Border and the Civil War
How do the stories of enslaved people who escaped to Mexico help us to understand the limitations of policies and the formation of the early border?
Enslaved people fled to Mexico in droves because of the freedoms that were offered to them there. Even though they were still considered to be in “bondage” they were still protected by the Mexican government.
However, in 1808 “Mexico’s congress passed a law to ban the importation of slaves from abroad” (Baumgartner, 44). During this time, 1 million slaves lived in the United States while less than 1 percent of that lived in Mexico. “If Mexico’s laws prohibited norteamericanos from bringing enslaved people across the Sabine River, slave based plantation agriculture seemed unlikely to place in Tejas” (Baumgartner, 44). This policy would have made a definite impact on the border since agriculture was largely a slave trade during this time.
Additionally, in 1824 Mexico established its own Constitution. Mexico became Federalist, which provided the local interests with more power over their own affairs. “The province of Tejas was too sparsely populated to become its own state” (Baumgartner, 43). At this time, Tejas could become a separate territory of Mexico or merge with Coahuila. Eventually, it became a new state named Coahuila y Tejas. This proves why Tejas was part of Mexico for so long during this period in history.
In what specific ways did the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo form the border?
Mexico ceded to the United States modern day areas of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming, and Mexico relinquished all claims to Mexico (Baumgartner, 124).
In what ways is the history of the U.S. Civil War also the history of the border?
There were several moving borders throughout the Civil War. border between the North and the South was moving (Mason Dixon Line). Additionally, the borders between Tejas, modern day NM, and Arizona had vastly changed — not to mention the Gadsden Purchase which some might argue was the precursor to the Civil War.
Slavery was also a huge issue, and as we know was another precursor to the Civil War. During the consideration of the annexation of Texas, Northerners refused to annex Texas if slavery would be allowed — “Southern voters were irate that Northerners would oppose annexation on the grounds that slavery existed in Texas” (Baumgartner, 98). Imagine how the border would look today without the annexation of Texas?
Additionally, on September 1, 1849, a convention met in Monterrey California to draft a Constitution. The hope was to add six new states to the Union, New Mexico being one of them. “The people of New Mexico were eager to apply for statehood” (Baumgartner, 127). The people of New Mexico were against slavery and passed the new anti-slavery Constitution “6,771 to 39” (Baumgartner, 127). This is another example how he southern border was formed.
How do a variety of perspectives on the war help us to understand its impact on the peace brokered in 1848?
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was an outcome of the Civil War. This Treaty brought about large chunks of land to the West. Unfortunately, with this “acquisition” the issues of slavery became even greater with many arguing whether slavery should be spread westward. This intense conflict helped to fuel the Civil War. (Baumgartner, 124).
James Gadsden, “a land speculator, railroad promoter, and slaveholder” (Baumgartner, 155), attempted to find a way to stop Mexico from stop granting citizenship to African-Americans. He came up with a great plan — carta de seguridad. This “passport” so to speak, would be the only way African Americans could safely live in Mexico. “This would have delivered a death blow to Mexico’s emancipatory policies” (Baumgartner, 155). Mexican official rejected Gadsden’s proposal. Imagine how the border would look today if Gadsden’s proposal had been accepted? Mexico may not have lost so much land to the United States, or would it?
The debate of slave states and free states was as huge point of contention and the borders and thus, the map of the United States would look vastly different had these states chose differently — one way or the other.
