Example Of Essay On Manifest Destiny And The Mexican-American War

The Mexican American War began in the area known today as the state of Texas. Mexico had recently received its independence from the nation of Spain and was having difficulty controlling its new vast area of land. Americans kept moving into the Territory known today as Texas. The United States government supported and defended these settlers due to the concept known as Manifest Destiny. The desire to expand progress and increase patriotism among the members of the nation was expressed through gaining more land. This had recently occurred with the purchase of the Louisiana Purchase and just to the west of Louisiana was the territory known as Texas. To keep the momentum going, the United States supported its citizens who wished to settle in this region. The United States dominated much of the war, and after conquering Mexico City, peace was negotiated between the two nations with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Mexico rescinded its rights to about 55 percent of its land holdings and in exchange received about $15 million in compensation. The area of land that the United States received eventually became the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, as well as sections of Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.
The concept of Manifest Destiny and the desire to grow the nation does make sense. The United States, however, in how it acquired much of the territory that it did in the Mexican American War used its power over a weaker nation in a manner that was unethical. If similar circumstances were occurring in the world today, the United States would often be the one defending the weaker nation, calling the aggressor tyrants.
The United States did the southwestern part of the nation and much of the access to the far western states as a result of the Mexican American War.