The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo [Paperback]

Richard Griswold del Castillo (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0806124784 | ISBN-13: 978-0806124780 | Publication Date: September 15, 1992

Signed in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war between the United States and Mexico and gave a large portion of Mexico’s northern territories to the United States. The language of the treaty was designed to deal fairly with the people who became residents of the United States by default. However, as Richard Griswold del Castillo points out, articles calling for equality and protection of civil and property rights were either ignored or interpreted to favor those involved in the westward expansion of the United States rather than the Mexicans and Indians living in the conquered territories.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Griswold del Castillo was born and raised in Santa Ana California; his father was born in Minneapolis Minnesota and his mother was born in Mexico City, Mexico. He graduated from Santa Ana High school in 1960, went on study at UC Berkeley and the University of Dijon, France before receiving his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from UCLA . In 1992 he was a Fulbright Scholar in Mexico City, he was a visiting professor at UC Berkeley in 1994, and he became Professor Emeritus at San Diego State University in 2005.

Product Details

• Paperback: 268 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (September 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806124784
• ISBN-13: 978-0806124780
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > History > Americas > Mexico

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A useful and readable insight into U.S.-Mexican relations, December 7, 2001

By 

M. A Michaud "michael_michaud" (Dulles, VA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Paperback)

This useful book offers more than its title implies. Instead of being a dry legal analysis of a treaty, it offers a different way of looking at the history of Mexican-American relations. The author provides a compact review of events before, during, and after the Mexican-American war. In addition, the book provides a capsule review of attempts by Chicanos to seek the reversal of past injustices through the courts and by means of political action. The clearly written text is supplemented with five maps and four figures. Michael Michaud, Vienna, Austria

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating analysis of the treaty's ramifications, April 28, 2009

By 

Eric Hobart (La Center, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Paperback)

In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by the United States and Mexico. This treaty ended the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), and forced Mexico to cede most of what is now considered the American Southwest (including the present day states of New Mexico, Arizona, and California).

Castillo examines the historical legacy of the treaty, pointing out in great detail the ramifications from the treaty - a legacy of conflict between the United States and Mexico. Castillo explains how the treaty, from the point of ratification and adoption to the present day, has been used as the basis for disputes over land rights, citizenship, and even water rights in the American Southwest.

Castillo's primary argument that the treaty has fostered a legacy of dispute between the two nations is well borne out in the last four chapters of the work (exclusive of the conclusion) - most of the effort prior to that point is preparatory and background information for the major argument.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the conclusion of the Mexican-American War, the treaty itself, or the problems facing the American Southwest in the 20th century. The chapters are structured well and have relevance to one another, and there are no tangents found in this book - Castillo stays on course throughout the work.

I especially enjoyed Castillo's references to the land struggles and court battles in chapter 6, which I thought was the most important chapter of the book, especially given the fact that article X of the treaty (addressing land rights for former Mexican citizens in the area ceded by Mexico) was stricken from the treaty during the ratification process.

19 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Biased Analysis, Good Content, February 5, 2001

By 

Dustin Guerra (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Paperback)

Richard Griswold Del Castillo's work is beneficial for a probing and well rounded study into the Mexican War and the Treaty that followed. This book has great content. Castillo knows the Treaty and the debates surrounding the Treaty inside and out. Also, he is able to inform the reader of unresolved issues still relevant today for a treaty that was signed over 150 years ago. Nevertheless, he is looking for a specific outcome for his analysis. Castillo condemns the United States for it's unfair treatment of Mexico and former Mexicans. However, much of his argument is based on Article X of the Treaty and the Protocol of Queretaro. Neither document was endorsed, nor supported, by the United States. He aknowledges that, yet still attacks the United States for not abiding by both of them. It's an angry look at the United States which portrays Mexico as an innocent victim in the conflict in 1846, and the United States as a selfish, evil empire forever after.