Treaty+of+Guadalupe-Hidalgo+-+1848

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo-1848

Summary The peace treaty between the United States and Mexico that ended the Mexican War. Negotiations were carried on for the United States by Nicholas Trist (peace commissioner). The treaty was signed on February 2, 1848 in the village of Guadalupe Hidalgo, outside of Mexico City. It stated that US claimed territory including; Texas, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, parts of Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming in exchange for $15 million and up to $3million in US citizen claims aganst mexico. Because of the US victory in the war, they virtually dictated the settlement.

History When Mexico's army was deafeated and the capitol of Mexico City fell in september 1847, the mexican government surrendered to the united states and entered into negotiations to end the war. The peace talks were negotiated by Nicholas Trist, clerk of the state departement who came with Winfield Scott as a diplomat. The two attempted to negotiate a treaty but failed twice before they realized they needed to target a special commission, representing the collapsed government of Mexico. He negotiated the peace treaty without the presidents consent and claimed mexico should surrender their territory in order to serve justice.

Positive and Negative effects on Immigration
 * Gave Americans more power in the world by attaining more land and winning the war, opened up immigrants to the idea of democracy and christianity
 * The treaty stated to protect the rights of mexican citizens in the territory surrendered to the united states. The people in the US territory who stayed had the right to become US citizens or stay Mexican citizens. However many mexican citizens transformed by the treaty into US citizens of mexican background, and there children never received rights in the society despite the treaty's promise.
 * The treaty did not address future migration between the US and mexico, which now is our country's main concern. Immigration did not become and issue till about several decades after the treaty was signed.
 * The boarder created because of the treaty's settlements is major problem with immigration in our country and has caused lots of violence, drug wars, and some say its going to lead to over population

Significance of the Treaty
 * Oldest treaty still in force between the US and Mexico
 * Established a pattern of polictical and military inequality between the two nations
 * The conflict claimed more than 40,000 lives
 * Shaped the international and domestic histories of both Mexico and US
 * Gave the US the upper hand and moral superiority because of their victory and new territory

Primary Source

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