...Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo On February 2, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. With the stroke of a pen, the Mexican-American War officially came to an end. The signing of the treaty ended the territorial disputes that caused the conflict between both countries. In the treaty, the United States government was obligated to pay Mexico fifteen-million dollars. In return for the compensation, The United States expanded its territory. The territory that was obtained via the treaty eventually became New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, and some of Utah.[1] This treaty, especially in the long run, benefited both the United States and Mexico, but there are many arguments about why the war started. Some argue that the United States was power hungry and was continuing its “bulling” of the continent to fulfill their belief that it was God’s will for the United States to control the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This has now become to be known as Manifest Destiny.[2] Then there are the counter arguments that the dictatorship of Mexico sent troops to invade the United States and killed Americans. In a message to congress on May 11, 1846, President James Polk said, “Mexico invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.”[3] There are many arguments that say the United States is a racist nation and that this war, like many others, was because of white racism. Whether the battles were all racially motivated will never be...
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...The Treaty of Guadalupe of Hidalgo established a new border, as well as numerous political issues even for me, Peter Hansborough Bell. In 1849, I campaigned for Texas governor and stated I would retain Santa Fe by force, due to negative circumstances, my point of view on this decision has changed. Succession is the topic front page newspapers statewide. Spruce Baird was sent to establish government however had no luck, and Santa Fe showed great opposition. Among other issues, General Kearney interfered and intended to uphold the military government and president Fillmore sent military reinforcement and stated that there would be forced used if Texas intended to occupy the region. After weighing the possible outcomes, I have decided to go against...
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...The Mexican American War also known by many Mexicans as the War of the Northern Invasion lasted from 1846-1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848. This Treaty gave the United States well over 500,000 square miles of territory. That was more than half of Mexico’s national territory. The war happened due to U.S. wanting to expand further into western territories and Texas wanting to succeed from Mexico. However, the struggle of Latino (Mexicans) descent is much more important to the history of Latino Americans. Tens of thousands of Mexicans became foreigners of a land they once owned and were indigenous to. The treaty protected these now foreigners or at least they were supposed to be. The land the Mexicans had...
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...Bernardo Couto, and Don Miguel Atistain, I am an extremely proud Mexican citizen living in a New Mexican territory. I have been given land by the King of Spain and have recently received the details of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty portrays insincerity and presents us with an unjustifiable position. The result of the treaty would put us in an even worse situation than we are in now. My points should be recognized because I am very knowledgeable about the treaty, my family has been living in the territory of New Mexico for many generations, I am a strong follower of God, and I know what is best for Mexico. We, as the country of Mexico, can’t sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo as we will lose much of our land for a small cost, we will not be given U.S. citizenship immediately, and our land grants will not be honored which will lead to an abominable future for the country of Mexico. Mexico would be giving up an immense amount of land by signing the treaty. The treaty states, “The boundary line between the two republics shall…” The United States is telling us what land to give up, instead of giving us a choice. Although the U.S. is willing to pay us $15 million for some of our land and pay for war-related damages, this amount of money is not large enough. The treaty proposes we give up our land between the west coast of California to the Rio Grande. There could possibly be gold in this land worth more than that price. The U.S. would be basically stealing this land....
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...------------------------------------------------- Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo The Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe HidalgoSo far from God, so close to the United States – Old Mexican SayingOn September 14, 1847 the Mexican flag was not flying over the Mexican capital. Instead, Mexico’s neighbor to the north had captured the country. How and why did the United States defeat Mexico in the Mexican-American War? To the victors went what spoils? This essay will answer these questions in a nutshell.Throughout the 19th Century, the United States was increasing in power and population while Mexico was stuck in chronic “political unrest, civil conflicts, depleted treasuries, [and] separatist movements” (Oscar J. Martinez, Troublesome Border [Tucson: the University of Arizona Press, 1988], 51). The U.S. was also heavily influenced by Manifest Destiny—the idea that the U.S. had the natural right to rule North America from coast to coast. Consequently, various presidential administrations in the 1820s and 30s sought to purchase land from Mexico, with no avail.In 1835, Texas battled and gained independence from Mexico; Texas was a sovereign country for the next decade (the Lone Star Republic). In the Treaty of Velasco, the Texas-Mexico border was established along the Rio Grande. Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (pronounced “Santana”) signed the treaty but the problem lied in the fact that the Mexican Congress did not ratify it, nor...
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...The US gained the state of New Mexico, California, and for $15 million from Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo also helped to establish a border between Texas and New Mexico called the Rio Grande. Along with the guarantee that the Mexican residents in the new regions would become US citizens. In conclusion, the Mexican-American War was in a way a win for the US. The US gained two states, established a state border, and managed to gain new US citizens from the newly gained territories. The US accomplished a military victory over the Mexicans. What do you think about the Mexican-American War and what do you think was a major gain for the...
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...According to Article VIII of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, a Mexican person that decides to move to Mexico can do whatever they please with their property (retaining or disposing of and removing proceeds) without fear of retribution. If said Mexican person decides to continue to live on their property in what is now the U.S., they have a year from the date of ratification of the treaty to choose if they want to remain a Mexican citizen or become a U.S. citizen. If they have not decided within that year, they will automatically become a U.S. citizen. Article IX states that Mexicans who don’t want to keep their Mexican citizenship shall in due time (to be determined by Congress) enjoy all the rights of U.S. citizens according to the Constitution, and until such a time they have free enjoyment of their liberty and property and are free to exercise their...
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...The era of the 1840’s, was an age of the United States that cannot be forgotten. The 1840’s cannot be forgotten, because it was important in many different ways such as having four different presidents William Henry Harrison (1841-1841), John Tyler (1841-1845), James K. Polk (1845-1849), and Zachary Taylor (1849-1850) to admitting new states such as Florida (1845), Texas (1845), Iowa (1846), and Wisconsin (1848) into our country. It was so memorable, that even the first postage stamp was introduced in the 1840’s. Several treaties were signed, and many people overcame and accomplished many things. Living in that era was like living in the golden age. In fact, the Gold Rush from California came about in 1849. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo...
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...this event because this was a big deal for the state, and this led to the beginning of thanksgiving. According to the text the “Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a tiny ship called the Mayflower.” The Pilgrims agree to abide by the laws which were made by their own elect officials; this agreement was the Mayflower Compact which was led by William Bradford. These settlers established their colony with the assistance of an English-speaking Indian named Squanto. In the fall of 1621, the surviving Pilgrim celebrated their good fortune with a feast which is known as Thanksgiving today. 2. The Treaty of Paris – I choose this one because this is the document that got us our independence from Great Britain. According to the text “Americans negotiated the official term of peace with Great Britain in 1792, in addition to peace, the resulting Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783.” After the treaty was signed it was recognized as American...
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...as possible for war. This irregular cavalry regiment was known as the "Tamaulipas" was placed under Cortina’s command, as they await for their positions for the Mexican-American War.” Juan Cortina led the men to war with the vaqueros in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Both battles didn't end well with the Mexican casualties of over 500 men, resulting in their defeat. Mexico knew they couldn't hold off any longer to regain their land back. They tried there hardest, and resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848. “The Cortina family estates were divided by the new frontier, leaving a vast portion of their lands inside the United States territory.”1 After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, social injustice arose against Mexicans. Whispers were being heard throughout Mexico of the mistreatment of Mexicans in Brownsville and the taking of their land through force. “In the decade following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Cortina… became a leader to many of the poorer Mexicans who lived along the banks of the river. The incident that ignited the first so-called Cortina War occurred on July 13, 1859, when Cortina saw the Brownsville city marshall, Robert Shears, brutally arrest a Mexican American who had once been employed by Cortina. Cortina shot the marshall in the impending confrontation and rode out of town with the prisoner. Early on the morning of September 28, 1859, he rode into Brownsville again, this time at the head of some...
