Manifest Fate: America's Western Expansion

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Mexico had no intention of selling the larger half of its territory. To nationalists at the time, and historians for years later, this and the armed defense Mexico mounted along its northern border was enough to justify war.
One 1911 textbook, justifying the war, said: “But Mexico had insulted our flag... and spurned our envoys... To be sure we were a strong nation and Mexico a weak one. But weakness should not give immunity to continued and open insolence... We were willing to discuss the boundaries...” (Muzzey) The textbook refrains from mentioning that while we were willing to discuss options, we were only willing to hear one answer. It is not surprising that later on the same page the author writes of our eventual conquest of Mexican territory: “With our acquisition ....The work of westward extension was done.” (Muzzey)
Thus, through battle America finished its amoeba-like expansion, engulfing half of Mexico into its own body. It is somehow strange and ironic that now, ...

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