Road to Conflict Chart
U.S. History Investigation
The Road to War: 1836–1846
Active Reading Guide · Causes of the Mexican-American War
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Directions: As you read the background text, record the key factual details in the second column and analyze how each factor escalated conflict between the United States and Mexico in the third column.
| Cause / Concept | What Happened? Key facts, events, and actions | Why Did It Increase Tension? Impact on U.S.–Mexico relations |
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| Texas Independence 1836 | | |
| Texan rebellion & the Republic of Texas | | |
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| Annexation of Texas 1845
U.S. admits Texas as the 28th state
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| Border Dispute Nueces vs. Rio Grande
Contested boundary territory
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| Manifest Destiny 1840s Expansion Ideology
Belief in continental expansion
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| Polk & Expansion 1845–1846
CA/NM ambitions & troop deployment
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Synthesis Question
In your opinion, which single factor above was the primary tipping point that made war inevitable? Explain your reasoning:
