why was the mexican cession a significant event?

Question

-it united different cultural groups living western areas
-it intensified the debate over the expansion of slavery
-it created a temporary southern border
-it led to the development of canal systems to move goods.

Answer 1

The Mexican Cession was significant primarily because it intensified the debate over the expansion of slavery. The land ceded to the United States after the Mexican-American War in 1848 prompted fierce discussions about whether slavery would be allowed in the new territories. This conflict exacerbated existing tensions between the North and South, contributing to the series of events that ultimately led to the Civil War.

While the other options you mentioned have elements of truth—like the blending of cultural groups in the West—they do not capture the central impact of the Mexican Cession as profoundly as the debate over slavery did. The debate over slavery was a defining issue of the time and had lasting implications for the United States.