Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (February 2, 1848)
While signing this treaty that ended the Mexican - American War, Mexico ceded land that today includes all of California, Nevada, and Utah, along with parts of Wyoming, Colorado, and most of New Mexico and Arizona; for $18 M ($490 M today). This was a huge bargain. Also as part of the deal, the U.S. paid debts that Mexico owed to U.S. citizens. That was $3.25 M then, or $87 M now. Additionally, the Mexicans that lived in the land (about 75,000) were not automatically American citizens. U.S. Congress did approve the treaty, even with the disturbance of white supremacists (like John C. Calhoun) who thought the United States should have gotten all of Mexico. Also, many Mexicans wanted to keep fighting and retake the land, but the parliament also approved the peace, which ended the fighting.
|