Mexican-American War

After U.S. offers to purchase the California and New

Mexico Territories from Mexico were rejected, combined
with the dispute over where the U.S.-Mexico border is, the

U.S. devised a way to provoke Mexico into war

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The U.S. calculated that if Mexico attacked the U.S. could:

•

More easily justify to the American people a case for a war
against Mexico

• -And- , if victorious, settle the border dispute while also
winning the California and New Mexico Territories from Mexico

•

More easily persuade members of Congress to make an
official declaration of war against Mexico

Causes of the Mexican-American War