Posted on 05/02/2006 3:48:34 PM PDT by persephone35
The Aftermath of War Vast New Territories by Robert W. Johannsen University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
What did the Mexican War mean to Americans in the mid-19th century? The answer reflects the nature and character of mid-century America itself. Americans were reaching out beyond their border. Advancements in transportation and communications technologies were dissolving the nation's geographic and cultural isolation. Commerce expanded and travel increased as interest in exploration carried Americans around the globe. The war was a "window" through which Americans saw a strange and exotic land of alien manners, customs, and attitudes. Many were convinced that America would never be the same.
Some observations of the war were more pragmatic. The "Democratic Review" noted that the war's end meant the "reduction of our enormous expenses by the withdrawal of the army, and the cessation with it of the excessive jobbing which has been so long going on" (May 1848). After the treaty was ratified, some critics of the war acquiesced, that the war had shown "that a people devoted to the arts of peace, possessing free political institutions, can vanquish a military people, governed by military despots" ("Merchant's Magazine," April 1848).
Some critics predicted that the "impenetrable mountains and dry narrow valleys" of California and the "trackless, treeless and utterly uninhabitable" New Mexico would prove useless, threatening the nation's frontier settlements and draining the national treasury. Some believed that Mexico rid itself of worthless land and received $15 million from the U.S. for the sacrifice.
Vast new territories had been incorporated as part of the United States. On July 4, 1848, the ratification of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo by the Mexican Congress arrived at the White House. That same day the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was dedicated.
Robert C. Winthrop, Congressman from Massachusetts and Speaker of the House of Representatives, delivered the dedication oration. The occasion, he noted, marked "the precise epoch at which we have arrived in the world's history and in our own history." A war against a foreign foe had been won, and he paid tribute to the "veterans of the line and the volunteers." The "great American-built locomotive, 'Liberty'" moved "on the track of human freedom, unimpeded and unimpaired; gathering strength as it goes; developing new energies to meet new exigencies," with a swiftness that "knows no parallel." By the end of the day, the dedication of the monument became even more symbolic that anyone had expected. "This great anniversary," declared on citizen, "has never come in, with more of enjoyment to be thankful for, and more of promise to cheer and encourage us."
Never before had American independence been "more joyfully commemorated." The accomplishments of "our brave and magnanimous army in Mexico" recalled the struggles of the Revolution of Independence and the leader of that revolution now stood forth as the "founder of an empire" which would soon eclipse anything that the "world has heretofore produced."
(See tagline...)
I'd like to see them try to dispute a legal document.
Oh wait, what am I saying? They have no respect for the law and so would have no respect for a binding legal document.
(And they want us to respect them??)
It's obvious they know nothing about history. Some think they are like the Jews in 1938 Nazi Germany.
Wow, thanx for the history lesson!
The Mexican War between the United States and Mexico began with a Mexican attack on American troops along the southern border of Texas on Apr. 25, 1846. Fighting ended when U.S. Gen. Winfield Scott occupied Mexico City on Sept. 14, 1847; a few months later a peace treaty was signed (Feb. 2, 1848) at Guadalupe Hidalgo. In addition to recognizing the U.S. annexation of Texas defeated Mexico ceded California and , New Mexico (including all the present-day states of the Southwest) to the United States.
Spain stuck a flag in N American and tried to claim the Continent... then Mexico think it all there... (by the same logic the US own the whole Moon... and maybe some day all of Mars)... Well the US didn't get all the UK N American claim else we have Canada or a a good chuck of it (remember 54'40" or fight...we settled for the 49' parallel)...
they will incur into ... Wyoming, ...
No way, no how! I aint given up WY and they can't make me!! I'm Keepin It!! Now UT, thats a different story, they can talk w/ the utes on that one.
Caramba, Gracias para su apoyo.
Actually Congress debated keeping all of Mexico. It was decided to allow Mexicans to have what is present day Mexico and keep only what is now the Southwest for the following reasons:
Language barrier
Culture very different than US population (worry about assimilation)
Widespread Poverty
Civilian unrest (people in Mexico had been having one revolution after another before the Mexican war)
We simply discarded the parts we did not want, it seemed it would be more trouble than it was worth to keep all of Mexico. At the time it was a wise choice, but if they continue to be bad neighbors we could always reconsider. Retaking Mexico would not take much effort.
"Yes"
"rational thought"
"Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow"
"The golden fleece"
"Free Internet access"
"zero APR"
--Correct--if this silliness were to continue, the Angles will have to give something back to the Saxons (or vice versa) --I don't recall who claimed to have won on that one--
That and negating "Manifest Destiny" is all their warped brains can think about. It was a great insult to the strutting, preening and ridiculously proud Spaniards, er, Mexicans that the new kids in the Americas dumped them so quickly and decisively. They just haven't gotten over it.
Search on Reyes Tijerina and Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo for some of the beginnings of the current insurrection.
The had their independence from Spain for over 20 year and had moved from a constitutional republic to a autocratic dictatorship under the military rule. The vast majorities of the "Hispanic" people of those sparsely populated territories that became part of the the United States welcomed the Americans. They had little or no loyalty to Mexico.
Even with that, the excuses for the congressional declaration of war were shaky, at best. Congress and the "administration" took advantage of an opportunity. Saying that, a legitimate reason would have likely occurred before long.
And .. quite obviously they have been lied to for years.
That one's easy, maybe because I've heard it so many times: "Be careful - plate is hot"
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