Which treaty ended the Mexican-American War and ceded California to the United States?

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The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the agreement that officially ended the Mexican-American War, which lasted from 1846 to 1848. Signed on February 2, 1848, this treaty included significant territorial changes, whereby Mexico ceded to the United States a vast portion of its northern territories, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. This acquisition played a crucial role in shaping the future of California, which subsequently experienced a population boom during the Gold Rush of 1849.

The other treaties listed do not relate to this specific conflict or territorial transfer. The Treaty of Paris primarily refers to different historical contexts, such as the agreement that ended the American Revolutionary War. The Treaty of Tordesillas divided the New World between Spain and Portugal but did not involve Mexico or the United States. The Treaty of Versailles is often associated with the end of World War I, and while significant in its own right, it has no connection to the territorial disputes between Mexico and the United States in the mid-19th century. Thus, the treaty that specifically ceded California to the United States after the Mexican-American War is the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

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