what position did president polk do in the war
President Polk served as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States during the Mexican-American War.
What was Congressman Lincoln’s overall position on the war?
At the time of the Mexican-American War, Abraham Lincoln was not yet President but served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Lincoln opposed the war and criticized President Polk's actions in initiating it. He believed that Polk had misled the American public in order to instigate the conflict and argued that the war was unjust and unnecessary. Lincoln introduced the "Spot Resolutions" in Congress, demanding that Polk specify the exact spot on American soil where Mexican forces had allegedly attacked U.S. soldiers. His opposition to the war and criticism of Polk's actions would eventually help shape his stance on the issue of executive power and constitutional war-making authority when he later became President.
Why do you think Lincoln said the “soil was not ours”? Please explain.
Abraham Lincoln's statement that "the soil was not ours" was likely a reflection of his belief in the principles of American democracy and the importance of respecting the sovereignty of other nations. Lincoln believed that the United States should not unjustly acquire territory or use military force to expand its borders. He was concerned that the Mexican-American War, which was started under controversial circumstances and led to the annexation of a vast amount of territory, went against the core values of the United States as a nation founded on the principles of freedom, democracy, and self-determination.
By saying that the soil was not "ours," Lincoln was indicating that he did not believe the United States had a legitimate claim to the land it was acquiring through the war. He believed that the territorial expansion at the expense of Mexico was morally wrong and undermined the founding principles of the nation. Lincoln's opposition to the war and his criticism of President Polk's actions were grounded in his belief that the United States should not act as an aggressor or violate the sovereignty of other nations.