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Mexican War: A Resource Guide

The Mexican War (1846-48) was fought between the U.S. and Mexico, ending with the boundaries of the U.S. extending to the Pacific Ocean. This guide compiles digital materials, external websites, and a selected print bibliography.

Introduction

The Mexican War was fought between the United States and Mexico (1846-48), a conflict that began with a dispute over the annexation of Texas by the U.S. in 1845. After two years of fighting and a series of American victories, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848, officially ending the war and extending the boundaries of the U.S. across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. The territory acquired included what would eventually become the states of Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.

The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a wide variety of material associated with the Mexican War, including manuscripts, broadsides, pictures, newspaper articles, and government documents. This guide compiles links to digital materials related to the Mexican War that are available throughout the Library of Congress website. In addition, it provides links to subscription databases, external websites focusing on the Mexican War, and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers.