The U.S.-Mexican War

Was the U.S.-Mexican War unavoidable?

Paper instructions:

  • No additional research, use sources provided
  • Identify the major arguments about the topic
  • Provide the three main arguments in favor and three arguments against the issue before reaching your own conclusion
  • Add word count at the bottom
  • Usual writing conventions: introduction with argument, body with supporting evidence, and a closing
Full Answer Section
  • Political instability in Mexico: Mexico was politically unstable in the years leading up to the war. This instability made it difficult for the Mexican government to resist American expansion.

Some historians argue that the U.S.-Mexican War could have been avoided if the United States had been more willing to compromise. For example, the United States could have offered to pay Mexico more for the territory that it wanted to annex. The United States could also have agreed to a boundary line that was more favorable to Mexico.

Other historians argue that the U.S.-Mexican War was inevitable. They argue that the United States was determined to expand its territory and that Mexico was unwilling to compromise. They also argue that the war was a result of the clash of two different cultures: the expansionist United States and the traditionalist Mexico.

Ultimately, the question of whether the U.S.-Mexican War was unavoidable is a matter of opinion. There are strong arguments to be made on both sides of the issue.

Sample Answer

Whether the U.S.-Mexican War was unavoidable is a complex question that has been debated by historians for many years. There are a number of factors that contributed to the war, including:

  • Manifest Destiny: The belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent was widespread in the 1840s. Manifest Destiny was often used to justify the annexation of Texas and the subsequent war with Mexico.
  • Economic interests: The United States was eager to expand its trade with Asia, and Mexico controlled the only overland route to the Pacific Ocean. The United States also wanted to control the Santa Fe Trail, which was a major trade route to the American Southwest.