Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo — peace treaty that concludes Mexican-American War of 1846-1848
Ended the Mexican-American War by transferring 55% of Mexico's territory to the United States, fundamentally reshaping North American borders.
Key Facts
- Date Signed
- February 2, 1848
- Territory Ceded
- 55% of Mexico's territory
- U.S. Payment to Mexico
- 15,000,000 USD
- U.S. Senate Vote
- 38–16 in favor of ratification
- Rio Grande Boundary
- Recognized as southern border of Texas
- Gadsden Purchase Follow-up
- Further land ceded to U.S. in 1853
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Mexico's military defeat and the fall of its capital in September 1847, the country entered peace negotiations with U.S. envoy Nicholas Trist. The war had begun in 1846 amid disputes over the annexation of Texas and the location of the Texas-Mexico border at the Rio Grande.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848, in the town of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico. Under its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory and relinquished claims to Texas, while the United States paid Mexico $15 million and agreed to settle Mexican debts owed to American citizens.
The United States gained the present-day states of California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona, and parts of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. Mexicans in annexed territories were offered American citizenship and civil rights or the option to relocate. The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 subsequently added further territory in southern Arizona and New Mexico.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Nicholas Trist.
Side B
1 belligerent