Correct Answer: texas. the correct answer is texas.
when texas was granted statehood on december 29, 1845, the likelihood of conflict with mexico increased substantially. this escalation can primarily be attributed to several key factors related to the annexation of texas into the united states.
firstly, texas shared a lengthy border with mexico, which was a source of ongoing disputes. prior to its annexation, texas had been a part of mexico until 1836 when it declared its independence after the texas revolution. mexico, however, did not recognize this independence and continued to consider texas as one of its territories. when the u.s. decided to annex texas and admit it as a state, mexico viewed this as an encroachment on its sovereignty, leading to heightened tensions between the two nations.
additionally, the border itself was a contentious issue. the u.s. and the newly admitted state of texas claimed the rio grande as the southern boundary, while mexico argued that the boundary was further north along the nueces river. this disagreement over the border location contributed to the outbreak of the mexican-american war in 1846, just months after texas' statehood.
another factor was the broader context of u.s. territorial expansion. the doctrine of manifest destiny, which held that the u.s. was destined to expand across the north american continent, fueled the desire for acquiring new territories, including those controlled by mexico. the annexation of texas can be seen as part of this larger expansionist policy, which inevitably led to conflicts with neighboring territories, especially with mexico, which stood to lose the most from american expansionism.
finally, the mexican-american war, which followed texas’ annexation, resulted in mexico losing about one-third of its territory, including present-day california, nevada, utah, arizona, new mexico, colorado, wyoming, and part of texas. this loss further exacerbated the tensions and resentment from mexico towards the united states, setting a precedent for future relations between the two countries.
in conclusion, the statehood of texas significantly increased the likelihood of conflict with mexico due to pre-existing territorial disputes, the contentious issues surrounding the u.s.-mexico border, and the broader american ambitions of westward expansion. these elements collectively contributed to the eventual outbreak of the mexican-american war and shaped the future dynamics of u.s.-mexico relations.
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