The Catalyst Of The Mexican-American War

The Mexican-American War served as catalyst that channeled the divisions between the North and South and the division within the political parties. The war was fought over American expansion near Mexican territory, which created major tensions that resulted in full blown war in 1846. The war was very controversial because it raised sectional tensions between the different regions within the United States. Many in the North were opposed to the war because they believed it was being fought to expand slavery. Further, some viewed it as unconstitutional; one of the most famous protests was when Henry David Thoreau refused to pay taxes to show his opposition. When the war was finished, there was further division as to what the Unites States should
receive for its victory. President Polk wanted to control almost all of Mexico, but he was opposed by two very different factions. The first group was mainly northerners who believed it would lead to the nation's demise. The second group of southerners realized they would have to give the Mexicans some political rights which they believed would be detrimental to their interests. This conflict is just a small part of the region and political divisions that occurred over Manifest Destiny. At the time there was intense division as to if slavery should be allowed into new territories, this resulted in politicians voting along with their region not their parties. These conflicts also resulted in the creation of a new political movement, the Free Soil Party, which wanted to keep slaves and free blacks out of the new lands (Faragher). Theses developments show just how divisive the ideas of Manifest Destiny and expansion were and how they split the different political faction in the United States.