Dissertation Writers: Explain the arguments by both anti- and pro-slavery proponents about the Mexican-American War’s possible impact on American politics and sectional relations.
Expansion is a major theme of the United States’ history. As a young, energetic country, the United States also saw itself as gifted by Providence to spread out into neighboring lands. The migration of Americans into Mexican territory opened a new chapter in that story. Texan independence from Mexico seemed to fulfill the promise of Manifest Destiny, not just in terms of land but in the spread of American ideals. However, the Mexican-American War also unsettled a sectional balancing act regarding slavery.
- How did the concept of Manifest Destiny rationalize US expansion into Texas and other Mexican territories?
- Explain the arguments by both anti- and pro-slavery proponents about the Mexican-American War’s possible impact on American politics and sectional relations.
