW, all this information is obtained either from wikipedia and/or the show I viewed last night)
It starts when Mexico was orginally a Spanish terrority. The United States government and the Spanish government encouraged pioneers to settle, in what is now current day Texas. After Mexico won its war of independence, it became uneasy with the vast amount of foreign settlers occupying their land. The reason being was that Mexico was a mainly Roman Catholic country compared to the Protestants settlers, Mexico attempted centeralize power in Mexico City, and Mexico abolised slavery in 1829. Mexico found it extremely hard to govern its vast northern terrorities often facing rebellions.
After the Texas Revolution, in exchange for his life, Santa Anna agreed to grant Texas soverignty. This is where it gets sticky. Most say in Mexico City that Santa Anna did not have the authority to grant such a request. That is why Mexico never formally recognized Texas. It gets even more sticker when Texas became our 28th state and now has the backing of the entire United States federal government.
The United States wanted Mexico's New Mexico and California terrorities. They offered $30 million dollars and the option to forget Mexico's 4.5 million dollar debt to the US. The Mexicans swiftly rejected this offer.
Mexico was openly hostile with the new state, denying its land claims. In response President Polk began constructing a make shift fort at the banks of the Rio Grande. Seeing this as an act of agreesion, the Mexicans sent a 2000 strong calvery force to attack a 63 man American detachment. 11 Americans were killed and the rest were forced to retreat. The Mexicans then proceeded to surround and lay siege to Fort Brown. They were eventually driven back when American reinforcements arrived.
Hearing this, Polk declared war on Mexicao. Mexico declared war back. At this time, rebellions were occuring in California. The Mexican government was having a hard time holding onto the land. In response the Americans marched to California and annexed it. At the same time, they marched into Santa Fe and annexed it also. The Americans then proceeded to push the Mexicans further down into Mexico eventually capturing Mexico City. For a peace settlement, $15 million dollars were given California and New Mexico terrorities. The new Mexico/US boundry was established at the Rio Grande.
This just doesn't seem right to me. We pretty much coerced a weaker, Sister Republic into war. We then decide to take half their country (THE BETTER HALF) and give them the shaft. I honestly feel guilty now for the awful conditions of Mexico today. Maybe if we hadn't taken so much of their good land, their country might be in a better shape. It's ironic that we whine so much about illegals today when in reality we were the illegals there 160 years ago.
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