Part 1 of Essay
In 1825 President John Quincy Adams appointed as the first U.S. minister to Mexico. His first assignment was to persuade the Mexican government to sell the U.S. the province of Texas, thus continuing the rapid expansion of the American democracy. The United States continued to pursue Texas with little success for the next ....

Part 2 of Essay
.... by the consideration of relative power, American mass ideology, and Public opinion. In 1845 President Polk began, cofidentially from the public, considering the annexation of California. Polk's initial desire was to simply purchase California, attempting to maintain peace. He soon learned this would be impossible. When Polk ordered General Taylor to cross the Nueces River and eventually to fortify on the Rio Grande, he fully understood the possilble consequences of these actions. In fact, by depl ....