The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo had what long-term effect?

• A. Increased debate over slavery in the territories
• B. Immediate abolition of slavery in the United States
• C. Ended territorial disputes
• D. Immediate war reparations

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested is how territorial expansion after a war can influence national politics, especially the issue of slavery. The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and brought a huge new area into the United States. But it didn’t decide whether slavery would be legal in those new lands. That omission meant the question of slavery’s expansion became a hot, ongoing political fight as people in new territories and in Congress argued over where slavery should be allowed. That clash helped push the nation toward the major sectional conflicts of the 1850s and, ultimately, the Civil War. The treaty didn’t immediately abolish slavery, pay reparations, or settle all territorial disputes; its lasting impact lies in fueling the debate over slavery in the territories.