If there’s any one single foremost predicator that led to the American Civil War more than others, it was beyond any doubt the Mexican-American War.

The Clouds of Uncivil War Approach
by Michael Doyle

While careful in thinking too linearly
The Mexican War made our Civil War near certainty
In re-opening questions as to our nation's disposition
That followed our move into Texas by invitation

Immigration from the South formed a cultural conquest
Until the migrants were such as to no longer be guests
General Santa Ana tried to put an end to this unrest
But, Sam Huston put full independence to the test

The Alamo may have been lost but independence was won
Soon annexation efforts were urgently begun
Though delayed there was no denying our Manifest Destiny
To spread over the continent would be our journey

America's experiment in liberty would prevail
Expanding our freedom in this land that we would dwell
Bringing forth the nation of our futurity
Where the law of brotherhood would bring equality

With the 1845 annexation, there came the Mexican War
President James Polk came boldly knocking on that door
Seen as some as a way to expand the scourge of slavery
This war also grabbed coast to coast territory

In many other ways this brought patriotic revitalization
Entering an epoch as the Gold Rush enriched the nation
The Wilmont Proviso attempted to thwart dreadful slavery
While Calhoun countered this as a matter of Constitutionality

Bridging this gulf would be attempted by popular sovereignty
Despite its foundational opposition to fundamental liberty
Though seen in retrospect by and through suspicious eyes
In 1850, our nation sought to govern in compromise

The Fugitive Slave Law had its dreadful implications
That did not sit well with the North of our nation
There would be little active collusion with this atrocity
Not by the strongest believers in freedom and equality

Into this growing morass, entered the transcontinental railroad
Jefferson Davis promoted a Southern route as he told
And Stephen Douglas had something Northern that he proposed
On top of this, the conflict over slavery was junxtaposed

This brought Abraham Lincoln and John Brown's opposition
Bleeding Kansas fueled the canvas of these strong positions
With violence at every side, the was little civility
As the issue boiled over with grievous incredulity

From these events rose the newborn Republican Party
At roughly the same time as Dredd Scott was deprived of liberty
The uncommon common man, Abraham Lincoln, rose in prominence
And the natural rights of man were spoken of with eloquence

Although the 1860 Democrats were the only national party
The divisions within gave Lincoln advantageous parity
The free states gave him the victory of presidential election
And the path of secession became the South's direction

(c) March 29, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved