What was the outcome of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in February 1848, bringing an official end to the Mexican-American War. Among other things, it moved the southern boundary of the U.S. to the Rio Grande River, instead of the Arkansas River. Part of the original treaty is on display at the El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo.

History professor Dr. Fawn Amber Montoya coordinates Chicano Studies at Colorado State University-Pueblo. 91.5 KRCC's Abigail Beckman spoke with Montoya about the implications of the treaty, which drastically changed the lives of the people living in this region.

Highlights from the conversation: 

On the complexity of the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo:

...it really forces [people in the area] to solidify what their nationality is, whereas it had been in some dispute from 1821 to 1848. Because before 1821 they had been Spanish, then after '21 they are technically Mexican whether they feel affiliated with Mexico or not. But by '48 they have to decide 'are you a U.S. citizen or are you a Mexican citizen?' But there's not really spaces for them to be U.S. citizens. 

On the effects of a changing sense of nationality for people in the region:

I think how you see it reflected today is you see people who are Spanish Americans, and you see people who identify more as New Mexican than as Coloradoan. You see people in southern Colorado identify as being southern Coloradoan, rather than Coloradoan. We're southwesterners versus being westerners. That's where you start seeing it. It's about nationality but it's also about regional location.

Some people will go back to their native roots and say that they claim Native American—even though they're not technically tribal, because at that time, they were de-tribalized Indians. The nation hadn't established reservations yet.

On the long-term implications of the signing of the treaty:

I think the biggest one, especially for Colorado, is the Sand Creek Massacre. The signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo opens up this whole region to westward settlement. The biggest thing is the land; who owns the land? What you'll see, specifically with the Sand Creek Massacre, is the Cheyenne and Arapahoe being removed from the region and then this devastation that will occur of them being slaughtered by the Colorado militia at the time.

"...this definition of what is America also kind of starts to be solidified and creates hostile situations."

The other thing that I would probably say is the Ludlow Massacre, because that open up Southern Colorado to industrial development, specifically in coal and iron mining. A lot of the people that [fought] for the National Guard are people that are more focused on nativism, and they're seeing these coal miners coming in, [and they're seeing them] as foreigners, where some of them might have been from New Mexico. They're labeled as foreigners because they're Spanish speaking. Whereas you might have others from Greece and from Italy...and [they're] labeled as immigrants. So, this definition of what is America also kind of starts to be solidified and creates hostile situations.   

On the potential new dialogue inspired by having the treaty documents in Pueblo:

I feel like there's a lot of people, especially older generations in Southern Colorado, that know about the treaty because of the oral history that has been passed on. It's the younger generations—people usually under the age of 35, 36—that don’t understand what the border had been. We have three pages of the [treaty] at the museum. I think it's over a 50-page document and there's all these amendments to it. I think that's where there's space for open dialogue is 'what did the treaty do?' It talks about that changing border, but the complexity becomes in that the treaty says that the people in this region could be U.S. citizens, but that's not what ends up happening. And it doesn't just happen in Colorado; it happens in California; it happens in all of the lands that were acquired after the signing of the treaty.

On what it means for Pueblo to have the original copy of the treaty here:

I think it's complicated. I think it's exciting because the fact that El Pueblo History Museum was able to get it is huge. I think it shows a lot of work and dedication on the part of the people that work at that museum. So that's one piece. I think it shows how forward-thinking people in Pueblo can be. I think it also shows the appreciation for their history.

I think it's complicated because the treaty has separated families for generations now. For me, the treaty is someone in Washington D.C. making decisions for people in Pueblo and south of Pueblo, people who had no knowledge of the land—that's where it becomes complicated... The border being established didn't take into account peoples' individual needs or what had happened historically, and the histories that have been attempted to be erased. It's what makes people in this region foreigners in their native land. That's what the language becomes among historians...  they didn't cross the border, the border crossed them. 

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is display at the Borderlands of Southern Colorado exhibit at El Pueblo History museum until July 4. The El Pueblo History Museum is an underwriter of 91.5 KRCC.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by the United States and Mexico on February 2, 1848, ending the Mexican War (1846-48) and extending the boundaries of the United States by over 525,000 square miles. In addition to establishing the Rio Grande as the border between the two countries, the territory acquired by the U.S. included what would become the states of Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. In exchange Mexico received fifteen million dollars in compensation for the territory and the U.S. agreed to assume claims from private citizens of these areas against the Mexican government.

