An Exercise Of American Imperialism - 1381 Words

Professor Walter Nugent, of â€Å"California and New Mexico, 1846-1848: Southward Aggression II,† argues that the Mexican War was indeed an exercise of American imperialism. Throughout his presidency, James K. Polk made a promise to the American people to honor Manifest Destiny, expanding the territory of the United States to the Pacific Ocean. Polk was blinded by his tunnel vision, and was more than willing to pay the cost of thousands of Mexican lives (over twice as many as Americans) in pursuit of his goal. The Mexican government was weak, so, Polk took advantage by sending representatives to monitor, what he considered, the borders between their nations. Polk was aware that this would manipulate the Mexican government to strike, spilling ‘American blood on American soil’. This action resulted in support from Congress to declare war; although, many voted in favor out of fear of being considered unpatriotic. Alternatively, many voted in favor of war in order to expand the amount of representatives opposed to slavery. Polk was not considered a strong nor wise ruler, Isaiah Berlin contends that Polk was â€Å"a hedgehog, not a fox,† he explains, â€Å"Jefferson, FDR, and Bill Clinton were foxes. Jackson, Polk, and George W. Bush were hedgehogs. Whereas a fox has many ideas†¦ hedgehogs, like Polk, have one.† For those reasons, the Mexican war was an unjust war, and a result of American imperialism. Walter Nugent explains that the Mexican War involved such a large expansion, therefore theShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Mexican War as an Exercise in American Imperialism1152 Words   |  5 PagesThe Mexican War as an Exercise in American Imperialism The US government believed firmly in the doctrine of Manifest destiny, the government argued that they had the right and duty to expand through North American because it was necessary and inevitable. During the 19th century Mexico dominated a large amount of North America which was inhabited by American settlers and the American government aimed to expand the USA from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and wereRead MoreEssay on Ir Theory Article Review-Doyle1103 Words   |  5 PagesDoyle, M. ‘Liberalism and World Politics’, American Political Science Review, 1986, vol. 80(4), pp. 1151-69 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORY Article Review 17th October 2011. Doyle, M. ‘Liberalism and World Politics’, American Political Science Review, 1986, vol. 80(4), pp. 1151-69 Michael Doyle, author of this article was one of the first IR theorists in modern era to analyzeRead MoreHow Did The U.s. Expand Westward And What Was Its Impact On Native Americans?1114 Words   |  5 PagesPURPOSE 1 Question: How did the U.S. expand westward and what was its impact on Native Americans? Answer: The United States began expanding westward during the 1800s. 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