1. Mexican War Source Grid
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2. Extract from President James K
Extract from President James K. Polk’s address to Congress May 11, 1846, where he called for a declaration of War against Mexico.
The strong desire to establish an honourable peace with Mexico, and the readiness of this Government to regulate and adjust our geographical boundary, induced me to seek the reopening of diplomatic relations. An envoy of the United States was sent in peace to talk to the Mexican Government, but they refused to receive him. After a long-continued series of menaces, Mexico has at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil. We have tried every effort at reconciliation but Mexico assumed military action against our troops at Del Norte, even though American soldiers were only protecting private property and personal rights. Mexico has declared that hostilities have commenced, and that the two nations are at war. As war exists, despite our efforts to avoid it, we are called upon by every consideration of duty and patriotism to defend our nation.

3. Extract from President James K
Extract from President James K. Polk’s address to Congress May 11, 1846, where he called for a declaration of War against Mexico.
The strong desire to establish an honourable peace with Mexico, and the readiness of this Government to regulate and adjust our geographical boundary, induced me to seek the reopening of diplomatic relations. An envoy of the United States was sent in peace to talk to the Mexican Government, but they refused to receive him. After a long-continued series of menaces, Mexico has at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil. We have tried every effort at reconciliation but Mexico assumed military action against our troops at Del Norte, even though American soldiers were only protecting private property and personal rights. Mexico has declared that hostilities have commenced, and that the two nations are at war. As war exists, despite our efforts to avoid it, we are called upon by every consideration of duty and patriotism to defend our nation.

4. On the whole WWW: You all understood the source
You could pick out the different elements of provenance
You could identify the tone
EBI:
Own knowledge on provenance was weak
Explanation of whether the source is valuable needed development (but not necessarily wrong!)

5. What is value? ‘valuable’ means:
What increases the value of a primary source:
Author being of great significance/having great insight into what is happening
The audience being large or significant
The source containing detail you don’t find
Tone displaying the emotion or strength of response to the event or action
elsewhere
The argument giving an insight into debates and issues of the time
How a person or group perceive the world (particular view point is valuable)
What a primary source give you insight to:
Individuals/groups motivations
Individuals views
Beliefs at the time
Events and arguments surrounding them
People’s justification for their actions.
‘valuable’ means:
How much insight can the source give you on a specific topic (i.e. how much does it tell you?)

6. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
How much can you learn about (the outbreak of the Mexican War) from this source and your own knowledge.

7. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
PROVENANCE
Nature/type Speech
Author James Polk
Audience Congress
Date/context 11th May 1846
Purpose Persuade Congress to declare war
Is the author significant?
Yes, in that he is the President of the USA and has insight to relations with Mexico. However, he clearly has an agenda to start a war, leading to exaggeration and even inaccuracies about the relations between American and Mexico.
Is the audience significant?
Yes, they are not only large, representing a variety of Northern and Southern states, but have the power to declare war.
Does this source give you insight you cannot get elsewhere?
Yes, it gives insight to how and why Congress make the decision to declare war. However, Polk clearly has an agenda to convince Congress to declare war, limiting the insight to the actual state of relations between American and Mexico in 1486.
Author James Polk was a Southern Democrat, who strongly supported westward expansion (platform).
Audience Congress are the only branch of the US government that can declare war, as stated by the Constitution.
Date/context Texas had joined the Union in However, there were issues over the border between Mexico and Texas. This led to Polk sending troops to the Rio Grande…
Give students the provenance (they got this correct), ask them to brainstorm own knowledge using whiteboards, then the same with arguments.

8. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
Tone
America is the victim ‘Mexico has at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil’
Last resort ‘We have tried every effort at reconciliation’ ‘As war exists, despite our efforts to avoid it’
Does the tone suggest emotion/strength in response?
One can infer from this tone, that Polk’s desires to ensure war with Mexico is declared. It is therefore valuable in giving insight to Polk’s feelings towards the outbreak of war with Mexico.
However, this view is not representative, particularly of the North, who are against the war, and will go on to refer to the war as ‘Polk’s war’.
Does the tone reflect an agenda that might limit the source’s insight?
Polk’s tone links to his agenda to persuade Congress, and thus might play down American aggression
Why is the author using this language/emotion?
Polk is using this language to provoke an emotional response from Congress. He wants them to feel compelled to act upon this, hence the use of victimisation and emphasis on there being no other option.
What reaction does the author want?
Polk wants Congress to declare war on Mexico, and the Constitution delegates the power to declare war to them.

9. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
Argument(s)
The strong desire to establish an honourable peace with Mexico, and the readiness of this Government to regulate and adjust our geographical boundary, induced me to seek the reopening of diplomatic relations
Value:
Gives insight to the specific issues causing tension between America and Mexico (boundary dispute).
Limits:
Not a true representation of Polk’s beliefs towards the border dispute.
Is this true?
America had inherited a boundary dispute between Texas and Mexico, when it admitted Texas into the Union in 1845.
Polk was not willing to Compromise on the border issue.

10. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
Argument(s)
After a long-continued series of menaces, Mexico has at last invaded our territory and shed the blood of our fellow-citizens on our own soil.
Is this true?
There had been a series of disputes between the USA and Mexico in the years previous to 1846 (e.g.).
However, referring to them as ‘menaces’ seems to suggest Mexico was the aggressor. From 1844, Polk had made it clear that he intended to take over Texas, pushing Tyler to admit Texas into the Union, an action Santa Anna refused to acknowledge.
Mexican’s did ambush American’s at the Rio Grande border, but Polk has sent soldiers there to provoke a Mexican attack.
Value:
Give insight into how Polk presented incidents between America and Congress/issues between the two countries and his motivations for going to Congress.
Shows how Polk manipulated the attack by Mexican’s against American’s at the Rio Grande, using this event to convince Congress that war should be declared.
Limits:
Insight to the state of America-Mexican relations is limited by Polk’s exaggeration of Mexican aggression. This links heavily to his agenda to persuade Congress to declare war.

11. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
Argument(s)
We have tried every effort at reconciliation
Is this true?
Efforts to reconcile were made hard by weak Mexican Government.
However, Polk clearly had ambitions to take land from Mexico. This is evident in his platform.
Value:
Give insight into how Polk used the attack by Mexican’s against American’s at the Rio Grande to justify his desire for Congress to declare war.
Limits:
Insight is limited it does not accurately portray Polk’s motivations to declare war on Mexico.

12. With reference to this source and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of this source to an historian studying the reasons for the outbreak of war with Mexico.
Argument(s)
Value:
Gives insight into how Polk justifies his approach to Congress for them to declare way.
Limits:
Insight is limited because events (or Mexican action) prior to this event are not accurately portrayed.
Mexico has declared that hostilities have commenced, and that the two nations are at war.
Mexico officially declared war by Congress on July 7, This proves that Mexico had not declared war at the time of this speech to Congress by Polk.

13. How valuable is this source overall to a historian studying the outbreak of war with Mexico?
Not valuable
Valuable

14. How to write A Level Essays
GB2 Revision

15. Essays you can be asked Causation Significance Consequence
Change/continuity
Similarity/difference

16. What goes into an introduction?
Introductions
What goes into an introduction?

17. Introductions: let’s do one together
‘In the years , England’s Government was completely transformed’ Assess the validity of this view
Use this question to model how you would write an introduction – do as a class

18. Introduction: now it’s your go!
To what extent was foreign policy successful in the years ?

19. Main Body If it is a causation/significance question
You need paragraphs on the factor in the question
You need paragraphs on other factors
If it is a consequence/change or continuity/similarity or difference question
You need paragraphs ‘for’
You need paragraphs ‘against’

20. Top Tips! You need to cover Henry VII’s entire reign
If you only discuss the beginning of his reign, or the end of his reign, you cannot get higher than an E grade (partial answer).
Explanations should link to your criteria
(bullet point your criteria on your exam paper – then you can always see it!)
You need to make sure you link back to the question
This proves/disproves (what the question says), because…

21. Use one table per paragraph.
Model paragraph - To what extent was foreign policy successful in the years ?
Working with the person opposite you, plan out two PEEL paragraphs using a white board pen and your tables.
Use one table per paragraph.
Now, using a green whiteboard pen you are going to peer assess another table’s plan.
F.Policy was not successful
F.Policy was successful
F.Policy was successful
F.Policy was not successful
Kagan?

22. Conclusion Re-assert your judgement in your introduction
Then you need to use the explanations and links at the end of your paragraphs to prove why you are correct.

23. Going into gradebook Remind of what is coming your way next week
3x sources for America. It will be on something we have studied before the Mexican War
60 minutes, 20 minutes per source
1x essay for Tudors. It will either be on government, foreign policy or society/economy
45 minutes
TASK: You have 5 minutes to have a discussion on your table about gradebook. Write down 3 questions that you have.