Final answer:
Manifest Destiny influenced the annexation of Texas by promoting the belief that American territorial expansion was inevitable and righteous. This led to Texas joining the Union, inciting the Mexican-American War, and deeply affecting domestic politics and foreign relations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Manifest Destiny's Influence on Texas Annexation
The concept of Manifest Destiny played a crucial role in the annexation of Texas into the United States. Americans in the 1840s increasingly embraced Manifest Destiny, which portrayed American expansion as inevitable and divinely preordained. This belief was not only tied to territorial growth but also included ambitions of spreading freedom and American values. Approaching the subject from a sense of mission, the Texas annexation was seen as an extension of these values. Considered imminent by those in Texas and expansionists in the slaveholding South, it provoked controversy due to the potential of exacerbating tensions with Mexico, which it eventually did, leading to the Mexican-American War.
Following the Texan victory at San Jacinto and the establishment of Texas as an independent nation, the Republic of Texas, also known as the Lone Star Republic, sought annexation by the United States. The desire for westward expansion and the promotion of slavery in new territories by Texans such as Sam Houston and William B. Travis played a part in this. Annexation talks were contentious, as Americans were aware that it could reignite challenges regarding slavery and risk war with Mexico. Nevertheless, buoyed by the spirit of expansionism and Manifest Destiny, Texas was annexed to the U.S. in 1845, leading to the aforementioned war and ultimately the acquisition of additional territories.
The era of Manifest Destiny and the addition of Texas to the U.S. also had a profound impact on both domestic politics and international relations. It intensified internal divisions between free and slave states, and reshaped foreign relations with European powers and Latin American countries, which viewed the U.S. with a blend of wariness and suspicion.