Manifest Destiny/Mexican American War

These flashcards focus on key vocabulary and concepts related to Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War, designed to help students review critical terms and definitions.

Manifest Destiny

The 19th-century doctrine that it was the divine right and destiny of the United States to expand its territory across North America.

Mexican-American War

A conflict fought from 1846 to 1848 between the United States and Mexico, stemming from the U.S. annexation of Texas.

Mexican Cession

The region of the present-day southwestern United States that Mexico ceded to the U.S. in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Nueces River

A river that Mexico claimed as the border between Texas and Mexico, which the U.S. disputed.

Rio Grande

The river that Texas claimed as its southern border with Mexico after declaring independence.

Treaty of Velasco

The treaty that established the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas, which Mexico did not recognize.

President Polk

The 11th President of the United States who strongly advocated for the annexation of Texas and U.S. expansion.

Declaration of War

The formal decision made by Congress on May 13, 1846, to engage in war with Mexico.

Slavery Expansion Debate

The political and moral controversy over whether new territories acquired by the U.S. should allow slavery.

El dismembramiento

The term used in Mexico to refer to the dismemberment suffered during the Mexican-American War.

Monroe Doctrine

A U.S. policy opposing European colonialism in the Americas, which raised questions about the U.S. actions in the Mexican-American War.

Casualty Rates

The measure of the number of people killed or injured during a conflict; relatively low for the U.S. during the Mexican-American War.