2. Abstract
The Mexican cessation was when the U.S received present day New Mexico, Arizona,
California, Texas, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. This treaty was created because the Americans
needed more land areas to which the white Americans wanted more lands for their plantations
and the government needed more areas to accommodate the increasing black population who
were at that time slave workers for the whites. The positive point of this treaty was to gain more
territory and expand the power of the United States alongside gaining more resources which are
part of the land, there was a problem of technicality when the United States paid $ 3.25 million
for the land. The $ 3.25 million became the first huge debt the United States Government had
placed to the U.S. citizens
3. The U.S. acquired the territory due to the result of war and a conclusion of a treaty
between the United States and Mexico. The Mexican Cession actually is the name given by the
United States to the current area of the southwestern region of the United States. These areas are
actually the places that ceded from Mexico to the United States after the finalization of the treaty
Of Guadalupe Hidalgo Grande which announced the claim of the United States to the territory of
Texas. There were claims that the Texas Annexation had its resolution two years before the said
war though there was no clear boundary of the area whether it was the southern or the western
(Smith, 2011). Nonetheless, getting Texas after the war allowed the United States to actually gain
more confidence upon its territorial rights and security measures. Alta California and Santa Fe de
Nuevo Mexico were soon taken after the war that paves way to subdue the natives on January
1847. So Mexico did not accept the loss of their area. It was in 1847 that the United States
invaded central Mexico and soon occupied Mexico City (Smith, 2011). The problem was that the
Mexican government was stubborn to allow any ratification of releasing their jurisdiction from
their northern territories to the United States. The thought of a treaty was still unclear. The All of
Mexico Movement was also talked about as there were plans for the complete separation of the
Mexico country among the Democrats. Democrat John Calhoun was one of the politicians who
wanted an additional location for the white American citizens of the United States and also for
the black slaves while detaching from the Mexican population (Hansen & Hansen, 2007).
Fortunately, Nicholas Trist another Democrat designed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in
redefining the border between Mexico and the United States (Hansen & Hansen, 2007). U.S.
President Polk attempted to have Mexico cede its land though the Mexican government rejected
such inquisition. This made the poor president a loser in such operation. Luckily for the United
States, General Winfield Scott went with Nicholas Trist to push through the negotiation. The
only clear idea was to have a clearer break of the boundary. Somehow after the treaty was
signed, losing Texas became a big blow for the Mexican government. Nonetheless, the resulting
treaty that was concluded in the 2nd of February 1848 was that the United States received all the
land sought of John Slidell which is present day New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas,
Colorado, Utah and Nevada; The Mexican got $ 15 million for the said lands and was relieved
from any form of responsibilities to its inhabitants; the territory was fixed with the Rio Grande
dividing the territories (Hansen & Hansen, 2007).
The short term consequences of the gaining of the particular territory are the U.S. senate
that time rejected the amendments of Jefferson Davis in having an annex on the northeastern
Mexico (Smith, 2011). Though the positive point is to gain more territory and expand the power
of the United States alongside gaining more resources which are part of the land, there was a
problem of technicality when the United States paid $ 3.25 million for the land. The $ 3.25
million became the first huge debt the United States Government had placed to the U.S. citizens.
Though many were complaining that the United States bought the land, the $ 15 million was just
4. a payment against Mexico for its larger debts to the United States (Hansen & Hansen, 2007). The
Mexican Cession was simply the 525,000 square miles of land area which is now 14.9 % of the
total land area of current United States (Smith, 2011). During that time, the dispute on the
western Texas claim was not included. Nonetheless, Mexico lost 55% of its pre-1836 land area
during the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Another short term consequences would be the
increase of dependents to the United States government. During those times, the United States
were still struggling with its economic standing as there were some financial troubles from
previous wars and the misunderstandings between the south and north areas of the country
(Hansen & Hansen, 2007). The Americans needed more land areas to which the white Americans
wanted more lands for their plantations and the government needed more areas to accommodate
the increasing black population who were at that time slave workers for the whites. The
overcrowded areas of the north gave little comfort to those who wanted more to their lifestyle.
So when the government saw the necessity to gain the said areas, there were disputes from
Mexico. Nonetheless, Mexico agreed to give the areas to the United States to which the Mexican
government also gave the United States the dependents who were at that time also asking
assistance from the Mexican government (Hansen & Hansen, 2007). There was an increase of
the minority as the Mexican natives became part of the working class. White Americans saw the
increase of the work force to which the blacks had another group minority. The increase of
dependents allowed the government has more problems to which there was another cut to their
budget. And lastly there was a growth of power over the land to which the resources became
part of the American wealth (Hansen & Hansen, 2007). The areas of California, Nevada and New
Mexico were told to be full of gold mines and precious metal. Instantly after getting the land, the
rich white Northern Americans quickly headed expeditions building mines. These mines became
very important as found minerals helped the American government to push its economy.
The long term consequences of the gaining of the territories became the result of the
current American territory. If the United States did not have the Mexican Cession, then the map
of the United States would be different. There will be less land area for the country to actually
impose its power and control. Furthermore, the areas now are key states to which the economy is
greatly getting more of the money needed by the entire country. California is now the home of
Hollywood that features nice beach and is a center of tourism. Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New
Mexico are areas that had been homes to more than 50 million people in the United States which
is actually 16.5% of the entire American population.
5. References
Hansen, T. & Hansen, J. (2007). State Boundaries Of America: How, Why and When American
State Lines Were Formed. New York: Heritage Books.
Smith, G.A. (2011). State and National Boundaries of the United States. New York: McFarland.
