What territory was ceded to the U.S. as a result of the Mexican Cession?

The correct answer is based on the historical context of the Mexican Cession, which occurred following the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ceded a vast amount of land from Mexico to the United States. This territory included present-day California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona, and portions of Colorado and New Mexico.

Option B accurately identifies these regions as part of the Mexican Cession, which significantly expanded U.S. territory and helped fulfill the idea of Manifest Destiny, the belief that American expansion across the continent was both justified and inevitable. The territories gained were crucial for their resources, economic potential, and role in the national debate over slavery.

The other options reference territories and states that were not part of the Mexican Cession. For instance, the regions mentioned in the other choices are unrelated to the consequences of the Mexican-American War or pertain to different historical events or acquisitions. This reinforces the significance of understanding specific treaties and territorial changes during this period of U.S. history.