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

The territory of Texas was hotly disputed between Mexico and the United States. Polk, a stern believer in //Manifest Destiny//, stated in his four-point plan that two of his goals were to acquire California and New Mexico from Mexico and to acquire some or all of the Oregon country. The best way Polk could see to do this was to first annex Texas even though this would lead to eventual hostility with Mexico.  When elected president one of the first things James Polk did was to lay out a four-point plan for his presidency. Out of those four main points half of them involved the acquirement of new lands. Polk's main ambition out of those points though was the aquisition of California. California woul d provide above adequate ports that would open trade with the countries of Asia which would help out trade industry thrive. Also, Britain wanted California too and the last thing America wanted back then was to have Britain occupying the continent with them again.