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Students will learn about the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, read the articles of the treaty, and rewrite them in their own words. Students then write about how the Treaty affects them today. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to answer the question:

What is the significance of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo and how does it affect us today?

Background

On February 2, 1848, the United States and Mexico signed the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. In the Treaty, Mexico agreed to surrender all claims to Texas and accept the Rio Grande as the boundary of that state. Mexico also agreed to sell its New Mexico and Upper California territories to the United States at a price of $15 million. The treaty effectively halved the size of Mexico and doubled the territory of the United States.

This territorial exchange had long-term effects on both nations. The war and treaty extended the United States to the Pacific Ocean, and provided a bounty of ports, minerals, and natural resources for a growing country. The abundance of lands also produced debates about extending slavery into the West, a dispute that would help spark a nation-defining civil war. In Mexico, the loss of battles and territories was a national trauma. As political and military leaders challenged each other on the best way to revive their troubled country, Mexico also descended into a long period of turmoil, civil war, and foreign intervention. But the war also inspired new leaders who were determined to avoid additional humiliation for their country. The new generation eventually united Mexico, forced out foreign invaders, and established the foundations of a modern state.

Perhaps the most enduring effect of the war, however, is on U.S.-Mexican relations. While the war is recalled with passion south of the border, it is often overlooked to the north. And, although the two countries have developed strong bonds and friendly ties since 1848, these neighbors continue to struggle with distrust and misunderstandings created by the war, its effects, and the differing approaches to remembering the conflict. 

Preparation

*Make one copy per student of each of the following: Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, "The Treaty Today" worksheet, and the "Monument Design" assessment.

*Decide whether students will analyze sections of the treaty independently or in pairs. 

*Print one copy of the "The Treaty Today - Teacher Answer Sheet" for teacher use. 

Materials

Print one copy for teacher use.

Download Treaty Today - Teacher Answer Sheet

Make one copy per student.

Download Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo Transcript

Make one copy per student.

Download Treaty Today - Student Worksheet

Lesson Hook/Preview

*Ask students about a school policy they would like to change. (Option: Make up an issue about a new school policy that would be controversial like longer days, stricter dress code, etc.)

*Divide students into two groups. One group will be for the issue and the other against.

*Tell students they must negotiate and write down their negotiations. Give them five to ten minutes to complete this exercise.

*Tell students they just negotiated a treaty. Ask them what a treaty is or have them look it up. 

Procedure

Discovery

1. Tell students: After the War, the United States and Mexico signed a treaty called the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. We will read this treaty and put it in our own words. 

2. Inform students whether they will be analyzing the treaty independently or in pairs. Assign out articles for each indivdiual or pair to analyze. (Note that although there are 23 articles, Article #10 was deleted.)

3.  Give each individual/pair a copy of the Treaty, the student worksheet "The Treaty Today", and a dictionary.

4. Tell students to read the Articles and put them in their own words.Tell students to look up any words they don’t know and to use context to assist. They will complete the "Treaty Today" worksheet to show their progress and thoughts on the modern affects of the Treaty. 

Wrap-Up

5. Have each group share their Article(s) with the class. As a group presents, the other students should write next to that section the historical significance and modern effects. 

6. Have a class discussion based on the key question: How does the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo affect us today? Write thoughts on the board. 

7. Tell students to use the brainstorming from the class discussion to design a monument symbolizing the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. (See Assessment Section for Materials) 

Vocabulary

• Negotiate - Try to reach an agreement or compromise by discussion with others.

• Treaty - a formally concluded and ratified agreement between countries.

Assessment Materials

Students have been hired by the National Park Service to design a monument or write a plaque to educate Palo Alto Battlefield visitors about the historical significance of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo and its lasting effects today. After finishing their design, students will explain their choices.

To close the lesson, students will walk around the room and vote on their favorite monument or plaque design.

Monument Design - Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Download Assessment

Supports for Struggling Learners

*Print off and cut into strips the teacher answer sheet synopsis of each article, but without the article number. Provide these strips to struggling learners or readers to assist them in analyzing the article. 

*Highlight and annotate the article assigned for struggling readers. 

*Use teacher-chosen heterogenous pairs to support student analysis of Treaty. 

Enrichment Activities

*Imagine that the U.S. and Mexico were to update the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. Rewrite your Article(s) as you think it should be written today.

*Find a modern newspaper article that relates to your Article(s). Create a display. 

Additional Resources

Background information on the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo can be found at OurDocuments.Gov.

Contact Information

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