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...Mexican-American War The Mexican-American War was fought between the United States and Mexico between 1846 and 1848, and it was marked the first American military battle to be fought on foreign soil. The Mexican American War was mainly driven by the idea of “Manifest Destiny”; the belief that the Americans had a God-given right, based on racial superiority, to spread across the Pacific Ocean (Chavez 2). The motives that were really behind Manifest Destiny was the acquisition of new territory, and the Americans wanted territories which were relatively uninhabited by people they considered inferior. As Americans wandered in search of land towards the west, the reality that the majority of those lands had occupants living in them got overlooked. President Polk shared and guided the dream of manifest destiny, and offered to purchase some territory of Mexico. His aim was to convince Mexicans to get into a negotiation and surrender a portion of their land to America .However, the refusal of the offer by the Mexican government and the unbending of the Polk to populate the area resulted in tension in the two nations. President Polk told the congress that blood had been shed, and he provoked war with Mexicans. With the end of the Mexican War, the United States absorbed one third of that nation’s total area. Even though American’s gained a considerable amount of land, it created great political sectionalism in America. The Mexican American War was for the most part determined...
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...Texas knew they were either going to be attacked by either America or Mexico soon so they proposed an annexation into America. The U.S. agreed to the proposal and now the argument on where the border was of Texas and Mexico. This became know as the Mexican-American War. The war had America winning all major battles throughout the war and eventually a victory for the U.S. In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established the borders of Mexico and Texas at the Rio Grande. The treaty also forced Mexico to give up the northern third of their country and add 1.2 million square miles of territory to the U.S. In 1853, the Gadsden Purchase helped the U.S. obtained from Mexico another 29,640 square miles in southern Arizona and New Mexico. The annexation of Texas, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and the Gadsden Purchase increased the U.S. by a third of its size. This area includes present day California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and half of Colorado. The Westward Expansion helped the U.S. achieve their goal of owning land from coast to...
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...Mexican American War 1846-1848 Some wars fall between the cracks. That appears to be what happened with Polk’s War. James K. Polk was our eleventh president. He is often listed as the worst president we’ve ever had. Polk’s War was actually the Mexican War of 1846-48. Before and during that war, most Americans including congress were not in favor of a war with Mexico. The war was launched on questionable pretexts. Why invade a smaller, poorer neighbor just for land? Mexico’s border with the Republic of Texas was the Nueces River near Corpus Christi. New Mexico, Arizona, California along with other territory belonged to Mexico, having won them from Spain some 25 years earlier. There were debates in Congress that the invasion of Mexico was unconstitutional. America had never invaded others (except the American Indians). A young congressman, Abraham Lincoln, began his move into the national limelight as an avowed opponent to the war. Polk saw America as having a manifest destiny to control the entire continent. The great American attitude of “can do” was increasing in strength. Arrogance was never been in short supply in our brief history. President James K. Polk sent troops to Corpus Christi to move the border to the Rio Grande. This was not something the Mexicans wanted. They responded with some strength and were not the push-over Polk and the war hawks thought they would be. For such a...
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...In chapter eight, Menchaca discussed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the racialization of the Mexican population living in the Southwest. In 1848 the United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ending the Mexican America War. The United States government stated that Mexicans who lived within the newly controlled territory of the Southwest would become American citizens. However, a year later after the treaty had been signed, the United States government lied and broke its promise of allowing equality to the newly controlled Mexican population living within the southwest. California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas were some of the states newly controlled by the United States government. The United States government began the process of...
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...in war and citizenship they earned in 1836-1880 because of the war; The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Later on, in the last decades of the nineteenth century, Mexican Americans faced powerful racial attitudes from Anglo Americans. The author states about Anglo Americans or Anglo-Tejanos went to the extent where they would torture and burn Mexican Americans alive. Arnoldo De Leon speaks about the Tejano life in the modern age...
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