Example Gadsden Purchase (Project)

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.




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.



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.


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.

Example Gadsden Purchase (Project)

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