Post on 01-Jun-2017
Gadsden Purchase C+History
The Gadsden Purchase refers to a land deal that was made between the United States
and Mexico in 1853. The reasons for this acquisition are many and most point to unresolved or
lingering problems left over after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that ended the Mexican
American War, and the need for a southern transcontinental railroad route. One these
problems was a border dispute arising from the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; ironically one of
the same reasons that started the war with Mexico. The disputed territory was called the
Mesilla Valley (later to become the Gadsden Purchase) and both the United States and Mexico
claimed the land after the Mexican American Wari.1 The origins of the dispute lie in a map that
was used to delineate a border between the United States and Mexico in the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo. The map used was 25 years old and showed the Rio Grande 8 miles north
of El Paso. However, surveyors hired by the government showed that in reality the Rio Grande
was 36 miles further south and 100 miles further west of El Paso than the original map had
shown. 2
Other problems included Mexico’s demand of monetary compensation for damage
caused by Indian raids, which the United States refused claiming that the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo never stated that the U.S. was responsible for raids if they did occur. Mexico had also
accused Americans of illegally sneaking into Mexico and inciting rebellions.3
Most importantly, the reason for the acquisition had to do with the South’s desire for a
southern railroad route to the west coast. Initially, railroad companies wanted the route to go 1 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
2 Kluger, Richard. Seizing Destiny: How America Grew From Sea to Shining Sea. (2007) ISBN 978-0-375-41341-4.
3 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, located in Mexico because an American route proved too
mountainous for train travel. However, this created another problem. The Isthmus of
Tehuantepec had already been given away as a land grant to a man named Don Jose Garay that
planned on starting an American colony similar to the previous Texas colony. President Santa
Anna was fearful of another rebellion, such as the Texas Rebellion, and revoked the land grand
thereby bankrupting American investors that had sponsored the colony. Now, American
investors were upset with the Mexican government.4
In 1853, the Mexican government, under President Santa Anna, evicted Americans from
the disputed Mesilla Valley. The United States federal government refused to act, so the
territorial governor of the New Mexico Territory, William Lane, declared that the Mesilla Valley
was part of the New Mexico Territory. Santa Anna responded by sending troops to the valley.5
United States President Franklin Pierce, trying to cool down the situation, sent the
Minister to Mexico James Gadsden to negotiate with Santa Anna for a new border including
land ideal for a railroad, to eliminate the request for compensation of Indian raids, and for
compensation to American investors who lost money in the Garay affair. Gadsden finally met
with Santa Anna in September of 1853 and was given negotiating directions from the President
through a man named Christopher Ward, who happened to be one of the investors in the Garay
project that lost money. Gadsden was told to offer Santa Anna $50 million for Lower California
and New Mexico, or $15 million for a smaller deal.6 Gadsden and Ward did have their own
agendas however. First, Ward lied and told Gadsden that monetary compensation for investors
who lost on the Garay project had to be written into any treaty negotiated with Santa Anna.
4 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
5 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
6 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
Secondly, Gadsden was bent on acquiring land for the railroad to spread southern influence in
the west. Gadsden had previously suggested splitting California in half to make the lower
section open to slavery. Gadsden was also quoted saying that “slavery was a social blessing”
and that abolitionists were the “greatest curse of the nation.7
After negotiations, Santa Anna agreed to a $15 million deal in order to fund an army for
ongoing rebellions and to protect the border from the United States. Had this deal been
ratified the United States would have: acquired 45,000 square miles south of New Mexico;
assumed the debts of private American citizens (including those involved in the Garay project);
promised to work hard at trying to stop Indian raids into Mexico. Mexico in turn would have
dropped their property damage claims against the government for Indian raids.8 The deal was
never ratified but a revised treaty was. In the revised treaty, which Santa Anna did sign, the
United States gave Mexico $10 million for 29,670 square miles of land. The new treaty also
removed any language dealing with Indian raids and private monetary claims.9
Explanation of the Grade
The Davis Consulting Group, LLP gave the Gadsden Purchase a C+ for several reasons.
First, the Davis Group cannot support the spread of slavery. This was the ultimate goal of the
southern transcontinental railroad. The railroad, on the surface, was supposed to keep the
South in the national trade loop and to make sure that it would not be edged out by new states
in the west. However, the real purpose of the railroad was “open the west to southern
7 Richards, The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War. (2007) ISBN 0-307-26520-X.
8 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
9 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
influence and settlement.”10 The treaty, being signed in 1853, occurred just after the
Compromise of 1850 in which several western territories were open to slavery. The only way
these territories could become slave states was to have them settled by pro-slavery settlers.
The railroad would have provided the access to these new territories.
Secondly, the treaty that allowed for the purchase of the territory did not solve any of
the problems that led to its creation other than the need for a railroad. A major source of
tension between the United States and Mexico was the Indian raids into Mexico. The Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo stated that the United States would do its best to stop raids, but it said
nothing of the case when raids did occur. Mexico wanted financial restitution for damage
caused during raids, and the United States refused claiming that they were under no obligation
as per the treaty. The new Gadsden Purchase Treaty said nothing of the raids and left the
problem absolutely unresolved.11
Thirdly, the Gadsden Purchase Treaty failed to resolve the issue of financial restitution.
One of the major American complaints subsequent to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was
financial compensation for private citizens that lost money in Garay project. This issue was
never resolved and it was left unresolved on the part of the government intentionally. Peirce
felt that matters involving private citizens and foreign countries were none of the government’s
business.12
Lastly, the purchase simply resulted in a new border dispute. The border dispute simply
moved further south of where it had been in 1852-1853. So, in the end, the treaty responsible
for the Gadsden Purchase solved not one of the issues causing tension between the United
States and Mexico. On the upside, the treaty did allow for the southern transcontinental
10 Richards, The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War. (2007) ISBN 0-307-26520-X.
11 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
12 "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014
railroad, which was completed in 1871. However, another railroad was built in the northern
section of Arizona in 1881.13 Was the Gadsden Purchase absolutely necessary? Mexican
citizens felt the answer was no. They continued to harbor resentment towards the United
States for stripping away their country, and felt betrayed by Santa Anna who sold away their
country and squandered the money.
Suggestions
The Davis Consulting Group, LLP has several suggestions as to what the federal
government could have done to get a higher grade. First, we must assume that the
government needed the land. That being the case, and knowing why the government needed
the land, for southern influence to spread into the western states, the highest grade the
government could have possibly obtained would have been a B+.
They could have received a B+ if they would have made a few changes to the treaty.
1. The government should have lowered the price of the purchase to $7 million.
2. The savings of $3 million should have been applied to making certain concessions to
Mexico, such as building up defenses along the border to better put an end to Indian
raids, and to compensate American investors that lost money in the Garay project.
3. Additional money should have been applied to Mexican citizens that lost property due
to Indian raids as a show of friendship. True, Americans were not bound by the Treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo to do this, but it would have looked better to Mexican citizens
than giving a bigger purchase price to Santa Anna for the land. This could have
potentially made for more favorable relations with the United States and Mexico.
13 "RailsWest.com Second Transcontinental Line Brings Competition." RailsWest.com
Second Transcontinental Line Brings Competition. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
i
Bibliography
1. "Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian."Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854 - 1830–1860 - Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
2. Kluger, Richard. Seizing Destiny: How America Grew From Sea to Shining Sea. (2007) ISBN 978-0-375-41341-4.
3. "RailsWest.com Second Transcontinental Line Brings Competition." RailsWest.com Second
Transcontinental Line Brings Competition. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
4. Richards, The California Gold Rush and the Coming of the Civil War. (2007) ISBN 0-307-26520-X.