What justifications did America have for going to war with Mexico in 1846?

Answer 1

The war arose from the competing claims to Texas by Mexico and the United States in the wake of the Texas Revolution. Texas had just fought a war of independence against Mexico, which considered Texas a "breakaway province" and refused to recognize its independence. The root causes of war were westward expansion on the part of Americans and political instability in Mexico in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, which had made it difficult for the United States to negotiate with Mexico and for Mexico to administer its northern territories. Texans strongly favored the war. In the United States, the war was bitterly opposed by the Whig party. In Mexico the war was considered a matter of defensive necessity.

Answer 2

This sad page in American history was really nothing more than the U.S wanting land and taking it from a weaker country. A border had been decided and agreed upon along the Nueces River, and the traditional boundry was set there. When Texas was admitted into the Union in 1846, we decided to "honor" a treaty signed in 1836 between the then Texan President and General Santa Anna that set the border at the Rio Grande. In reality, Santa Anna didn't have the authority to sign a treaty and it was never ratified by the Mexican Government.

Hostilities had been brewing for some time as Americans moved west into what was really Mexican territory and claiming it as their own, which the Texan War was really fought over, but after the annexation of Texas, U.S military regularly would travel into what really was Mexican territory, one day when Mexican troops were patroling north of the Rio Grande, the troops met and a 2000 man strong group of Mexicans attacked a U.S patrol of 63 men. This attack was used as the justification of the war.

Answer 3

The casus belli was an attack that took place in southern Texas. At the time, the southern border of Texas had not been clearly defined, so each side claimed an area north of the Rio Grande as part of their country. True, Mexico did not recognise Texas independence per se, but Texas had de facto independence, and by this time was a U.S. state.

What was interesting about this scene in North American history was that a young congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, rose to challenge whether or not the casus belli was justified. Given the U.S. desires to have access to the Pacific Ocean, this was paramount to political suicide, and Lincoln was defeated in his bid for re-election.

To be honest, the attack was merely provocation, much like the attack on the Maine in Havana harbor started the War with Spain in 1898. There was the desire for conquest in the U.S. conscienceness, and all it took was an excuse to begin one.

Answer 4

guy that is eighth grade stuff. seem destiny is a few thing the united states remains doing. they only keep on taking land.. oh wait the Mexican are doing that to the country of united states. The Justification changed into so as that each u . s . can amplify it.. Lewis and Clark the position deliver to discover the pacific ocean and subsequently probably all started the seem destiny.. Mexico is the acceptable football crew!

Answer 5

MANIFEST DESTINY OF COURSE
...no but seriously James Polk just wanted the land and was actually completely oblivious to the acquired land's future in the slavery concept

Answer 6

Conquest and territorrial expansion was the norm back then. Countries and their citizens didn't really need much more justification then that.

Answer 7

We needed more land, besides, Davy Crocket was a man. A bad man...Have a great day!!!

Answer 8

Because they were making faces at us and they wouldn't share.

Answer 9

we wanted land i guess so we took it. plain and simple. thats basically what it boils down to.

Answer 10

no justification ,it was just greed.