Guadalupe Hidalgo

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, was a peace agreement that ended the Mexican-American War. It resulted in Mexico ceding a large portion of its northern territory—what are now California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of several other states—to the United States. In exchange, the U.S. paid Mexico $15 million and assumed some Mexican debts. This treaty significantly expanded U.S. territory and shaped the borders of the southwestern United States, while also impacting the people living there by transferring sovereignty and property rights.