What event prompted General John J. Pershing to lead a punitive expedition into northern Mexico in March 1916?

• A. Villa's attack on Columbus, NM
• B. The Veracruz landing
• C. The Zapatista uprising
• D. The Battle of San Ygnacio

Answer: (A)

The key idea is identifying the immediate trigger for Pershing’s Punitive Expedition. Pancho Villa’s raid on Columbus, New Mexico in March 1916 directly sparked the U.S. response. Villa’s forces attacked the town, killed Americans, and burned property, crossing into U.S. territory. In retaliation and to deter further incursions, President Wilson ordered General John J. Pershing to pursue Villa into northern Mexico with the aim of capturing him. That pursuit, across the border into Mexican territory, is what the punitive expedition was designed to accomplish. The Veracruz landing and other events from earlier years were not the catalyst for this 1916 action, while the Zapatista uprising and other battles did not prompt Pershing’s march.