1. War with Mexico War with Mexico
Polk was determined to get California and New Mexico from Mexico.
Their possession would guarantee the U.S. clear passage to the Pacific.
Polk’s main reason though, was fulfilling Manifest Destiny.
Polk saw New Mexico and California as rightfully belonging to the U.S.

2. War with Mexico War with Mexico
Polk plotted to pull the provinces into the Union through war.
He wanted to provoke Mexico into taking military action first looking to get Congressional approval.(1)

3. War with Mexico War with Mexico
Relations between Mexico and the U.S. had not been good for years.
Mexico did not recognize the annexation of Texas in 1845 nor its independence.
Another dispute was the Mexico-U.S. border.

4. War with Mexico War with Mexico
The U.S. claimed it was the Rio Grande river.
Mexico claimed it was 150 miles north on the Nueces River.
Because of this Mexico stopped payments to U.S. citizens for losses suffered during Mexico’s war for independence.

5. War with Mexico War with Mexico Polk tried to cut a deal with Mexico.
An agent, John Slidell, was to Mex. To offer $30 million for California and New Mexico.
In return Mex. would accept the Rio Grande as the border and the U.S. would assume the debt owed by Mex. To U.S. citizens.
John Slidell

6. War with Mexico
Mexico refused to discuss the offer and announced its intention to reclaim Texas for Mexico.

7. War with Mexico Conflict Begins
President Polk ordered Gen. Zachary Taylor to march U.S. troops across the disputed border between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande.
24 April 1846 Mexican soldiers attacked a small force of gen. Taylor’s troops.
Gen. Zachary Taylor

8. War with Mexico Conflict Begins
Polk got the response he wanted from Taylor.
“Hostilities may now be considered as commenced.”
Polk called a cabinet meeting and they agreed War with Mexico was necessary.

9. War with Mexico Conflict Begins
On 11 May 1846 Polk told Congress Mexico “invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil.”
Congress then passed a declaration of war.

10. American Attitude & the War
War with Mexico
American Attitude & the War
The American people were divided over concerns of the war.
Polk’s party, the Democrats, supported the war.
The opposition party, the Whigs, did not.
The Whigs called it unjust and overly aggressive.

11. American Attitude & the War
War with Mexico
American Attitude & the War
Congressman Abraham Lincoln wanted to know exactly where the action against American forces took place.
Lincoln claimed it clearly took place in Mexico.

12. American Attitude & the War
War with Mexico
American Attitude & the War
Fredrick Douglass, called the war “disgraceful” and “cruel”.
Newspapers in general, supported the war.
As time went on antiwar sentiment grew, particularly in the North.