Gadsden+Purchase+-+Yura

=Gadsden Purchase, 1853-1854=

How and Why?
The United States acquired this territory through an agreement with the Mexican government. At the time, the Mexican government needed money and the United States government needed land to create a southern transcontinental railroad. Therefore, James Gadsden, the commissioner in Mexico, was appointed to to make a treaty to acquire the land. Also, through this agreement the tension left from the Mexican-American War would diminish since the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, although formally ended the war, continued the tension between the two neighboring countries. As a result, the US paid the Mexican government $10 million for the 29,670 mile strip of Mexican land, which is now known as a part of Arizona and New Mexico. However, this price and portion of land was the revised version of the Gadsden Purchase. Yet, the unrevised treaty was signed on December 30, 1853. Although President Santa Anna of Mexico did not want to sell such a big portion of the Mexican territory, they needed the money to put down the rebellions; therefore, he sold 45,000 sq. miles south of the New Mexico land for $15 million. However, the deal didn't work out so they decrease the portion of land and money.



Agreement or Force?
The acquirement of the strip of Mexican land wasn't forced by the United States. It was a trade that the two nations made in order to attain their necessities. Although Mexico and the United States had strives for the Mesilla Valley, claiming it part of their own territory, the Gadsden Purchase was an agreement where the United States provided money for the territory they needed, and Mexico provided the territory in order to acquire money. As a result, both nations approved of the deals. However, Santa Anna, who made the deal with the United States became unpopular to the Mexican citizens due to the treaty. In addition, Mexico did not want to sell such a large portion of their land, but they had to due to the continuous rebellions.

Effects on Inhabitants& United States
Before the treaty was signed, the strip of consisting of present day Arizona and New Mexico was frequently attacked by Native Americans and faced many rebellions. As a result, Mexico wanted their territory near the United States border to be protected. Although the U.S. government gave their word for it, they failed to stop these strives at the border lines. As a result, the Gadsden Purchase didn't improve the conditions of the inhabitants of the territory near the border line. Moreover, the treaty failed to solve the problems concerning raids and Native American attacks. In addition soon after the treaty, the inhabitants pleaded for a division between the west side and the east side. Yet, the congress in Washington ignored these pleas. Therefore, these people had to live in the fear of Indian attacks and the start of a Civil War, which happened soon after their prediction. The inhabitants of the purchased land failed to receive proper protection.

The United States redefined their southern border through the Gadsden Purchase. Although many believed that the U.S. would expand more south, gaining much of the Mexican Territory, the border set through the treaty is still the same southern border line of United States today. After the purchase, a railroad, Southern Pacific Railroad, was eventually constructed. As a result, it made transportation easier. Also, from acquiring land from Mexican territory gave the U.S. abundant natural resources. For example, from Santa Rita the U.S. gained rich copper deposits. In addition, the lands included in the purchase is now one of the fastest growing regions included in the Sunbelt's development. Yet, the Gadsden Purchase created controversies in the United States. The Northern states disapproved the gaining of the land in order to build a railroad because they thought it might expand slavery, while the southern states desired for it. For, these were the reasons for the adjustments in the treaty. Therefore, the northern benefited from the railroad and the purchased land did not become another slave territory.



Sources: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/dwe/87721.htm http://www.progress.org/gads.htm http://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Gadsden.html http://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Civil_War.html http://www.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/borderlands/18_gadsden.htm http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h82.html http://www.historicaldocuments.com/ManifestDestiny.htm http://www.gadsdenpurchase.com/