This reblog from our friends at Today’s Document shows the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, the peace treaty that ended the Mexican-American War. From a materials perspective, it shows the complexity of some of our “textual” holdings. For items with fabric, metal, and other materials, many different considerations must go into storage, care, and handling. For instance, when handling metal, you should always wear gloves. However, when handling paper, you should use only your clean hands. Wearing gloves interferes with your ability to feel the paper and might result in breaking or tearing.

todaysdocument:

This treaty, signed on February 2, 1848, ended the war between the United States and Mexico. By its terms, Mexico ceded 55 percent of its territory, including parts of present-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah, to the United States.

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo [Exchange copy], 02/02/1848

Source: research.archives.gov