Download February 2, 1848 Signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

February 2, 1848
Signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-American War, which had lasted from
1846 to 1848. But to understand why the war was fought, we need to look back a little further than
1846.
Texas had fought with Mexico to become a free land and then was admitted into the Union as a new
state in 1845. There were disputes over the border between Texas and Mexico that were not being
successfully settled. President James Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to try to reach an agreement
on the border issue and to try to buy other land from Mexico so that the United States could
continue to expand. Mexico would not settle the disputes at that time, and President Polk sent
troops into the land that was being claimed by both Mexico and the state of Texas. Mexico was
angered at the presence of troops in this area and sent their own troops. President Polk declared
that Mexico had invaded United States soil and asked Congress to declare war on Mexico. Congress
agreed and on May 13, 1846, war with Mexico was declared.
After the Mexican army was defeated and the United States troops invaded Mexico City, the capital
of Mexico, in September of 1847, Mexico surrendered and peace talks began. The war officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848, in Guadalupe Hidalgo,
an area north of the capital of Mexico.
In the treaty, Mexico agreed to recognize the southern border of the United States as the Rio
Grande river and gave up all claims to Texas. The United States received land that makes up all or
parts of present-day California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada. In return, the
United States agreed to settle all claims that United States citizens had against Mexico at the time
and to pay Mexico fifteen million dollars.
There were still problems with the exact borders that had to be worked out in the future with other
agreements, but the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican-American War.
Many Americans became famous for their involvement in the Mexican-American War; some also
went on to do other things that they are remembered for. At the bottom of this page is a box
containing names of important historic figures. On the next page is a list of descriptions. Write the
name of the correct person in the space provided with each description.
Lewis Armistead
George G. Meade
George H. Thomas Albert Sidney Johnston
Joseph Hooker
Winfield Scott
Stephen Kearny
James K. Polk
Thomas (“Stonewall”) Jackson
George Pickett
Ulysses S. Grant
Robert E. Lee
Nicholas Trist
Zachary Taylor
John Slidell
James Longstreet
P.G.T. Beauregard
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______________________________ A general during the Mexican-American War who won battles at Monterrey
and Buena Vista, among others; he later became the 12th president of the United States.
______________________________ Served during the Mexican-American War and was decorated for bravery. A
Confederate general, he was killed on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
______________________________ Born in New Jersey, a U.S. Army officer who helped win California and New
Mexico during the Mexican-American War, using diplomacy rather than bloodshed whenever possible.
______________________________ In the Mexican-American War, he served under General Winfield Scott.
Later, he served as a general for the Confederacy during the Civil War and was in command of the Confederate
troops at the Battle of Fort Sumter.
______________________________ General during the Mexican-American War, he took extra forces to Mexico,
captured Veracruz and other areas, and ended the war by marching his troops into Mexico City.
______________________________ Served under both General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott during
the Mexican-American War. Later, he served as a general in the Union Army during the Civil War and was in
command when the Confederacy surrendered at Appomattox Court House. He became the 18th president of the
United States.
______________________________ Chief Clerk of the State Department during the Mexican-American War, he
negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that formally ended the war.
______________________________ Fought in the Mexican-American War. He later served in the Union Army
during the Civil War and was put in command unexpectedly just days before the Battle of Gettysburg.
______________________________ Served under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War and
proved to be brilliant in tactical matters. Later, he became commander of the Army of Northern Virginia for the
Confederacy in the Civil War.
______________________________ Served and was recognized for distinguished service in the MexicanAmerican War. Although born in the South, he later served as a Union General in the Civil War and succeeded
General Rosecrans as commander of the Army of the Cumberland. He served in various military positions after the
Civil War ended.
______________________________ Served under General Winfield Scott at the Battle of Chapultepec and other
battles, including the battle of Mexico City. Later, he served as a general for the Confederacy in the Civil War,
fighting at the First Battle of Manassas, the Second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, and many others, until wounded
and killed in 1863.
______________________________ Served under General Winfield Scott and General Zachary Taylor in the
Mexican-American War and was recognized for his bravery. Later, he served as a Union General during the Civil
War, commanding the Army of the Potomac, but resigned just days before the Battle of Gettysburg. He continued
to serve in other positions in the Army during the war.
