Westward Expansion: Mexican American War

 When the English settlers came to the Americas they had plans to essentially take control/expand of this continent believing that they had a task to implement their traditions and law on people who already lived on that continent. This ultimately is a belief of Manifest Destiny that these settlers full-heartedly believed it was their ultimate task to expand and regulate people. No matter what we think this consequently affected the world in how we operate as an institution and our traditions today. There Manifest Destiny had pros and cons but their beliefs affected other races which negatively affected us ultimately giving what we call “minorities” low class standing in today’s society. In this essay, we will investigate the 1850 American expansion which changed the dynamics of this continent.

We will also talk about the Mexican American War which was essentially a detrimental war which was a significant event of the westward expansion which will affect the shape of the American settlers’ capitalism and connections based on the outcome of the battle. As I stated in the first paragraph all through the 19th century these American settlers believed in manifest destiny which the Mexican race opposed to this belief. This consequently gave the Mexican army no choice to attack the Americans creating a war for the territory of land, and the pride of these people. This war was a battle that gave Americans more power and land which affect the expansion in what we see today.

Also in this essay, we will analyze the gold rush which was essentially was the biggest migration in American history bringing approximately 300,000 Americans to northern California. This was all due to the fact that a man named James Marshall on January 24, 1848, found gold which sparked the idea for other Americans to come and gather gold in this area as well. We will also discuss the compromise of 1850 which was the debate of whether or not slaves should be in the north. This created an uneasy relationship between the north and south because the south proposed that there should be slaves in the north as well but the north opposed to that proposal. Lastly, we will talk about the Dred Scott v. Sanford case which essentially the court telling Dred Scott even if he is free or a slave he is ultimately still not an American citizen and is unable to be a plaintiff in federal court which we will analyze in this essay.

When we explore into the Manifest Destiny in between the 19th century this was essentially where the American Anglo Saxons who see themselves as tools that will change the world in how it was in the past by enforcing their beliefs their traditions (Christianity) and laws on others. Their style of domination was rather a repugnant approach but it ultimately changed the world and also why the structure of today’s society is what it’s like. They believed that they were superior and separate compared to the other races in the world. I feel that this emphasizes the reason why they push for westward expansion because they ultimately believed that they could accomplish universal domination no matter where they are at in any continent. In the 1850s Americans also believed that the expansion of the western region defines there superiority. In my opinion, I would have to disagree with there beliefs because even if you do control something it does not ultimately mean that you are superior to them to every single way shape and form. Americans also believed in the principle of a democratic republic during the westward expansion but this idea was a freedom tool that influenced people to go with this idea of expansion in this manner. There expansion and belief of manifest destiny spread throughout the world letting know about the progress of Americans’ expansion in the west. Many people suffered throughout this time such as the Native Americans consequently making there population decrease and some tribes extinct because the Americans were expanding and taking over others’ territory spreading their diseases as well. Also, they killed any of people in the Mexican American War which resulted in a loss of multiples families. The Americans benefited more from the expansion but at the cost of other peoples is something that no one should have to go through, yet this still was happening which ultimately created racial/social hierarchy in today’s society.

During the Mexican American War, there were Americans who supported the War because they viewed their society as flawed. This highlights that the Americans believed that this factor was one of the reasons they should control this society because they feel like they are superior towards and control on what they should do to their society. In addition, felt that their society was coming to end so they inevitably plan to take control before they destroy themselves. Civil and ethnic diversity was one of the main factors that led to war. Also, Americans wanted to expand their territory westward and the Mexican opposed that plan. Consequently, the Mexicans attacked first in order to avoid that in their future. As a result of the war they made a treaty called “Guadalupe Hidalgo”. This ultimately gave all the Texas, New Mexico, and California Territory to the Americans and the Mexicans received approximately 15 million dollars in return of the territories. I feel that the Mexicans were still able to be a form decent society and the Americans were able to expand westward and capitalized on that land they received. This treaty ultimately affected the number of states and resources that we have in today’s society.

January 24, 1948, John Marshall found gold at Coloma California which started the biggest migration causing 30,000 people to come to northern California. Throughout the gold rush period, there was an epidemic of what they called “gold fever.” And although people were coming because of the 8potential riches it was hard to obtain gold because people had little to no mining experience in their lives. However, since the California surface was so easily tapped anybody would be able to find the gold. The geopolitical region changed as time passed due to the fact of the mining influence. One of the famous camps in mining was named “Weber Creek” which they collected thousands of dollars during this time. This was very detrimental to how California established itself to have a big population that we now see it today. In addition throughout this time was the great compromise of 1850 where essentially there was a debate of expansion in the north, which resulted from the north and south having tensions between each other because the north opposed that the slaves to expand on there side and the south wanted to expand slavery on that territory. This impacted to how both sides encountered each other which divided the nation. The Fugitive Slave Act which gave the owners of slaves ability to go to the north to re capture there salve was one of the examples that made the two sides even more divided because the north did not take a liking to this which eventually led to a Civil War. In addition, there was a Dred Scott v Sanford case which essentially the supreme court ruling that African Americans could not sue in a federal court whether if they are free or not. This was an unfair ruling which outraged many Americans who were on his side. Throughout these events in the past, the Caucasians benefited from everything that African Americans have done for America, but with that, we are still unequal even now which is unjust and unlawful and various ways.