The war between the United States and Mexico had two basic
causes. First, the desire of the U.S. to expand across the North American continent to the Pacific
Ocean caused conflict with all of its neighbors; from the British in Canada and Oregon to the
Mexicans in the southwest and, of course, with the Native Americans. Ever since President Jefferson's
acquisition of the Louisiana Territory in 1803, Americans migrated westward in ever increasing
numbers, often into lands not belonging to the United States. By the time President Polk came to
office in 1845, an idea called "Manifest Destiny" had taken root among the American people, and
the new occupant of the White House was a firm believer in the idea of expansion. The
belief that the U.S. basically had a God-given right to occupy and "civilize"
the whole continent gained favor as more and more Americans settled the western lands. The
fact that most of those areas already had people living upon them was usually ignored, with the
attitude that democratic English-speaking America, with its high ideals and Protestant Christian
ethics, would do a better job of running things than the Native Americans or Spanish-speaking
Catholic Mexicans. Manifest Destiny did not necessarily call for violent expansion. In both
1835 and 1845, the United States offered to purchase California from Mexico, for $5 million and
$25 million, respectively. The Mexican government refused the opportunity to sell half of
its country to Mexico's most dangerous neighbor.
I have decide to start
off with the battle of Vera CRuz for my figures.
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican seaport of Veracruz, during
the Mexican-American War.
Lasting
from March 9 to March 29, 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted
by
United States military forces, and ended
with the surrender and occupation of the city.
The figures that linked to this page represent the various regiments of the U.S and Mexican Armies during
this battle.