The main objective of the Mexican American War (1846-1848) was the acquisition of territory, particularly California and the Southwest.
The Mexican-American War, which took place between 1846 and 1848, had its main objective rooted in territorial disputes and conflicting ideologies between the United States and Mexico.
One primary cause was the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845, which Mexico vehemently opposed, as it considered Texas part of its territory.
The expansionist policies of the United States, driven by the concept of Manifest Destiny—a belief that Americans were destined to expand across the continent—fueled a desire to acquire additional territories.
The contested border between Texas and Mexico, as perceived by each nation, escalated tensions, leading to armed conflict.
President James K. Polk, who assumed office in 1845, sought to acquire not only Texas but also vast territories extending to the Pacific Ocean, including California and the present-day southwestern United States.
The annexation of Texas and the desire for territorial expansion were key drivers behind the U.S. decision to go to war with Mexico.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war in 1848, ceded significant territories to the United States, including California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
The war's main objective for the United States was the acquisition of these territories, solidifying its continental reach and manifesting its vision of westward expansion.
However, it also stirred debates over the morality of acquiring land through armed conflict and heightened tensions over the issue of slavery, foreshadowing the sectional conflicts that would culminate in the American Civil War.
Question
What was the main objective of the Mexican American War ?