Did the Mexican War poison the United States?

... "Mexico will poison us." How accurate was this prediction of the effects of the Mexican War on the United States? The Mexican War was to have a wide range of effects on the eventual outcome of the United States. While on one hand it provided much land and resources it would set into motion a chain of events and controversy which inevitably would lead to a conflict that would define the nation. Upon first appearances, victory in the Mexican War seemed to have many positive outcomes for America. The acquisition of half a million square miles of territory certainly helped to further their goal of Manifest Destiny and round out the continental borders. The war was to have many long term financial benefits for America, for with these territorial gains came a great source of natural resources and a market for goods from an industrialised North. The discovery of gold in California

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