Mexican Cession

The Mexican Cession of 1848 refers to the lands ceded or surrendered to the United States by Mexico at the end of the Mexican–American War.^[1] The territory became the states of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona.^[1] It was agreed to in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which formally ended the war (1847–1848) between Mexico and the United States.^[2] The treaty was signed on 2 February 1848.^[2] The Cession added 500,000 square miles (1,300,000 km²) of territory to the southwestern United States. It also contributed to the United States emerging as a world power in the late the 19th century.^[2]

Lands ceded to the USA as a result of the Mexican-American War (red).