The U.S. Acquires a Vast Territory
This Grade 5 history skill in IMPACT California Social Studies covers the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Mexican Cession, which dramatically expanded the United States after the Mexican-American War. Students learn that the war ended in February 1848 with both countries signing the treaty, which set the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico. Mexico sold the Mexican Cession, a vast territory that included the land that would become California, Nevada, and Utah, helping the United States stretch all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Key Concepts
The United States won the Mexican American War. The war officially ended in February 1848 when both countries signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . This agreement set the Rio Grande as the border between Texas and Mexico.
As part of the treaty, Mexico sold a huge area of its northern land to the United States. This territory became known as the Mexican Cession .
Common Questions
What was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was the peace agreement signed on February 2, 1848, that ended the Mexican-American War. Mexico agreed to give up large amounts of territory to the United States and accepted the Rio Grande as the border with Texas.
What was the Mexican Cession?
The Mexican Cession was the large territory that Mexico sold to the United States as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It included the land that would eventually become the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
How did the Mexican Cession change the United States?
The Mexican Cession dramatically expanded the United States, helping the country stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It added about 525,000 square miles of territory and fulfilled the vision of Manifest Destiny, the belief that the U.S. was destined to span the continent.
What caused the Mexican-American War?
The Mexican-American War grew out of disputes over the Texas border and the annexation of Texas in 1845. The U.S. claimed the border was the Rio Grande, while Mexico said it was the Nueces River. President Polk sent troops to the disputed zone, fighting broke out, and Congress declared war in 1846.
What were the terms for the Mexican people living in the ceded territory?
The treaty promised that Mexican citizens living in the ceded territory could choose to become U.S. citizens or return to Mexico. Those who stayed would have their property rights and culture protected under American law, though in practice these promises were often not honored.
How did the Mexican Cession relate to the debate over slavery?
The addition of vast new territory immediately raised the question of whether slavery would be permitted in these lands. This controversy contributed to the sectional tensions between North and South that eventually led to the Civil War.