Magister thesis in American Civilization. The American - Mexican War 1846-1848

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the nature, the root causes, as well as the impact of the American - Mexican War which took place between 1846 and 1848. The findings reveal that at the core of this war, an extremely violent and costly conflict for both countries, were the expansionist tendencies on which the American foreign policy was founded from the early period of the existence of this young Republic and which subsisted over its whole history. The war resulted, in the main, from the Americans’ determination to bring under their control more territories in the New World, most particularly Texas. This determination sprang partly from the need to expand more and more at the expense of the neighbouring countries and of the European imperial powers that dominated the region. Such territorial expansion would, in a way or another, satiate Americans’ land hunger, bolster their economy, and mainly remove any external threat that would hinder the security and growth of the fledgling Republic. Besides that, the other element, which was of no less importance, was the failure of the successive Mexican governments to satisfy the Americans’ pecuniary claims despite the American government’s constant insistence. In other words, due to shortage of finance and resources, caused by enduring political instability, the Mexican government was unable to pay back the American citizens the sums owed to them. The failure of American government’s 172 constant efforts to bring a peaceful solution to the dispute precipitated an armed confrontation that would leave marks on both sides for generations. The course of the war as well as its aftermath, for various reasons, among which military might and efficiency, brought victory to the United States. Probably the first significant outcome of this war was the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo by both parties. Among the contents of the latter was the confirmation of the boundaries of the already annexed state of Texas and the bringing under control of the huge territory lying to the west of this state. It is noteworthy to mention the fact that this recent acquisition would prove very beneficial to the American economy as gold was discovered in California, in addition to the strategic seaports located in this region that the Americans would exploit to trade with Asia. In addition, the Mexican - American War was an important event that whetted the Americans’ appetite for more territories. This could be reflected in the series of annexations that took place afterwards. Nevertheless, these annexations were not always a positive endeavour since few years later, these newly acquired territories would be at the origin of a serious fratricidal conflict that brought the American young Republic to the verge of disintegration. As a matter of fact, bringing together large groups of communities of different faiths, languages and origins would constitute the most extraordinary challenge to this growing Union. However, the end of the war and its conclusion in favour of the United States has not terminated the conflicting nature of the relations between the two countries. Although the boundaries between the two states are now clearly delimited, Mexican population mobility northward continues to pose serious and, sometimes, dramatic problems. In this respect, Historian Davenport points out that the barbed wire that separates the two countries, as well as the unwelcoming natural barrier represented by the dangerous desert, are often stages for determined Mexicans escaping misery at home and searching for their American 173 Dream496. This has induced the development of a large community of Mexicans living in the United States whether as legal or as illegal immigrants. The Mexican illegal immigration has become today a Number One issue in the United States both at a state and at federal levels. It occupies a major place in the American foreign policy on the Continent, in local and national elections. Therefore, American-Mexican relations will remain a topical concern in the future and will deserve further study and research on the part of scholars in different fields of study. 496-