Describe the beginnings of the mexican-american war.
The Mexican-American War began in 1846 and lasted until 1848. It was a conflict between the United States and Mexico over territorial disputes, specifically the annexation of Texas by the U.S.
The roots of the war can be traced back to the Texas Revolution (1835-1836), in which American settlers in Mexican-controlled Texas rebelled and declared their independence. The Mexican government refused to recognize Texas as an independent nation and instead considered it a rebellious province.
The situation escalated when Texas sought annexation by the United States in 1845. While the United States favored the idea of incorporating Texas into its territory, Mexico strongly opposed it, considering it a violation of their sovereignty. The annexation of Texas by the United States was seen as a direct threat to Mexico's control over its northern territories.
Tensions between the two nations further heightened when the United States claimed the Rio Grande River as the southern border of Texas, while Mexico maintained that the Nueces River was the true boundary. This territorial dispute led to several border skirmishes and confrontations.
In 1846, a Mexican force ambushed an American patrol, killing 11 American soldiers. The U.S. President James K. Polk used this incident, known as the Thornton Affair, to rally public support for a war with Mexico. Claiming that Mexico had "shed American blood upon American soil," Polk requested a declaration of war from Congress.
On May 13, 1846, the U.S. Congress officially declared war on Mexico, marking the beginning of the Mexican-American War. The conflict involved several major battles and campaigns, including the Siege of Vera Cruz, the Battle of Buena Vista, and the Battle of Chapultepec.
The war concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. Under this treaty, Mexico ceded a vast amount of territory to the United States, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and parts of Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma. This outcome significantly expanded the territorial size of the United States and further strained the already fragile relationship between the two nations.