Mexican Civil War Dbq Analysis

To begin with, the internal opposition began with the strong anti-slavery movement that grew as a result of efforts by abolitionists. Over time, support for emancipation was garnering steadily and quickly, however, this meant that the conflict between slave and free states continued to rise as well. Because of this, the Mexican American war only escalated the high tensions; the question of what was to be done with the possible acquisition of an extremely large territory was posed, in regards to the balance of slave and free states. Abolitionist saw that the war posed an extreme threat to this balance, and would only expand slavery to the land that would be acquired. Henry Clay, a senator, expressed his view that was very similar to those who
Similar to the Missouri Compromise in 1820, the biggest fear was that slave-owning southerners would hold control in congress, having a drastically larger share of votes in the senate as well as the house. Although “abolitionists were one of the most outspoken groups in the United States, and they vehemently denounced the war” (Newman, 1) Whigs and pacifists were involved in the campaign against the war. Whig senator William Cabell Rives described what many other believed of the war, emphasizing that the US did not have the right to “interfere with the institutions of other countries' and maintained that other people in other countries should be free to pursue their own happiness and destiny, just as we are able to enjoy these pursuits without interference.” Whigs and pacifists strongly believed that to “extend the limits of empire by violence and conquest is a low and discredited ambition; but to extend the moral empire is an ambition worthy of the age and worthy of America.” Clearly the fact that the U.S. first acted and invaded Mexico’s land was essential in the opposing side’s