U.S. Territorial Gains from the Mexican‑American War

As a direct result of the 1846‑1848 war and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the United States acquired the following territories from Mexico:

• California
• Nevada
• Utah
• Most of Arizona
• Most of New Mexico
• Western Colorado
• Southwestern Wyoming

Later Addition

The 1854 Gadsden Purchase added a 29,670‑sq‑mi strip in present‑day southern Arizona and New Mexico, completing the contiguous 48‑state outline.

Strategic Impact

These lands provided gold (California), silver (Nevada), copper (Arizona), agricultural valleys, and Pacific harbors—resources that powered 19th‑century U.S. industrial growth.