著者

牛島 万

出版者

城西大学

雑誌

国際文化研究所紀要 (ISSN:13412663)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.8, pp.1-34, 2002-10-01

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The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was an extremely remarkable event for both Mexico and the United States of America, and makes a huge impact on their political and economic evolution. The U.S., which was the winner of this war, made Mexico cede California, New Mexico to the U.S., concluding the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in February 1848. The U.S. also obtained Oregon from Great Britain in 1846. The U.S. had completed the establishment of its Continental Empire, and this can be seen in the sudden elevation of Manifest Destiny. Therefore, in this war, the U.S. established the basis on which in the future it would continue on its way to world hegemony. The U.S. obtained a huge territory, namely, the West, expanded its domestic commerce, and enlarged its industrial sector in about thirty years after the war. In contrast, Mexico, defeated in this war, was not only forced to decline the country's force, but also to continue its political disorder after the war. Continuing internal conflicts and intervention by foreign countries promoted Mexico's economic underdevelopment. On this point, the Mexican-American War signals the beginning of a pessimistic history, and the gap which continued between the two countries remains now even after more then 150 years. For these reasons, an understanding of the Mexican-American War is essential to an understanding of the general relations between two countries.