TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO: BACKGROUND AND TERMS - HISTORY - 2025

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed between the United States and Mexico after the war between the two countries during the years 1846 and 1848. Officially called the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Definitive Agreement between the United Mexican States and the United States of America, was ratified on May 30, 48.

The war had been preceded by multiple border incidents, since since the previous treaty signed by the viceroyalty and the Americans, the expansionist ambitions of the latter had always looked south. The loss of Texas, a few years before the war, was the first warning for what would later happen.

Map of the negotiation of the border between Mexico and the United States (1845-1848) as part of the American War of Intervention in Mexico.

The immigration policy promoted by the Mexican government, plus the constant political instability that the country was experiencing, collaborated with the intentions of the United States. Ultimately, the treaty meant that Mexico lost more than half of its territory to its northern neighbors and changed history forever.

Background

The United States and Mexico had gone through a war to achieve independence, but the path from achieving it was very different. Those from the north soon began to expand and improve their economy, while Mexico did not finish stabilizing, with continuous internal confrontations.

Adams-Onís Treaty

It was the first attempt to establish stable borders between the two nations. It was signed during the time of the viceroyalty, when the name was still New Spain.

The colonial power renounced several territories that belonged to it, such as Oregon or Florida. The border was fixed at the 42nd parallel, more or less north of Arkansas. Texas, despite American appetites, stayed on the Spanish side.

Socio-economic context

The situation in Mexico at the beginning of the s. XVIII was that of a country that had had years of internal conflict. The economy had been heavily affected by wars and the state was in ruin.

However, in the United States there was an expansionist fever that, after obtaining Florida and Louisiana, set its eyes on the Pacific. In fact, American settlers soon began to settle in the area.

An old object of desire was Texas, very sparsely populated and left in independent Mexico.

Mexican immigration policy

Many historians point out that the clumsy immigration policy of the Mexican governments contributed to the loss of part of their territory. The lack of population in vast areas dates back to colonial times and especially affected the Californias, New Mexico and Texas.

The viceroyalty authorities inaugurated a policy to repopulate these regions, which was later followed by the administrations after independence. Among the measures taken was to attract foreigners, who could buy the land cheaply and quickly nationalize Mexicans.

The only requirement was that they be Catholic and that they speak Spanish; many Americans embraced that plan. In Texas alone, 300 families received a concession to settle there in one go.

The result was that in 1834 the number of Americans in Texas far exceeded that of Mexicans: 30,000 times 7,800.

The Alamo and the loss of Texas

The events that ended the loss for Mexico of Texas are preceded by the manifestations of discontent of its inhabitants towards the then president Antonio López de Santa Anna.

The Texas independence movement took the first effective step by entrenching itself in the El Alamo mission in 1836. There they declared their opposition to Santa Anna and declared their independence.

The Mexican army managed to thwart that attempt, but ended up being defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto. The Mexican troops, commanded by Santa Anna himself, were unable to face the Texan and US forces that crossed the border to support them.

At the end of the battle, Santa Anna is taken prisoner and ends up signing the Treaties of Velasco. Although these were rejected by the country's administration and did not recognize Texas independence, the truth is that until 1845 that territory was governed autonomously.

Mexican - United States War

The Texas issue continued to confront the two countries until James K. Polk's election as US president in 1844. This politician had promised in his campaign that he would annex Texas to the United States.

Thus, in February of the following year, the US Congress approved that the territory became part of the country, despite Mexican protests. Diplomatic relations were broken and war seemed inevitable.

The latest US offer did nothing more than aggravate the situation: they proposed to buy Alta California and New Mexico in exchange for paying off the debt that Mexico had with the settlers who arrived from the United States. The proposal was rejected.

First military clashes

From that moment on, everything was doomed to war. At the beginning of 1846 the Americans mobilized their troops and entered a disputed area.

According to the writings left by General Ulysses S. Grant (American), the president of his country sought to provoke war with his maneuvers, but without appearing that they had attacked first.

The Mexicans responded on April 24 by ambushing a patrol from the neighboring country north of the Rio Grande. Finally, on May 3, the Mexican army besieged Fort Texas.

On May 13 of that same year, the Congress of the United States formally declared war on Mexico. This, in turn, does it 10 days later.

Invasion

After the formal declaration of war, the Americans enter Mexico. His intention was to reach Monterrey and secure the Pacific area. Meanwhile in California, the settlers from the United States imitate the Texans and declare their independence, although they quickly become part of the northern country.

In March 1847 the port of Veracruz is bombed. The entire invasion is carried out with great ease, given the military superiority over the Mexicans. Santa Anna withdraws and prepares to protect the capital.

The forces installed in Mexico City are not enough to stop the Americans and they occupy them despite the resistance offered.

Terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe

The document that would seal the end of the war was officially called the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Definitive Agreement between the United Mexican States and the United States of America, although it is known as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

On February 2, 1848, both parties signed it and on May 30 it was ratified. The result left Mexico very weakened, both territorially and economically.

The United States seized more than half of its neighbor's territory. As a result of the agreement, the present states of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, parts of Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma were annexed.

Another of the clauses indicated that Mexico should recognize the status of Texas as part of the United States, waiving any subsequent claim. The border was fixed on the Rio Grande.

The only thing the Mexicans obtained was the payment of 15 million pesos for the consequences of the conflict. Likewise, the United States undertook to protect all the rights of the Mexicans who had remained in their part after the change of the border line.

Future disputes had to be settled by a special court, whose sentences had to be respected.

Changes to the Treaty

The reality was that not even the aspects favorable to the Mexicans came to be respected. The United States Senate annulled Article 10, which protected property ceded to Mexicans either during the colony or after independence.

Article 9, which was to be the guarantor of the rights of these Mexicans now residing in the new American lands, was also retouched against their interests.

References

1. Lara, Vonne. A day in history: when Mexico lost half of its territory. Obtained from hypertextual.com
2. Universal history. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Obtained from historiacultural.com
3. Wikisource. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Retrieved from es.wikisource.org
4. Gray, Tom. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Retrieved from archives.gov
5. Griswold del Castillo, Richard. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Retrieved from pbs.org
6. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Retrieved from britannica.com
7. Library of Congress. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Retrieved from loc.gov
8. National Park Service. Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. Retrieved from nps.gov