American History - Before 1865

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the book "The Diplomacy of Annexation: Texas, Oregon and the Mexican War" by David M. Pletcher and explains why the book is considered by many to be one of the most pivotal works on American history. The author discusses Pletcher's theses on the annexation of Texas, the Mexican war and also the acquisition of Oregon. The paper also comments on Pletcher's views on racism and slavery that was present in the later half of the 1800s as well as his validation of the U.S' expansion efforts with regards to the Manifest Destiny. In closing, the paper praises Pletcher's attempt of explaining the complicated history of the U.S and also successfully drawing parallels between the past and the present.

Outline:
Introduction.
Territorial Expansion-Annexation of Texas
Takeover of Oregon
Racism
Southerners Seeking to Extend Slavery
Manifest Destiny
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"To clear up some misconceptions about the state of Texas, Pletcher puts away the false, somewhat candy-coated notion that Texas was gained by the US as a result of diplomacy with Mexico. First, an important point is made in the book- while many falsely believe that President Polk was responsible for the annexation of Texas, Pletcher makes a point to indicate that in fact the Texas issue was already resolved by the time that Polk took office, having been completed by his predecessor, President Tyler, several days before Polk assumed the job of the presidency."

More papers on American History - Before 1865:

• Research Paper # 95325 : "African-American History"
• Essay # 15358 : "Rebellion of Oppressed Groups In the New World"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: