What do you know about the secret articles in the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty between Mexico and the USA?

Question

The border was created in 1848

1848 the Treaty was signed in Guadalupe Hidalgo, a city north of the capital where the Mexican government had fled as U.S. troops advanced. Its provisions called for Mexico to cede 55% of its territory (present-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Nevada and Utah) in exchange for fifteen million dollars in compensation for war-related damage to Mexican property. Other provisions stipulated the Texas border at the Rio Grande (Article V), protection for the property and civil rights of Mexican nationals living within the new border (Articles VIII and IX), U.S. promise to police its side of the border (Article XI), and compulsory arbitration of future disputes between the two countries (Article XXI). When the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty in March, it deleted Article X guaranteeing the protection of Mexican land grants. Following the Senate's ratification of the treaty, U.S. troops left Mexico City.

Answer 1

I know that nobody really likes to talk about the honest factual details behind the Treaty of GH and instead prefers to see it purely black-n-white terms. Most of what you say is factually correct, but there are a few things that there seems to be some confusion on:

First, there is nothing secret about the treaty. It was ratified by the US Senate and the details of the treaty have been available through a variety of sources since it was ratified. Because it was a big loss to Mexico, the Mexican officials did not exactly trumpet the details from the rooftops to their population, but it was never a secret here.

Second of all, contrary to what you say, land grants WERE recognized by the US (pending validation) and that had a big impact on property law in Arizona and other southwest states. Some land grants that were recognized in Arizona include the San Ignacio del Babocomari, the Maria Santisima del Carmen and the Luis Maria Baca land grants.

There is a very famous event in Arizona history where a man named Reavis married a Mexican woman and forged a number of historical Spanish documents to make it look like she was the rightful owner of a large land grant in southern Arizona. Until the forgery was proven, he was very close to becoming a major and wealthy landowner (a movie was even made in the 1950s based on it: 'The Baron of Arizona').

Lastly, while the treaty did cover most of Arizona and parts of Nevada and Colorado to make it clear between the two countries, most of those places were only a part of Mexico in name only. There was never any Spanish or Mexican settlements, forts, or outposts in Arizona north of Tucson (the very bottom of the state) and no citizen of Mexico or Spain ever permantly lived within 200 miles of modern day Nevada. Probably no more a few dozen explorers ever even set foot in the area over the space of 200 years. The treaty might as well have forced Mexico to give up claims to owning the moon for all those areas mattered. They DID loose valuable and settled areas throughout New Mexico, southern Texas and the coastal regions of California.

Answer 2

Well, Article V set the border at the Rio Grande. Articles VIII & IX guarenteed protection of civil rights for Mexican Nationals living within the new border which can have a broad interpretation even today. And if I read it right, Article X guarenteed protection of Mexican Land Grants, but it was deleted (are we really surprised?)

Secret Articles? Give us a hint. I'm not familiar with those, however, what no one is asking is:

Did the US really pay all those millions to Mexico? In the Eighteen-hundreds where did the US get that kind of money? Or was the monies promised Mexico for annexation of their land simply written off as a war debt? That is the real question.

H

Answer 3

No secret! the two the Republic of California and the Republic of Texas threw the Mexican government out of their international places for abuses to their electorate. the U. S. government paid the Mexican government off (yet another area of corruption) with the intention to maintain the peace and for lands that Mexico in basic terms claimed that they had. The Mexicans have been so hated via the community human beings that Mexicans could no longer even get everywhere close to their meant "border"! the two Republics grew to alter into area of the U. S.. Now some racist Mexicans are crying that the U. S. stole the territory! that's like merchandising a chew of materials which you had by no potential seen (maximum of what Mexico claimed became by no potential seen via a Mexican! It became in basic terms a line on a map!) and after the hot proprietor builds a house on the valuables you declare you desire it lower back!

Answer 4

The US paid Mexico 15 million for Texas, and absolved all of Mexico's debt. And you people need to stop b*tching about the Native Americans. You just can't get over it. We were stronger, we made the deals. Sorry, but that's the way life works. Survival of the fittest. It's all in the past now, anyway.

Answer 5

Secret Articles are secret cos they provide rights and guarantees to Mexican nationals.... For how long will it remind secret? Maybe untl next elections. LOL

Answer 6

If you hold the original treaty upside down and backwards in front of a big candle, in secret invisibl ink it says MEXICO WILL TRY TO LIVE OFF THE UNITED STATES FOREVER, DON'T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU! lolol

Answer 7

Mexicans have certain privileges.

And the media is so afraid that all Undocumented Immigrants could know the real reason of the Immigration problem.

That's all.

Answer 8

Who cares! They haven't paid the Native Americans for their land treaties. When they do that, then we'll all worry about your treaty!

Answer 9

Well for Mexico, it was sign or get your butts kicked.

Answer 10

its a secret! dont tell everybody