What+caused+the+Mexican+war?+Did+Polk+provoke+the+Texas+-+boundary+conflict+in+order+to+gain+California,+or+expand+slavery?

President Polk’s motivation in provoking the Texas river confrontation meant gaining California, and the surrounding territory. He provoked the Mexican- American war because he saw California as a new chance for new opportunities for the nation, and new up and coming states. Polk wanted California as a new state for the U.S. Polk wanted the vegetative valleys and the San Francisco Bay. Polk saw the San Francisco Bay as America's future gateway to the Pacific Ocean. He even tried to buy California form Mexico but was denied. Since Polk was turned down for his offer, he turned to other methods such as, unnecessary war.

If America was able to seize all the land from coast to coast they would be able to live more peacefully. By having the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Polk gained land for America, the land was California, and the land above the Rio Grande up until the Nueces river. This removed Mexican threat to our American land, therefore helping the idea of the Manifest Destiny.

After Fremont had captured California, Polk ordered a cease fire. If Polk had any alternative motives, such as the expansion of slavery, as a point to provoke war on Mexico, he would have continued the war until he had accomplished what his other alternative motives were. Once he had accomplished what he truly wanted to accomplish which was gaining California, he stopped the war. Obviously, gaining California was his main priority in the war with Mexico and not expansion of slavery.

What would America be like without California or any of the land that was gained from that war? There would have been no gold rush, no great vacation spots, and no great highlight for movies. Polk helped out our nation maybe even more than he thought he would have, but one thing he got right was that California was to great importance to our nation. He had gone through great struggles to gain California. In his efforts to gain American he had helped create American in to the nation we now live in.