Explain what is meant by "Manifest destiny" and describe how in belief that idea was a main reason for the United States going to war with Mexico.
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"Manifest destiny" was a concept in the 19th century United States that believed it was the divine mission of the American people to spread and expand their territory across the North American continent. It was the belief that the United States was destined and justified to extend its influence and control over the entire continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The idea of manifest destiny played a significant role in the United States going to war with Mexico in the mid-19th century. One of the main reasons for the war was the dispute over the annexation of Texas, which had recently gained independence from Mexico and sought to join the United States. Many Americans believed that it was their destiny to acquire and spread their way of life across the continent, and they saw the annexation of Texas as a crucial step towards achieving this goal.
Furthermore, there were other factors that fueled the belief in manifest destiny and led to the conflict with Mexico. The United States government claimed that the border between Texas and Mexico was the Rio Grande, while Mexico insisted it was the Nueces River further north. As tensions escalated, President James K. Polk, who strongly believed in manifest destiny, used the disputed border as a pretext to provoke a war with Mexico and to take more territory.
The war with Mexico, known as the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), resulted in the United States gaining vast territories, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma. These acquisitions were seen by many Americans as fulfilling the vision of manifest destiny.
In summary, manifest destiny was the belief in the 19th century that the United States was destined by a higher power to expand its territory and influence across the continent. This belief served as a major motivator for the United States to go to war with Mexico, as Americans sought to acquire more land and fulfill their perceived destiny.