From 1846-1848, the United States was engaged in an armed conflict with Mexico. The recent annexation of Texas in 1845 had already resulted in a substantial loss of territory claimed by the Mexican government. By the time the Americans had seized control of Mexico City after twenty-one months of fighting, casualties for both countries were over thirty-thousand. The war resulted in the U.S. acquisition of a majority of the modern American southwest. The U.S. expansion led to much debate over sectional interests between New Englanders, westerners, and southerners. With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico was forced to cede a significant portion of their northern held territories. This Mexican Cession included modern day California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah along with most Arizona and Colorado. Also included were parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. In addition, the treaty mandated the Rio Grande be the border between the U.S. and Mexico while establishing U.S. control over Texas. The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million and forgave more than $3 million in debt. Although what to do with the new American territories would lead to much disagreement, the Mexican-American war spawned a temporary sense of national unity.
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Most of the nation celebrated the U.S. military achievements. Also, the addition of all the new lands was seen as another fulfillment of Manifest Destiny. One of the central debates between each faction was over whether the new territories would be admitted as slave or free states. The Missouri Compromise had established parallel 36°30′ north as the dividing line between free and slave states. With the exception of Missouri, only states south of the 36°30 line could enter the union as slave states. This was done to keep the balance of power in the U.S. Congress equal between slave and free states. Southerners were especially excited about adding new states for the specific purpose of acquiring more slave states. In addition to the potential of slave states gaining a Congressional majority, southerners wanted to add more farmland in the temperate climate of the southwest. The southern economy was fueled by cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar. For this reason, many southerners saw financial opportunities as well as potential Congressional gains in acquiring new slave states. Conversely, many New Englanders saw the addition of the new land as a threat to the fragile stability of the union established with the Missouri Compromise. Many in the north feared the Mexican-American war would result in further divisions in America over the issue of slavery. Their concern was justified as the majority of territory ceded by Mexico fell under the 36°30 line, more commonly referred to as the Mason-Dixon Line. If the Mexican Cession territories had entered the Union as slave states, many northerners worried free states would have significantly less influence in Congress leaving little hope in eliminating the institution of slavery. Although the potential for expanded slavery and less influence in Congress worried many northerners, they also saw economic opportunity in the former Mexican territories. New England and other northern states economy was primarily based on industry. The Industrial Revolution was just getting under way and many entrepreneurs recognized the potential in raw materials that would become available. In addition, because the U.S. was now open from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
Most of the nation celebrated the U.S. military achievements. Also, the addition of all the new lands was seen as another fulfillment of Manifest Destiny. One of the central debates between each faction was over whether the new territories would be admitted as slave or free states. The Missouri Compromise had established parallel 36°30′ north as the dividing line between free and slave states. With the exception of Missouri, only states south of the 36°30 line could enter the union as slave states. This was done to keep the balance of power in the U.S. Congress equal between slave and free states. Southerners were especially excited about adding new states for the specific purpose of acquiring more slave states. In addition to the potential of slave states gaining a Congressional majority, southerners wanted to add more farmland in the temperate climate of the southwest. The southern economy was fueled by cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and sugar. For this reason, many southerners saw financial opportunities as well as potential Congressional gains in acquiring new slave states. Conversely, many New Englanders saw the addition of the new land as a threat to the fragile stability of the union established with the Missouri Compromise. Many in the north feared the Mexican-American war would result in further divisions in America over the issue of slavery. Their concern was justified as the majority of territory ceded by Mexico fell under the 36°30 line, more commonly referred to as the Mason-Dixon Line. If the Mexican Cession territories had entered the Union as slave states, many northerners worried free states would have significantly less influence in Congress leaving little hope in eliminating the institution of slavery. Although the potential for expanded slavery and less influence in Congress worried many northerners, they also saw economic opportunity in the former Mexican territories. New England and other northern states economy was primarily based on industry. The Industrial Revolution was just getting under way and many entrepreneurs recognized the potential in raw materials that would become available. In addition, because the U.S. was now open from the Atlantic to the Pacific,