One P.O.V. on the War

The Mexican War has generally been condemned by American historians as a war forced upon Mexico by the South, greedy for a new slave state. Mexico had imprisoned U.S. citizens in and around Texas, lied to about our diplomatic attempts, could not control bandits and plunderers at its borders, and hostile tensions between the two countries were ever growing. President Jackson was quoted saying that Mexico's offenses "would justify in the eyes of all nations immediate war." Just because the U.S. is stronger than Mexico does not protect Mexico from its expansion. The moral controversy on conquest should not be an issue because Mexico was a result of conquest and gained those territories through conquest and the Texan War of Independence might have reminded them of their own War for Independence from Spain. Texas had already had independence for nine years and Mexico was about to accept that as long as it did not join the U.S. We tried a diplomatic resolution but it was rejected twice. We held off from taking Texas into the Union until Great Britain had persuaded Mexico to recognize the independence of Texas if it refused to join the United States. The moral question is not the war itself, but the annexation of Texas as a slave state. If the war with moral issue is not about harassing Mexico then is within the United States and the decision to accept Texas into the Union as a slave state. The original plan was for Texas to be an independent nation and even annexing Texas was just but the U.S. was in turmoil about slavery and that is where the United States made a terribly unjust and immoral decision.

Mexican War of Independence

The Mexican War of Independence began in the year 1810 and continued till 1821. Spanish explorers came to Mexico in search of land and gold, in the early 1500s and the land became New Spain. The Spanish colonizers enslaved the locals. The New Spain had a class society. At the top of the hierarchy were the Spaniards. They were followed by the Creoles, people born to Spaniards in Mexico. Then were the Mestizos, children born from a Spaniard and a Native. At the end of the hierarchy were the native Indians. This caused unrest among the Creoles who could not hold office, and triggered the need for independence. The Mexican War of Independence began on September 16, 1810, initiated by a Roman Catholic priest, Miguel Hidalgo Y Costilla, who is also known as the founder of the Mexican War of Independence Movement. Hidalgo was very upset with the oppressive Spanish colonial government for its treatment of the lower class. He and his followers captured large portions of Mexico but could not take Mexico City. Hidalgo was executed. The leadership of the struggle for independence was taken up by Jose Maria Morelos, another Roman Catholic priest. Morelos, who declared the official document of independence, which provided equal rights to the native-born Mexicans. In the year 1820, the Viceroy of New Spain ordered Agustin de Iturbide, a loyalist Creole, to defeat the revolutionaries, at the same time, King Ferdinand VII, was forced to sign a liberal Spanish constitution with its republic values and practices. Iturbide felt that it might affect the status of the Creoles in Mexico and also realized that if Mexico achieves independence from Spain, the Creoles might get a chance to rule the country. This made him join forces with the revolutionaries and he came up with the 'Plan of Iguala'. The Plan of Iguala read that Mexico would get its independence from Spain; Roman Catholicism would be its official religion; and all the Spanish-born people in Mexico would gain equal status With Agustin’s support, the revolutionaries won in 1821. It was only in 1836 that Spain declared Mexico as an independent country. Mexico celebrates its independence day on September 16, the day when Hidalgo summoned his followers to fight.

U.S. Military Overview up until the Mexican-American War

Before America gained independence, it's soldiers fought for England in the French and Indian War and many of the same people also fought in the Revolutionary War.The Continental Congress in 1775 created the Continental Army and named General George Washington its commander. The new Constitution in 1788 made the president the commander in chief. The military consisted of a regular army, state and town militias, and a modest navy. John Adams was president after Washington and built up the small, but efficient navy. The power of the U.S. Navy was shown under Jefferson when he used it to end the Barbary wars. One of he largest military action in America during the period was the War of 1812. The War of 1812 was the first time the U.S. declared war on another country even though the militaries previous goal was to remain completely neural to the European powers. The regular army and the militia did an outstanding job at the battle of New Orleans, killing over 2000 British and only losing 71. The U.S. Navy also performed well against the British Navy, which was considered one of the most powerful navies. After the war of 1812, the U.S. military focused on expanding the borders of America to the edge of the continent, this was a part of manifest destiny. The United States Army which was well equipped with the newest cannons, muskets, carbines, and the some of the best trained soldiers and generals of the time, fresh from the new military academy: WestPoint.

Texas Revolution

American settlement in Texas began with the encouragement of first the Spanish, and then Mexican, governments. In the summer of l820 Moses Austin asked Spanish authorities for a large piece Texas land which he would promote and sell to American pioneers. Early in l82l, the Spanish government gave him permission to settle 300 families in Texas. Spain welcomed the Americans in order to provide protection to illegal immigration. Mexico imposed two conditions on land ownership: settlers had to become Mexican citizens and they had to convert to Roman Catholicism. By l830 there were l6,000 Americans in Texas. Mexico feared that the U.S. would use the settlers to gain the territory through a revolution. In order to avoid this, Mexico placed further restrictions on the settlers. Settlers hoped Santa Anna would make Texas a self-governing state in Mexico but instead he made himself dictator. On November 3, 1835, colonists wanted made a constitution to abolish the dictator. While wanting a compromise, the Texans prepared for war by electing Sam Houston commander of the military in Texas. Then, suddenly, in 1829 scandal struck. Houston married a woman 17 years younger than himself. Depressed and humiliated, Houston resigned as governor. Houston was instrumental in forging peace treaties among several warring Indian nations. A band of 300-500 Texas riflemen attacked and captured Mexico's military headquarters in San Antonio. After a series battles, including the Alamo, the Texans surprised Santa Anna's army on April 21, 1836 The next day, Houston's (who had once again became the military leader of the Texans) army captured Santa Anna himself and forced him to sign a treaty granting Texas its independence