James Polk’s Deadly Territorial Expansion
By James Donahue
He was a one-term president, but James Polk made his mark on the nation. Under the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, Polk managed to expand the western border of the United States all the way to the Pacific Ocean, but he had to go to war against Mexico to do it.
Polk, the nation’s eleventh president, won the office in 1844 on an aggressive expansionist platform that was stirred by the western settlers who believed the nation was destined to expand. Thus Polk went into office on a promise that he would negotiate for acquisition of the Oregon Territory in the Northwest, and the annexation of Texas and acquisition of California from Mexico.
The U.S. already had a joint agreement with Britain for occupation of the Oregon Territory. This land included what is now Washington State and Vancouver Island, Oregon, Idaho and parts of Montana.
The negotiations with Britain began in 1844 and by 1846 an agreement was reached that the U.S. would acquire the land south of the forty-ninth parallel and everything north would become part of the British territory which is now Canada.
The Mexicans were not as easy to deal with. That country also had a new president, Jose Herrera, who apparently lacked the political support he needed to open negotiations with the United States for the sale of its northern lands. Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City to act as a temporary envoy and sent troops to the Rio Grande to stress the seriousness of his intentions. Herrera was under pressure. The Mexican press said the sale of Texas would be an act of betrayal.
Polk decided to declare war against Mexico. After the U.S. troops engaged in a few skirmishes with the Mexican forces at the Rio Grande, Polk and his cabinet prepared a declaration of war. Congress approved the declaration and U.S. forces, led by General Zachary Taylor, went to war against Mexico.
Polk believed it would be a brief battle and easy victory. He did not expect the tough response by the Mexicans. Critics later thought Polk could have avoided bloodshed by simply negotiating with the Herrera government. But Polk was bull headed and chose war instead.
The war went on for nearly two years. By the time it was over 13,000 American soldiers were dead and an estimated 25,000 Mexicans were lost. In the end, the U.S. achieved the annexation of Texas and the forced accession of the California territory in exchange for $15 million. The U.S. also assumed a $3.25 million debt owed by the Mexican government to the United States.
The Mexican-American War was not among the nation’s great historical moments. Relations with our southern neighbor remained strained for years.
By James Donahue
He was a one-term president, but James Polk made his mark on the nation. Under the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, Polk managed to expand the western border of the United States all the way to the Pacific Ocean, but he had to go to war against Mexico to do it.
Polk, the nation’s eleventh president, won the office in 1844 on an aggressive expansionist platform that was stirred by the western settlers who believed the nation was destined to expand. Thus Polk went into office on a promise that he would negotiate for acquisition of the Oregon Territory in the Northwest, and the annexation of Texas and acquisition of California from Mexico.
The U.S. already had a joint agreement with Britain for occupation of the Oregon Territory. This land included what is now Washington State and Vancouver Island, Oregon, Idaho and parts of Montana.
The negotiations with Britain began in 1844 and by 1846 an agreement was reached that the U.S. would acquire the land south of the forty-ninth parallel and everything north would become part of the British territory which is now Canada.
The Mexicans were not as easy to deal with. That country also had a new president, Jose Herrera, who apparently lacked the political support he needed to open negotiations with the United States for the sale of its northern lands. Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City to act as a temporary envoy and sent troops to the Rio Grande to stress the seriousness of his intentions. Herrera was under pressure. The Mexican press said the sale of Texas would be an act of betrayal.
Polk decided to declare war against Mexico. After the U.S. troops engaged in a few skirmishes with the Mexican forces at the Rio Grande, Polk and his cabinet prepared a declaration of war. Congress approved the declaration and U.S. forces, led by General Zachary Taylor, went to war against Mexico.
Polk believed it would be a brief battle and easy victory. He did not expect the tough response by the Mexicans. Critics later thought Polk could have avoided bloodshed by simply negotiating with the Herrera government. But Polk was bull headed and chose war instead.
The war went on for nearly two years. By the time it was over 13,000 American soldiers were dead and an estimated 25,000 Mexicans were lost. In the end, the U.S. achieved the annexation of Texas and the forced accession of the California territory in exchange for $15 million. The U.S. also assumed a $3.25 million debt owed by the Mexican government to the United States.
The Mexican-American War was not among the nation’s great historical moments. Relations with our southern neighbor remained strained for years.