How did the US gain Utah Nevada California?

- The Mexican–American War (1846–1848): Mexico ceded the present-day states of California and Nevada, as well as parts of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, to the United States.

- The Gadsden Purchase (1853): The United States purchased a strip of land from Mexico that included the southern part of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, as well as parts of present-day Texas.

- The Utah War (1857–1858), Mormon settlers, led by Brigham Young, resisted the authority of the United States government. After negotiations, the Mormons agreed to submit to federal authority, and the Utah Territory was established in 1858.

Nevada:

- The Mexican–American War (1846–1848)

- The Gadsden Purchase (1853)

California:

- The Mexican–American War (1846–1848)

- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848): Mexico ceded California to the United States, along with the rest of the Southwest.

- The California Gold Rush (1848–1855): The discovery of gold in California led to a massive influx of settlers from all over the world, and California quickly became a state in 1850.