Which treaty led to the U.S. receiving significant territorial gains from Mexico?

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is the key treaty that resulted in significant territorial gains for the United States from Mexico. Signed in 1848, this treaty concluded the Mexican-American War, which had stemmed from territorial disputes following the annexation of Texas by the U.S. The treaty stipulated that Mexico ceded a vast amount of territory to the United States, including present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. This expansion was pivotal in shaping the borders of the United States and set the stage for further westward expansion.

In contrast, the Treaty of Cahuenga primarily addressed the end of hostilities in California during the Mexican-American War and did not entail significant territorial changes. The Compromise of 1850 was a series of legislative measures aimed at balancing free and slave states and did not involve a treaty with Mexico. The Chinese Exclusion Act was an immigration law that restricted Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. and had no relevance to territorial gains. Thus, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo stands as the definitive document that facilitated a large-scale acquisition of land following the war with Mexico.