Patriot's History: Mexican War 1840s (Chap 7)
Music: The Imperial March
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Summary Our faith made manifest our destiny, the West a Christian path to Liberty. A war of dominance with Mexico, our spirit showcased at the Alamo. Chapter The thirty years before the Civil War were fraught with tension, energy, and growth, as people fought about their rights to slaves and the expanding west. To most, our country's destiny was manifest. An "Empire," Jefferson had said, "of Liberty" awaited us. Amidst the national esprit occurred religion's second "Great Awakening," which made more clear our Godly destiny, to bring the Faith to western Indians. And Mister Polk, the President, was clearly eager to evoke a spirit of expansionism, Oregon and Texas as the major targets; whereupon he took on Mexico, which claimed to still possess the Texas territory. Trying to assess the right and wrong is difficult, for Mexico was also seeking empire. At the Alamo the wily Santa Anna fought the "renegades for freedom" - Bowie, Travis, Crockett. Accolades recall their memory, although the slavery dissension kept the Texans from the luxury of statehood. So the volunteers from Tennessee and other southern states arose with certainty of victory, "Old Rough and Ready" at their side (Zach Taylor). Soon America was far and wide a vibrant land of purple mountain majesty and farms and plains and cities, sea to shining sea, with Texas, California, and New Mexico and Oregon reflecting our expansive glow. |