Annexation

Definition

Annexation refers to the process by which a territory or region is legally incorporated into a larger political entity, such as a country or empire. It involves the forcible or voluntary acquisition of land, resources, and population by a dominant power, often through political, economic, or military means.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The annexation of Texas in 1845 was a key factor leading to the Mexican-American War, as Mexico refused to recognize the annexation and the subsequent border disputes.
2. The filibuster movement in the 1850s aimed to illegally seize and annex new territories in Central America and the Caribbean, often with the goal of creating new slave states.
3. The Spanish-American War of 1898 resulted in the annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines by the United States, marking the country's transition to an overseas empire.
4. The annexation of Hawaii in 1898 was a significant step in the United States' expansion into the Pacific, allowing for the establishment of a naval base and the expansion of American economic and political influence in the region.
5. The annexation of new territories often led to debates over the extension of slavery, the rights of indigenous populations, and the balance of power between the North and South in the United States.

Review Questions

• Explain how the annexation of Texas contributed to the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.
  • The annexation of Texas in 1845 was a key factor leading to the Mexican-American War. Mexico had never recognized the independence of Texas and considered it part of its territory. When the United States annexed Texas, it effectively claimed Mexican land, leading to border disputes and heightening tensions between the two countries. This ultimately resulted in the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, as Mexico refused to accept the annexation and the subsequent territorial claims made by the United States.
• Describe the role of the filibuster movement in the quest for new slave states through the annexation of territories.
  • The filibuster movement in the 1850s aimed to illegally seize and annex new territories in Central America and the Caribbean, often with the goal of creating new slave states. Filibusters were private military expeditions that sought to overthrow existing governments and establish new, pro-slavery regimes that could then be annexed by the United States. This was part of the broader effort to maintain the balance of power between slave-holding and non-slave-holding states, as the annexation of new slave-holding territories would have strengthened the political influence of the South.
• Analyze the significance of the annexation of overseas territories, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, following the Spanish-American War, and how it marked the United States' transition to an overseas empire.
  • The annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines following the Spanish-American War in 1898 was a significant step in the United States' transition to an overseas empire. This marked a departure from the country's previous focus on continental expansion and the acquisition of contiguous territories. The annexation of these distant, overseas possessions allowed the United States to project its power and influence globally, and to establish economic and political control over new regions. This transition to an overseas empire had far-reaching consequences, as it raised questions about the governance and rights of the annexed populations, and contributed to the ongoing debates over the role of the United States in the world as an emerging global power.

Related terms

Manifest Destiny:

The 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, often used to justify the annexation of new territories.

Imperialism:

The policy of extending a country's power and influence through the acquisition of land or the establishment of economic and political control over other areas.

Territorial Expansion:

The process of a country or empire increasing its geographic size through the acquisition of new territories, often through annexation.