Question

What were the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

Mexico paid a $7,000,000 war indemnity.
Mexico recognized the Rio Grande as the Texas border.
The United States took Puerto Rico.
The United States paid Mexican debts to Americans totaling $3,500,000.
Mexico withdrew its troops from Texas.
The United States paid $15,000,000 for California and New Mexico.

Answer 1

Here’s which statements are correct and corrections where needed:

- Mexico paid a $7,000,000 war indemnity. — False. The United States paid Mexico $15,000,000; Mexico did not pay a war indemnity.

- Mexico recognized the Rio Grande as the Texas border. — True. The treaty accepted the Rio Grande as the boundary between Texas (U.S.) and Mexico.

- The United States took Puerto Rico. — False. Puerto Rico was not part of this treaty (it was acquired from Spain in 1898).

- The United States paid Mexican debts to Americans totaling $3,500,000. — False (amount incorrect). The U.S. agreed to assume and pay certain claims of U.S. citizens against Mexico, about $3,250,000 (commonly cited figure), not $3,500,000.

- Mexico withdrew its troops from Texas. — True (Mexico recognized the new boundary and relinquished military claim in that area).

- The United States paid $15,000,000 for California and New Mexico. — True. The U.S. paid $15 million as part of the treaty in compensation for the Mexican Cession (California, New Mexico and other territories).

Other major treaty terms (brief): Mexico ceded California, New Mexico and other northern territories to the U.S. (the Mexican Cession); the U.S. agreed to protect the property and civil rights of Mexican residents in the ceded lands and to offer them U.S. citizenship; the U.S. assumed certain claims of its citizens against Mexico.