Customer Reviews

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

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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

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.

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.

An excellent informative on a very shameful episode in our nation's history. it was a treaty that was broken before the ink was even dry on the document and that vioation still haunts us today. Many will say that it is an ant-U.S. viewpoint, but how is that conclusion not posssible with the dirt that the U.S. did to Mexico after stealing half of its territory?