War News from Mexico

War News from Mexico depicts America's thirst for news from the Mexican-American War (1846-48). A group gathers at the generically named ""American Hotel""—which represents the country as a whole rather than a specific location—to learn the latest news from the war. The central figure reads excitedly, with raised eyebrows and mouth agape, while the others strain to catch every word.

The painting also calls attention to those who remained on the margins of citizenship. Only white men with the ability to vote appear within the stage-like space of the porch. A white woman is relegated to the hotel, while an African American man and child occupy the foreground. The presence of African Americans was particularly compelling, as the nation was debating whether slavery would spread to the regions won from Mexico.