______________________________ Fought in the Mexican-American War and later was a commander in the
Army of the Confederacy. After the Civil War, he worked in various positions in the government and died in 1904.
______________________________ Entered the U.S. Congress in the early 1840s and served as the agent sent to
Mexico to try to prevent war by offering a settlement to Mexico. The Mexican government rejected his attempts.
______________________________ Served in the Mexican-American War at the Battle of Veracruz and many
other battles. Later, as a general for the Confederacy in the Civil War, he fought in many battles and led a charge
in the Battle of Gettysburg that is remembered by his name.
______________________________ The 11th president of the United States, he was president during the Mexican
-American War.
______________________________ Led Texas volunteers as a colonel during the Mexican-American War. He later
became a general in the Confederate Army. He was killed at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862.
©2016 Bonnie Rose Hudson WriteBonnieRose.com
Answer Key:
_______Zachary Taylor __________ A general during the Mexican-American War who won battles at Monterrey
and Buena Vista, among others; he later became the 12th president of the United States.
_______Lewis Armistead ________ Served during the Mexican-American War and was decorated for bravery. A
Confederate general, he was killed on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
________Stephen Kearny _______ Born in New Jersey, a U.S. Army officer who helped win California and New
Mexico during the Mexican-American War, using diplomacy rather than bloodshed whenever possible.
________P.G.T. Beauregard ______ In the Mexican-American War, he served under General Winfield Scott.
Later, he served as a general for the Confederacy during the Civil War and was in command of the Confederate
troops at the Battle of Fort Sumter.
_________Winfield Scott ________ General during the Mexican-American War, he took extra forces to Mexico,
captured Veracruz and other areas, and ended the war by marching his troops into Mexico City.
_______Ulysses S. Grant _______ Served under both General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott during
the Mexican-American War. Later, he served as a general in the Union Army during the Civil War and was in
command when the Confederacy surrendered at Appomattox Court House. He became the 18th president of the
United States.
_________Nicholas Trist ________ Chief Clerk of the State Department during the Mexican-American War, he
negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that formally ended the war.
_______George G. Meade ________ Fought in the Mexican-American War. He later served in the Union Army
during the Civil War and was put in command unexpectedly just days before the Battle of Gettysburg.
_________Robert E. Lee ________ Served under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War and
proved to be brilliant in tactical matters. Later, he became commander of the Army of Northern Virginia for the
Confederacy in the Civil War.
________George H. Thomas _______ Served and was recognized for distinguished service in the MexicanAmerican War. Although born in the South, he later served as a Union General in the Civil War and succeeded
General Rosecrans as commander of the Army of the Cumberland. He served in various military positions after the
Civil War ended.
_Thomas (“Stonewall”) Jackson _ Served under General Winfield Scott at the Battle of Chapultepec and other
battles, including the battle of Mexico City. Later, he served as a general for the Confederacy in the Civil War,
fighting at the First Battle of Manassas, the Second Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, and many others, until wounded
and killed in 1863.
_______Joseph Hooker _________ Served under General Winfield Scott and General Zachary Taylor in the
Mexican-American War and was recognized for his bravery. Later, he served as a Union General during the Civil
War, commanding the Army of the Potomac, but resigned just days before the Battle of Gettysburg. He continued
to serve in other positions in the Army during the war.
_____James Longstreet ________ Fought in the Mexican-American War and later was a commander in the
Army of the Confederacy. After the Civil War, he worked in various positions in the government and died in 1904.
________John Slidell __________ Entered the U.S. Congress in the early 1840s and served as the agent sent to
Mexico to try to prevent war by offering a settlement to Mexico. The Mexican government rejected his attempts.
_______George Pickett _________ Served in the Mexican-American War at the Battle of Veracruz and many
other battles. Later, as a general for the Confederacy in the Civil War, he fought in many battles and led a charge
in the Battle of Gettysburg that is remembered by his name.
_______James K. Polk _________ The 11th president of the United States, he was president during the Mexican
-American War.
____Albert Sidney Johnston ___ Led Texas volunteers as a colonel during the Mexican-American War. He later
became a general in the Confederate Army. He was killed at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862.
©2016 Bonnie Rose Hudson WriteBonnieRose.com