The Issue of Texas Annexation in the Context of Radicalization of the Political Space of the USA South

In the presented work, the issue of the annexation of Texas is considered primarily as a catalyst for the radicalization of the political space of the Southern United States in the 19th century. The article does not analyze the annexation itself and the subsequent MexicanAmerican War (1846‒1848), but the impact of the annexation issue on the political space of the South. The connection of this issue with the growth of radical tendencies in the political life of the region is revealed. Particular attention is paid to how the annexation issue intensified existing social and economic contradictions between the North and the South, as well as how these events contributed to the strengthening of narratives associated with the protection of slavery and states’ rights. A comprehensive and contextual analysis of historical documents allows us to draw conclusions reflecting the relationship between territorial expansion and the ideological transformation of the political space of the American South.