Hello and welcome to another episode of the really show. I'm your host Aaron Ross. Today's show manifest thievery. Hey, if you like the show we really appreciate it if
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I'm sure many of us are aware of the American Revolution and how we won our independence and our lands from the British
Well it was the Native American's land but
that's another episode
and many of us probably remember the story of the Louisiana purchase
but many Americans are probably not as familiar with how the United States aquired it's lands in the West and Southwest
that'll happen mostly because of one man
James K Polk
11th President of the United States
It was a bit of fluke Polk even got the nomination
former Pres.Martin Van Buren was originally the Democratic favorite in the election of eighteen forty four
but because he didn't favor bringing the Republic of Texas into the union
his popularity significantly diminished and he lost the party 's nomination
instead the nomination went surprisingly to James Polk
who was pro- Westward expansion. You know Manifest Destiny BS. This kind of rhetoric won the election
Polk had some serious goals which he touted during his campaign
at one time Mexico extended from the Oregon border all the way to Guatemala
Polk wanted to acquire California Nevada Texas Utah and most of New Mexico and Arizona
he also had his eyes on the Pacific Northwest territories, which would comprise Washington state and Oregon and bla, bla, You get it, You know what I'm taking about.
As well as parts of Montana Colorado Oklahoma Wyoming and Kansas
The only problem was that two other countries are claims on those lands
Britain had shared claims with the US in the Pacific Northwest and Mexico laid claim to the lands from California
on down to Texas
although Texas ownership was disputed
Polk was a little guy with a big attitude his campaign slogan of 54 40 or fight.
What the heck did I just say?
His campaign slogan of 54 40 or fight
was a direct threat to Britain's claims on the territories
54 40 is in reference to the longitude latitude boundary lines of Oregon
this was a big risk considering Britain's naval superiority still the time
Polk would've compromised if Britain pushed back but instead of fighting Britain proposed splitting Oregon the 49th parallel
Polk agreed to the compromise and the conflict was avoided
the real trouble started
in Texas
a few years before Polk got into office Texas fight for freedom from Mexico
basically Mexico allowed White Men to buy land in Texas, they farmed the land then eventually said we should be independent
you know Remember the Alamo
haaaaa
so Texas became a republic. Mexico didn't recognize the Republic because they still thought it belonged them
So forward a few years too, soon after Polk was elected.
And Texas was admitted to the union
it probably would've been admitted to the US sooner but there was a whole slave state free state balancing thing
and the fact Mexico claimed it would go to war with the US if this ever brought Texas and the union
though enraged Mexico did not go to war
now there was also a dispute as to whether Southwest border of Texas was
Mexico claimed the Nueceas River
was the border with speared them farther north. While the Texas US claim was the Rio Grande which put it farther south
and it is widely believed the president poll took full advantage of this dispute
Polk lusting to gain the lands in the West sent as a representative Congressman John Slidell to Mexico to offer
payment of thirty million dollars
in exchange for the Texas boundary of the Rio Grande Mexican territories and California
Mexico still outraged over Texas could not believe the gall of the US with this insulting offer
and refused even see Congressman Slidell
after learning of Mexico's refusal to sell Polk sent troops headed by Zachary rough and ready Taylor into the disputed
area hoping to incite an altercation
and that's just what happened
Mexico saw this as a hostile army on Mexican soil and shots were fired 16 Americans were killed in the skirmish
after Pres.Polk received word of the Mexican army had fired on Taylor's soldiers
Polk appeared before Congress and declared Mexico and invaded the United States"shed American blood on American soil"
Congress passed its declaration of war by an overwhelming majority
president Polk got his war
Why would Polk want a war? Well to force Mexico to sell. Like a big bully shaking down a smaller kid for his lunch money
He was hoping Mexico would soon given and sell, but they did not.
battle after battle US advanced but Mexico didn't give in
Hum,
Bam, right their baby, come on. It is interesting to note that with Gen.Zachary Taylor's
public popularity increasing with each victory perhaps Pres.Polk. fearing someone else getting credit for gains won during the
war soon assigned Gen.Winfield Scott to lead the Army
when Scott arrived on the scene assumes command he took most of Gen.Taylor's best troops leaving Taylor only with a
small number of inexperienced soldiers. Also important to note as of the first battle experience for West Point graduates
Robert E Lee, Ulysses S. Grant and George McClellan
Polk gave Taylor orders to stay put
But Taylor went out looking for battle anyways
Taylor did do battle with Mexican Gen.Santa Anna
but their battle was a draw since Sant Anna had to take his troops away more pressing matters.
Mexico fought hard
but they were unable to hold off the US forces. After landing in Veracruz in 1847 Gen.Scott became the first American
officer to lead an invasion of a foreign capital
when he took Mexico City in September of that year
the fall of the capital and the resignation of Santa Ana there was some confusion and delay in the negotiations to the
end of the war Pres.Polk sent Nicholas Trist
as his executive agent
to negotiate. His negotiations were with a special commission representing the collapsed government. After much deliberation
they finally signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2nd 1848
basically forcing Mexico to sell it's countries lands for $15 million
The Mexicans should have build the wall first.
waah waah
it is important to acknowledge the opposition to this endeavor
John Quincy Adams Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were just a few
of significant importance Henry David Thoreau 's classic essay civil disobedience emerged out of his experience of his
opposition to the Mexican-American war
BOOM!
That's our show for today thanks for watching. If you have any comments or questions please leave them in the comments area
keep expansion, keep it going. Who knows about that? How did that ever happened?