What did the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo provide protection for?

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ended the Mexican-American War and had significant implications for land rights in the newly acquired territory. The treaty included provisions that aimed to protect land granted to individuals during both Spanish and Mexican rule. This protection was critical as it aimed to ensure that the land rights of Mexican landowners and residents were honored even after the territorial transfer to the United States. Many who had held land under the previous governments feared losing their properties, and the treaty's acknowledgment of these existing land grants aimed to mitigate such fears and provide a measure of security for those individuals.

The other options do not accurately represent the primary focus of the Treaty. While voting rights, educational access for women, and animal welfare might be important topics, they were not specifically addressed or protected by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, making the recognition of land grants its most substantial provision.