It’s time to start relating the history of Latin America with the history of the rest of America. Early on in the 19th century, the concept of manifest destiny was popular in the United States. It was the idea that God had ordained that white people should spread democracy from the Atlantic to the Pacific, then from Canada to Argentina. In other words, the entirety of the Americas was destined (manifestly) to become a part of the United States.

Even as the actual “manifest destiny” idea died out, the idea of unifying the Americas did not. No treaty and no concept of human rights could keep this movement from achieving their heaven-decreed goal. Lie, swindle, murder and steal… as long as you’re doing it for the advancement of this heavenly cause, it’s okay. Especially if those that you are abusing are not white.

This idea came to a head in the 1840s. War broke out with Mexico, and Congress was divided over the ultimate aims of the war. Some felt that the only way to have lasting peace was to annex the entirety of the Mexican state, and they based their arguments on the concept of manifest destiny. However, other proponents of manifest destiny opposed the move on the grounds that the inclusion of Mexicans in the United States would hurt the purity of the nation. John Calhoun pronounced in Congress:

[W]e have never dreamt of incorporating into our Union any but the Caucasian race—the free white race. To incorporate Mexico, would be the very first instance of the kind, of incorporating an Indian race; for more than half of the Mexicans are Indians, and the other is composed chiefly of mixed tribes. I protest against such a union as that! Ours, sir, is the Government of a white race…. We are anxious to force free government on all; and I see that it has been urged … that it is the mission of this country to spread civil and religious liberty over all the world, and especially over this continent. It is a great mistake.

Eventually, the country settled for the acquisition of over half of Mexico’s land. Almost 15% of present day United States was part of Mexico prior to 1836 (the Texas revolution).

The land was obtained, but the idea of manifest destiny would not survive. The debate during the war had split the movement, and it would never recover.