$10 million for 29,670 square miles of land. That was the result of the Gadsden Purchase of 1854. It was the final sliver of land to be transferred from Mexico to the United States.
Looking at a map, it’s not immediately obvious why the land had value to the United States. The Gadsden Purchase’s story begins with the conclusion of the U.S.– Mexican War in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo had ended the conflict. Yet, Mexico and the United States continued to disagree about where the boundary was between their two nations. The treaty stated that the Rio Grande was the boundary between Mexico and Texas. The treaty was less clear about the boundary between Mexico and the newly created U.S. territory of New Mexico along the Gila River.
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Celebrating Our Southwest Heritage
A talk with Khristaan Villela
Neighbors North And South
Refugees from the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s head for Marfa, Texas.
A New Conflict Threatened The US And Mexico's Relationship
More than 60 years after the United States and Mexico fought their last battle over land, a new conflict threatened the two countries’ relationship.
The Final Piece
The dark green color in the map depicts the land that was the Gadsden Purchase.
Alta California Becomes A State
This 1750 map captures the Spanish belief—based on the Baja Peninsula—that California was an island.
From Tejas To Texas
The republic of Mexico—newly independent from Spain—faced some big problems in the early 1820s.
The Rise of New Spain
Within a couple of years of arriving in Mexico, Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire.
Rethinking A Holiday
Columbus Day has been an official U.S. holiday since 1937. But some people question the idea of celebrating Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the “New World.”
The Promise Of Gold And A Sea Route To India
The promise of gold and a sea route to India.
Getting Started
Did you know that the Spanish arrived in North America more than 100 years before the English settled their first colonies in Virginia and Massachusetts?
GETTING TO KNOW CHEF FRANCISCO ALEJANDRI VAZQUEZ
He left behind the kitchens of some of the best hotels in Mexico and journeyed to Canada. Founder of acclaimed Toronto restaurant Agave y Aguacate (now closed, as he recently moved back to Mexico), he sat down with us to talk about his journey.
TRIED AND TESTED HOTEL: ME Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
BEST FOR World-famous views of El Arco with a beautiful stretch of beach and oceanfront pool
Mexico's Covid Codependency
U.S. stimulus flows to Mexico in the form of remittances and increased export demand
After a Grim Limbo, Hope
A migrant camp empties as Biden undoes Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy
LESSONS FROM LUIS THE MONEY LAUNDERER
What drives one to cross continents the hard way? Is this what Overlanding is about? That persistent feeling that we'll never be caught if nothing can catch us? The optimist in me sure hoped that was the case. And after riding a battered old KLR650 35,000km from Canada to the southern tip of South America I'm still unsure what the purpose or motivation was. Worthwhile? Absolutely. Why? No idea.
What to Expect If You're Flying in 2021
Policies enacted by the airlines in 2020 may change air travel for the long haul.
BEACH BOD: SECURED!
La Bella Vita
Ana Leovy – Confetti in Cancún
Ana Leovy’s glass is half full, effervescent with bubbles, ready to toast the day and share the good news. Maybe on a solo stroll, maybe with friends and neighbors, the message is clear in her ripe gouache and acrylic pictures. Follow the light like a sunflower, lounge proud with purpose. A tropical storm delayed our conversation, but didn’t dampen her spirits.
Short hikes on the long PCT
Other than some extreme sports, one of the most agreed-upon measures of athletic physical endurance is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
Night Sky
Spend evenings under the stars in San Miguel de Allende.