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One War, Two Accounts is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on comparing accounts of why the Mexican-American War began, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.His.10.3-5. It prints 2 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 8 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

One War, Two Accounts

D2.His.10.3-5

NameDate

Read both sources, then answer the questions. Compare what each one says.

1.Look at the source, then answer the questions.

How Mexico Saw the Border

An information text written for this worksheet. Texas broke away from Mexico in 1836, but Mexico never agreed that Texas was independent. When the United States annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico's government saw it as taking Mexican land. Mexico said that, even so, Texas ended at the Nueces River. The United States claimed Texas reached all the way south to the Rio Grande. In 1846 President Polk sent US soldiers into the land between the two rivers. Mexican soldiers attacked a US patrol there in April 1846. To many people in Mexico, the war began because American soldiers had marched onto Mexican soil.

  1. 1. Which river did Mexico say was the edge of Texas?
  2. 2. What is the last sentence of the text for?
  3. 3. Why does this text explain the land between the two rivers?
2.Look at the source, then answer the questions.

President Polk Asks Congress for War

From President James K. Polk's message to Congress, May 11, 1846. The word help line was added for this worksheet. But now, after reiterated menaces, Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil. Word help: "reiterated menaces" means repeated threats.

  1. 1. Why might Polk have sent this message to Congress?
  2. 2. What two things does Polk say Mexico has done besides passing the boundary?
  3. 3. Does Polk think the land where the blood was shed belongs to the United States? How can you tell?

LessonPrint · D2.His.10.3-5 · Set 8 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — One War, Two Accounts

Set 8. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The Nueces River. 2. To show the war from Mexico's side: American soldiers had marched onto Mexican soil. 3. To show that both countries claimed the land where the fighting started.
  2. 2.1. To convince Congress that Mexico had invaded the United States first. 2. Invaded our territory and shed American blood. 3. Yes, because he calls it our territory and American soil.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.His.10.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.