As a result of the Mexican-American War, the United States acquired which territories?

• A. California, New Mexico, and the present Southwest.
• B. Alaska and Hawaii.
• C. The entire Caribbean.
• D. The Oregon Territory.

Answer: (A)

After the Mexican-American War, the United States gained vast western lands through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, creating what is known as the Mexican Cession. This included California, New Mexico, and a broad stretch of the present Southwest that would become parts of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. That’s why the choice California, New Mexico, and the present Southwest best fits the outcome of the war. Alaska and Hawaii were acquired later in separate events, the Oregon Territory came from negotiations with Britain, and the Caribbean was not part of this war’s territorial outcomes.