FOREIGN POLICY AND AFFAIRS

Polk wanted expansion of land. He, like most southerners, supported the Texas Annexation. Texas, just freeing themselves from Mexico, voted for annexation by the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution letting Texas be admitted to the Union. Texas became the 28th state of the United States. The Mexicans that lost Texas threatened that the loss would lead to war.

Polk pressured Britain to resolve the Oregon Boundary Dispute. Since 1818, it was shared by Great Britain and the United States. When Britain denied the agreement to the 49th Parallel proposal, Polk broke off all negotiations and went back to the "All Oregon" position. Polk did not want war, he only wanted land. So he compromised with the British Foreign Secretary and the Oregon Treaty of 1846 divided Oregon at the 49th parallel.

After the annexation of Texas, Polk focused on a new territory of Mexico, California. He sent diplomat John Slidell in to negotiate the purchase. Mexico denied the offer, so Polk sent troops under the command of General Zachary Taylor into the territory to increase pressure for Mexico to negotiate. While Taylor and his troops continued to blockade ships, Mexican forces crossed the Rio Grande and killed 11 soldiers. Polk message Congress for a war stating that Mexico "invaded our territory and Shed American blood." This led to the Mexican-American War.