The Mexican-American War (1846-48): Part IV-54:40 or Fight!

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The Mexican-American War lasted from 1846 to 1848. The official cause of the war was Mexican opposition to the American annexation of the Republic of Texas, which had won its freedom from Mexico ten years earlier. However, President James Polk intended to use the war to greatly expand the United States by annexing New Mexico and California, therefore it was the first war fought against a fellow republic to gain territory. Episode Three explains how the annexation of Texas became the dominant issue in the 1844 presidential election, and Andrew Jackson's support helped James Polk win the election. Aside from Texas, Polk wanted to annex New Mexico and California, as well as Oregon, which meant potential conflict with both Mexico and Britain.

Cast of Characters:
James Polk-president, former governor of Tennessee and former Speaker of the House of Representatives
James Buchanan-Secretary of State
John Calhoun-senator for South Carolina, former Secretary of State, former vice president, and former secretary of war
Mariano Paredes-President of Mexico (following coup against Herrera), formerly general in the Mexican Army
Jose Joaquin de Herrera-President of Mexico Thomas Hart Benton-senator from Missouri, former aide to General Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812
Winfield Scott-Commanding General of the U.S. Army Zachary Taylor-brigadier-general in the American Army
Mariano Arista-major-general in the Mexican Army
Pedro de Ampudia-general in the Mexican Army

Sources:
A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, The Mexican War, and the Conquest of the American Continent-Robert W. Merry
Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America-Walter R. Borneman
A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico-Amy S. Greenberg
Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850-Andrew J. Torget
This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy-Matthew Karp
Heirs of the Founders: Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants-H. W. Brands
The Great Triumverate: Webster, Clay, and Calhoun-Merrill D. Peterson
What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848-Daniel Walker Howe
Sam Houston: The Life and Times of the Liberator of Texas, an Authentic American Hero-John Hoyt Williams
Mexico: Biography of Power, A History of Modern Mexico, 1810-1996-Enrique Krauze, translated by Hank Heifetz

Image Credit:
By Adolphe Jean-Baptiste Bayot - Originally published in The War Between the United States and Mexico, Illustrated, 1851, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1178283