USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Acquisition of California proved far more difficult. Polk sent an envoy to offer Mexico up to $20, 000, 000, plus settlement of damage claims owed to Americans, in return for California and the New Mexico country. Since no Mexican leader could cede half his country and still stay in power, Polk’s envoy was not received.

Detailed explanation-2: -Polk started out by trying to buy the land. He sent an American diplomat, John Slidell, to Mexico City to offer $30 million for it. But the Mexican government refused to even meet with Slidell.

Detailed explanation-3: -President Polk had a short list of “great measures” he intended to accomplish. Among them was the acquisition of Mexican California. Gold had not been discovered there yet, but Polk wanted California and its magnificent San Francisco Bay as the American gateway to trade with China and other Asian nations.

Detailed explanation-4: -Even before settling the Oregon question, Polk had moved troops into the disputed territory just north of the Rio Grande and sent a special envoy, John Slidell, to Mexico. Slidell carried with him a U.S. offer to buy California as well as plenipotentiary powers to settle disputed border claims.

Detailed explanation-5: -What action did President Polk take to get Mexico to strike first? Polk sent representative, John Slidell, to Mexico to propose a deal of $30 million dollars to buy New Mexico and California is Mexico agreed the borders of Texas were at the Rio Grande.