Bernarda Ruiz de Rodriguez

Bernarda Ruiz de Rodriguez (1802–1880)[1] was a native Californio who brokered the Treaty of Cahuenga between American Lieutenant-Colonel John C. Frémont and Mexican Governor Andrés Pico on January 13, 1847 at Campo de Cahuenga in what is now North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Ruiz was born in Santa Barbara, California,[1] the daughter of a sergeant and an heiress.[2] When the Mexican–American War broke out, many of her sons joined the fighting. Lt. Col. John C. Frémont, along with a band of 400 men, took over Santa Barbara and made their base a hotel next to Ruiz's home, from which they were planning an attack on Los Angeles. Knowing that the Americans were likely to win, Ruiz requested, and was granted, a 10-minute audience with Fremont. The 10 minutes became several hours, while she laid out a plan for "a 'generous peace' that would include Pico's pardon, release of prisoners, equal rights for all Californians, respect of property rights, and the opportunity for Mexican citizens to peaceably return to Mexico if they wanted".[3]

After convincing Fremont, Ruiz met with Mexican Governor Andrés Pico, who arranged to draft the Treaty of Cahuenga almost entirely from Ruiz's suggestions. This Treaty became the basis of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which formally ended the Mexican–American War and ceded the Southwest to America.

References

  1. 1 2 http://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/latinashistory/ruizbernarda.pdf
  2. ↑ "Woman Helped Bring a Peaceful End to Mexican-American War". latimes.
  3. ↑ Hadley Meares. "In a State of Peace and Tranquility: Campo de Cahuenga and the Birth of American California". KCET.
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