Why was the Mexican War fought?
The Mexican War (1846–48) was fought between the United States and Mexico over rights to the territory of Texas. The United States wanted to annex Texas—that is, claim Texas and make it a state—which had been under the control of Mexico. In 1844 James K. Polk (1795–1849), an enthusiastic expansionist (one who favored expanding U.S. territory into the West), was elected the president of the United States. Since the annexation of Texas was a prominent issue in Polk’s campaign, outgoing president John Tyler (1790–1862) viewed Polk’s victory as public support for making Texas a state. Tyler therefore asked Congress to pass a joint resolution inviting Texas into the United States. (A joint resolution is a decision made by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the two law-making bodies of the U.S. Congress). Congress followed his recommendation in February, and Tyler signed…
