On this day in 1848, the long-awaited Guadalupe Hildalgo Treaty officially ended America’s war with Mexico.
Formally announced two days earlier, this faltering halt to America’s first foreign conflict was slowed by the country’s contentious issue with 
slavery. Luckily, for all practical purposes the shooting had ended months before, when Mexico City had fallen to General Winfield Scott (right) in mid-September.
The treaty had actually been signed on Feb. 2 but wasn’t ratified by the U.S. Senate until March. Attempts by Northern lawmakers to insert anti-slavery provisions created the first delay. The Mexican government, in turn, didn’t ratify the agreement until May.
The origins of the war began more than a decade earlier. Texas won its freedom from Mexico as an independent republic in 1836. The villain of the Alamo, General Antonia Lopez de Santa Anna, was captured after his 
defeat by Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. (Above, Santa Anna surrender) More than happy to trade Texas sovereignty in exchange for his release, it wasn’t clear the general had the authority to do it. The Mexican government didn’t think so and refused to honor the agreement.
Mexico was forced to give up its pursuit to reclaim the territory, however, after the U.S., France and Britain hastily recognized the independence of the new republic.
For their part, most Texans favored annexation into the U.S. but many in Washington opposed it, fearing the addition of another slave state. One of the strongest opponents was then-Congressman Abraham Lincoln. And in fact, Texas did enter the Confederacy in 1862.
In 1844 James Polk won the presidency on a pro-annexation platform and the outgoing president, John Tyler, quickly had Congress ratify statehood, admitting Texas to the Union in 1845.
But after losing Texas, Mexico refused President Polk’s offer to purchase California and New Mexico and continued to dispute the border. Mexico 
claimed the land up to the Nueces River while Texas claimed the Rio Grande River to be the line of demarcation. Much of the fiercest fighting during the war occurred in the disputed territory.
The treaty did end the fighting and the United States got California, New Mexico and the area that is now Texas for $15 million, somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 million today. Questions still lingered over the fertile Mesilla Valley and the right to cross the Isthmus of Tehauntepec, important to commerce prior to the building of the Panama Canal. The Gadsden Purchase five years later mostly laid to rest the country’s boundry quarrels with Mexico.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, had it been delayed any longer, may have turned out differently. Neither side knew at the time that gold had been discovered at Sutter’s Mill just two days earlier.
The Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, Brownsville, Texas, commemorates the first major battle of America’s conflict with Mexico on May 8, 1946. In the heart of what was the disputed territory, the park features a visitor’s center, historic trails, biking, hiking and guided tours. 
Busiest season is from November through May and guided tours and programs are available from December 1st through March 31st. Open every day all year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, there is no fee to enter the park. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 to 5 and trails are open 8 to 4:30. For more information go to nps.gov/Find a Park/Palo Alto Battlefield, call (956) 541-2785 x333 or write 1623 Central Blvd., Suite 213, Brownsville, TX 78520. © Text Only – 2017 – Headin’ West LLC – All photos – public domain.