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The American Lawyer Who Conquered Mexico and Nicaragua
The mid-1800s was a wild era for America, a young country growing and expanding to the West after their two victories against the British. In this era, many gamblers, adventurers, miners, gangsters, and go-getters flocked to the west in hopes of making a fortune or a name for themselves. It was the same era that William Walker, who was an ambitious lawyer in the state of California, made his filibuster expeditions to conquer various places in Mexico and Nicaragua. Here is his story.
Who Was William Walker?
William Walker was a child prodigy. Born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1824, Walker had a mind far brighter than most children his age. At only 14-years-old, he graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Latin and went on to study medicine in Europe, earning his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania. He got bored with practicing medicine and went on to practice law in New Orleans. Walker was an ambitious person with the goal of founding his own country in the West or Central America. When his fiancée died in 1849, Walker relocated to California to pursue his dream. California was perfect for a man like Walker, who wanted to make a name for themself.
