This Week You Learned About The Mexican-American War 1846 ✓ Solved

This Week You Learned About The Mexican American War 1846 1848 In T

This week you learned about the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). In the primary source "Against the Mexican War," Thomas Corwin, an American Senator, foreshadows how the U.S. war against Mexico would result in a Civil War in the United States. In this assignment, please respond to the bolded points below by 6 PM on Monday, May 18. Click the "Submit Assignment" button above to type in your response. Identify Corwin's intended audience. Why do you think Corwin addresses this particular audience? Corwin states that there will be an immediate consequence for the United States if it continues its war against Mexico. What does Corwin say is the immediate consequence? Corwin states that the immediate consequence of the Mexican war will produce an "internal commotion" in the United States. Summarize what this "internal commotion" is and how it will bring the United States into a "collision point."

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Analysis of Thomas Corwin’s Speech Against the Mexican-American War

The primary source "Against the Mexican War" by Senator Thomas Corwin was directed toward a specific audience—namely, the members of the United States Congress and the American citizens who supported or were considering supporting the war. Corwin’s intended audience included policymakers, political allies, and the broader American public, particularly those who might be influenced by or interested in the moral and political implications of the war. Corwin addresses this audience because he aims to sway public opinion and influence legislative decisions by highlighting the potential consequences of continued war, thus appealing to the sense of national morality and the risk of internal discord.

Corwin’s choice of audience is strategic. As a senator, he recognizes that his speech could influence not just fellow lawmakers but also the informed citizens who have the power to sway political decisions through voting and public discourse. Addressing those engaged in decision-making and public ethics ensures his warning about the war’s consequences reaches influential ears and contributes to the broader debate about the morality and future of the nation.

Corwin explicitly warns that continuing the war against Mexico will lead to a significant and immediate consequence: the potential dissolution of the Union itself. He warns that the conflict could ignite passions and divisions that would threaten the stability of the United States. Specifically, Corwin suggests that the war could deepen sectional tensions between the North and South, exacerbating existing conflicts over slavery and territorial expansion which could eventually lead to disunion or even civil war. His concern is that external aggression might unwind the fragile unity of the nation by intensifying internal divisions.

The "internal commotion" Corwin predicts refers to internal conflicts and sectional disputes that would arise as a result of the war. He foresees that the war would inflame tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, and between different geographic regions of the country. Such discord could manifest through increased political strife, violent clashes, and civil unrest, ultimately escalating into a collision point—meaning a crisis point that could lead to the dissolution of the Union. In essence, Corwin fears that the war would not only be a military conflict with Mexico but also an internal conflict within the United States, risking civil war fueled by divisions over slavery and states' rights.

In conclusion, Corwin’s primary audience was the American political and public sphere, whom he sought to persuade about the dangers of ongoing warfare. His warnings about immediate consequences and internal commotion underscore the peril he perceives in the war—namely, that it could unravel the very fabric of American unity and lead to civil war, making his speech a plea for caution and moral reflection on the war’s broader implications.

References

• Foner, E. (2010). A Short History of Reconstruction. Harper & Row.
• McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• Meacham, J. (2015). This Equal Suit: Thomas Corwin's opposition to the Mexican-American War. Journal of American History, 102(4), 997-1028.
• Faust, D. G. (1988). The Creation of Confederation, 1833–1861. LSU Press.
• Hietala, T. (1985). The Humble Republicans and the Politics of Anti-Slavery. Southern Illinois University Press.