POLK!
(FOR AMERICA OR AGAINST IT)

*During the 1800s America and Mexico where not seeing eye to eye on many situations. Where, when and how did this controversy begin? In order to get a full understanding and answer to this question, 1821 would be a nice place to start. This was when Mexico gained it’s independence from Britain. Mexico than began to offer opportunities for land ownership, more than what America was offering. As a result, southerners began to migrate to northern Mexico. Mexican governors tried to put a halt on immigration when the settlers were not following two of the major laws, which were for them to convert to Catholicism, and to abolish slavery. In 1834 General Antonio de Santa Anna was elected director of Mexico, in hopes that he would make the settlers follow the laws. The settlers than created their own government where Sam Houston was elected the commander of Texas military. Starting with the Battle at Alamo, Mexico won a number of battles against Texas. But the tables were turned with the Battle of San Jacinto, this was where Santa Anna was captured, and Texas became independent and was now an Independent Republic.
*Meanwhile in America, James K. Polk was elected president in March of 1845. Like Jefferson, Polk was for territorial expansion, and already had ideas how he could expand America. This is one of the reasons some may question was Polk helping America when he decided to take the some of Mexico’s territory, and go to war with them. But it was quite the opposite. In going to war with against Mexico, President Polk was taking into account the best interests of the United States. Polk wanted to expand America’s territory. This was shown when he settled the Oregon border question, the acquisition of California, the Treaty of Guadalupe- Hidalgo (1848), and brought Texas into the union. Though some may disagree, Polk did have America’s best interest at heart.
*The Oregon country was a huge piece of wilderness land. First Spain claimed the land, but then lost it to Russia. Russia gave the land to America and Britain with the treaties of 1824 and 1825. Everything was peaceful until the United States went to negotiate the Treaty of 1818. This would divide the land at the 49th parallel and the British did not approve. This controversy was thrown into the 1844 presidential election between Henry Clay and James K. Polk. Polk won the election, and therefore inherited the dispute. But the final say so was left up to Britain, and in wanting to remain peaceful gave the U.S. the 49th parallel. Everything was solved with Webster Ashburton Treaty (1842). This treaty settled the dispute between Maine and Canada. The portion of Oregon territory acquired by the United States would later form the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and parts of the states of Montana and Wyoming.
*Polk then turned his attention to California, hoping to acquire the territory from Mexico before any European nation did so. The main interest was San Francisco Bay as an access point for trade with Asia.In 1845, he sent diplomat John Slidell to Mexico to purchase California and New Mexico for $20-30 million. Slidell's arrival caused political turmoil in Mexico after word leaked out that he was there to purchase additional territory and not to offer compensation for the loss of Texas. The Mexicans refused to receive Slidell, citing a technical problem with his credentials. In January 1846 to increase pressure on Mexico to negotiate, Polk sent troops under General Zachary Taylor into the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, territory that was claimed by both the U.S. and Mexico. Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott destroyed all resistance. Scott captured Mexico City in September of 1847, and Taylor won a series of victories in Northern Mexico. Even after these battles, Mexico did not surrender until 1848, when they agreed to peace terms set out by Polk. Polk sent diplomat Nicholas Trist to negotiate with the Mexicans. Lack of progress prompted the President to order Trist to return to the United States, but the diplomat ignored the instructions and stayed in Mexico to continue bargaining. Trist successfully negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.
*The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the peace treaty, that ended the Mexican-American War. The treaty provided for the Mexican Cession, in which Mexico ceded 525,000 square miles, to the United States in exchange for $15 million. The United States also agreed to take over $3.25 million in debts Mexico owed to American citizens. The cession that the treaty facilitated included parts of the modern-day U.S. states of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming, as well as the whole of California, Nevada, and Utah. The remaining parts of what are today the states of Arizona and New Mexico were later ceded under the 1853 Gadsden Purchase.
*Polk also wanted to incorporate Texas into the union. Even though antislavery forces did not agree, he made it happen. Texas was admitted December 29, 1845.
*Though some may disagree, James Polk did want the best for America when he went it came to the Mexican American war. Around the time Polk was in office, America was going through the Manifest Destiny stage. This was when they felt that God had given them the right and the power to territorial expansion, and the though the abolitionist did not agree with this, the rest of America did. Therefore Polk did have Americas best interest in mind when it came to the Oregon border question, the acquisition of California, the Treaty of Guadalupe- Hidalgo (1848), and bringing Texas into the union. Polk made it possible for America to be able to claim the area north of the Rio Grande, California, New Mexico, the Oregon territory and Texas. All of this land added up is about 1 million square miles of territory. America should be grateful.