Mexican-American War Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War.

Annexation

The incorporation of a territory into an existing political entity such as a country or state.

Mexican Cession

The territory ceded to the U.S. by Mexico in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, encompassing California and New Mexico.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Signed in 1848, this treaty ended the Mexican-American War, established the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas, and ceded California and New Mexico to the U.S.

Wilmot Proviso

Proposed in 1846 by Congressman David Wilmot it suggested that any lands gained from victory in the Mexican American war be off limits to the expansion of slavery but was ultimately voted down.

Free Soil Ideal

The concept that land should be available for homesteaders without competition from slavery.