The role of the Mexican-American war on the formation of the border between the two nations had a large impact on its location. The United States had several advantages over Mexico which ultimately created a border farther South than what Mexico was hoping for. The U.S. was more stable, economically and politically. U.S. forces had more and much better tools and supplies during the conflict.
The agreed upon U.S.-Mexico border, according to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, was that it recognized that the southern border of the United States would be the Rio Grande River along present-day Texas. The new border would also run from the Rio Grande through Southern New Mexico and Arizona along the Gila River then through Southern California west to the Pacific Ocean. The treaty was signed in 1848, ending the Mexican-American War. This portion of the border was North of the present-day border before the Gadsden Purchase in 1854.
In many historical articles regarding the U.S. and Mexico War and boarder issues, the independent Indians are often overlooked or rarely mentioned. However, they played a significant role on the formation of the border and many other factors in the war. For one thing, along with the various problems Mexico had to deal with, they had kept back Indian raids with what little they had. As a means of protecting themselves, they made dealings with them. Such as in exchange for supplies, the Indians would not raid them.
When Mexico gained its independence from Spain, it suffered from economic loss and support for appeasing the Indian groups. Raids increased greatly and became more violent. Because of this, Mexican people chose not to migrate to the Northern parts and populate the region as the government had hoped. In fact, the area became less populated as many Mexicans and Indians lost their lives. Mexico suffered in the fight to control the Indians. This opened the door for the United States to move in and push its expansion west.
It is important that the perspectives of those affected by the war be considered in order to understand the impact it had on broken peace in 1848. The distrust of the American government by the Mexican government and citizens was based on actions the Americans took in passing laws and sending Americans onto Mexican territory, as well as, pushing the boundaries to expand the United States. The U.S., on the other hand, saw Mexico as a corrupt and weak country in which the resources of the land were being wasted.
The U.S. sold the idea of acquiring the land justifying that it was a wasteland before the Anglo-American colonists came to the area and that the Mexicans were not able to control the Indian incursions. They claimed that Mexico invited the American settlers into Texas to redeem the area from the Indians and protect Northern Mexico from their attacks. Finally, that the colonists had accomplished these tasks and cultivated the land, making it valuable.
There were implications for the people who lived in the area near the new international boundary following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The people living within the previous Mexican boundaries which became United States territory after the Treaty of Guadalupe were given a choice to remain or move across the new border to Mexico. If they chose to stay, they were promised U.S. Citizenship within 2 years. They would also receive protections and all the rights of all U.S. citizens. They were assured that their property claims would be valid. The American Indians in the region were eventually forced onto reservations. It seems that promises were probably not kept for many.
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