page_title: Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
section_title: History of representation
hierarchical_section_title: Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress / History of representation
caption_attribution_description: English: Original Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, from the Library of Congress.
context_page_description: Hispanic and Latino Americans have served in the United States Congress since the early 19th century. The first group elected to serve in the Congress were incorporated as part of the United States territorial expansion into previous Spanish territories of the North American mainland as part of American campaigns of Manifest Destiny. The earliest Hispanic and Latino Representation in Congress came in the form of territorial delegates from newly acquired territories, such as Florida, New Mexico, and more, serving as representatives for territories that later on join the United States with full statehood. The history of Latino and Hispanic Americans in Congress is intertwined with the history of United States expansion on the North American mainland, with expansion into previous Spanish and Mexican lands leading to expansions in Hispanic and Latino influence in Congress.
  The early periods of Hispanic and Latino representation in Congress struggled from inabilities to gain legislative traction as positions as territorial delegates were often met with skepticism from other members of Congress as they were categorized as outsiders.
caption: February 2, 1848 signed Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War and gave large segments of Mexican land to the United States.
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