Causes of the Mexican-American War

Reasons for the Mexican-American War The starting points of the Mexican-American War can to a great extent be followed back to Texas winning its autonomy from Mexico in 1836. Following his thrashing at the Battle of San Jacinto (4/21/1836), Mexican General Antonio Lã ³pez de Santa Anna was caught and compelled to perceive the sway of the Republic of Texas in return for his opportunity. The Mexican government, nonetheless, wouldn't respect Santa Anna’s understanding, expressing that he was not approved to make such an arrangement and, that it despite everything thought about Texas as an area in defiance. Any contemplations the Mexican government had of recuperating the region rapidly were disposed of when the new Republic of Texas got political acknowledgment from the United States, Great Britain, and France. Statehood During the following nine years, numerous Texans transparently preferred addition by the United States, in any case, Washington dismissed the issue. Numerous in the North were worried about adding another â€Å"slave† state to the Union, while others were worried about inciting a contention with Mexico. In 1844, Democrat James K. Polk was chosen for the administration on a genius addition stage. Acting rapidly, his forerunner, John Tyler, started statehood procedures in Congress before Polk got down to business. Texas authoritatively joined the Union on December 29, 1845. In light of this activity, Mexico compromised war yet was convinced against it by the British and French. Strains Rise As extension was bantered in Washington in 1845, contention heightened over the area of the southern outskirt of Texas. The Republic of Texas expressed that outskirt was arranged at the Rio Grande as set out by the Treaties of Velasco which had finished the Texas Revolution. Mexico contended that the stream specified in the reports was the Nueces which was found around 150 miles further north. At the point when Polk openly upheld the Texan position, the Mexicans started gathering men and sent soldiers over the Rio Grande into the contested territory.â Responding, Polk guided Brigadier General Zachary Taylor to take a power south to implement the Rio Grande as the fringe. In mid-1845, he set up a base for his Army of Occupation at Corpus Christi close to the mouth of the Nueces. With an end goal to decrease strains, Polk dispatched John Slidell as pastor emissary to Mexico in November 1845 with requests to open talks in regards to the United States buying land from the Mexicans. In particular, Slidell was to present to $30 million in return for finding the outskirt at the Rio Grande just as the regions of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico and Alta California. Slidell was additionally approved to excuse the $3 million in harms owed to US residents from the Mexican War of Independence (1810-1821). This offer was denied by the Mexican government which because of inside flimsiness and open weight was reluctant to arrange. The circumstance was additionally aroused when a gathering drove by noted traveler Captain John C. Frã ©mont showed up in northern California and started unsettling American pioneers in the area against the Mexican government.â  â   Thornton Affair War In March 1846, Taylor got orders from Polk to move south into the contested domain and set up a situation along the Rio Grande. This was provoked by new Mexican President Mariano Paredes proclaiming in his debut address that he proposed to maintain Mexican regional respectability to the extent the Sabine River, including the entirety of Texas. Arriving at the waterway inverse Matamoros on March 28, Taylor coordinated Captain Joseph K. Mansfield to fabricate an earthen star stronghold, named Fort Texas, on the north bank. On April 24, General Mariano Arista showed up in Matamoros with around 5,000 men.â â The next night, while driving 70 US Dragoons to research a hacienda in the contested region between the waterways, Captain Seth Thornton unearthed a power of 2,000 Mexican troopers. A furious firefight resulted and 16 of Thornton’s men were executed before the rest of compelled to give up. On May 11, 1846, Polk, refering to the Thornton Affair requested that Congress proclaim war on Mexico. Following two days of discussion, Congress decided in favor of war-not realizing that the contention had just raised.