7th Period Practice Mexican-American War Two-Source Essay

The [Mexican] invasion was threatened solely because Texas had determined...to annex herself to our Union, and under these circumstances it was plainly our duty to extend our protection over her citizens and soil. But now, after reiterated menaces, Mexico...has proclaimed that hostilities have commenced, and that the two nations are now at war.

As war exists, and, notwithstanding all our efforts to avoid it, exists by the act of Mexico herself, we are called to...prompt action of Congress to recognize the existence of the war, and to place at the disposition of the Executive the means of prosecuting the war with vigor, and thus hastening the restoration of peace...

Long-memoried Mexicans have never forgotten that their northern enemy took away about half of their country. The argument that they were lucky not to lose all of it, and that they had been paid something for their land did not reduce their bitterness. The war also marked an ugly turning point in the relation between the US and Latin America as a whole. Before this, the US had been regarded with some complacency, even friendliness. After this, Uncle Sam was increasingly feared. Suspicious neighbor countries to the South condemned him as a greedy and untrustworthy bully, who might next take their soil.