3. The Spaniards
• Religion was important in the Spanish Culture
• Spanish adopted Roman Catholic faith
• Spanish empire set up colonies in the
Americas for trading and to spread the
Christian Faith
4. The Amerindians
• Native Americans were known as “Indians”
after several European explorers traveled west
in an attempt to reach India/Asia
• Native Americans originated from Alaska and
Siberia
• During the ice age, they migrated to what is
now known as the Americas
5. Conquest of Mexico
• Hernan Cortes led the conquest of the
Mexica/Aztec Empire from 1519-1521
• Mexicas rebelled and overwelmed the
Spanish, inflicting horrific casualties. Cortes
himself barely escaped
• Spanish retaliated and after nearly 500 years
of conquest, dismantled the Aztec Empire
• Today, Mexicas have a profound influence on
our culture as Americans
7. Spanish Exploration
• After the conquest of the Aztecs, the Spanish
looked north in their search for God, Gold, and
Glory
• The Spanish first explored what is now known as
the American South East near the Caribbean
• Later, they wanted to expand their northern
borders near the Pacific Ocean
• However, their failure to find gold stopped them
from going any further North.
8. The settlement of New Mexico
• The Spanish Incursion resulted in permanent
settlement of New Mexico.
• There was a significant decline in their Indian
labor force due to the spread of European
diseases.
• The columnists lived among Native People
because they were potential Christian
converts and workers.
9. Settlement of Northern Frontier
• Rene-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, went
down to Mississippi River to Gulf of Mexico
and named surrounding land Louisiana after
his King Louis XIV.
• Because of this the Spanish sent people out to
Eastern Texas and claimed it as province.
• This attempt at colonization failed due to a
lack of man power and Indian rebellions.
11. Mexican Independence
• Eventually, the Spanish Empire collapsed
leaving the Mexican people free of their reign.
• Latin American Revolutions were started by
Creoles who were people of Spanish decent
born in America.
• In the far North, the transition from Spanish to
Mexican rule happens seamlessly with little
violence.
12. California
• California took no part in the events that
resulted in the Mexican Independence.
• Although the Spanish did not support the
California provinces very well, Mexican rule
gave them a bunch of support.
• Under Mexican rule about 500 private rancho
land grants were made compared to 20 during
Spanish period.
13. The Clash of Cultures
• The Mexican government was pressured by
Englo immigration in East Texas.
• Thousands of Americans entered Texas
without Mexican authorization and by 1830
anglo’s out numbered Mexicans 25,000 to
4,000.
• Anglos and Mexicans separated by
language, religious, and political differences.
15. Gringos and Greasers
• Anti-Mexican Americans during second half of
19th century were strong throughout the
SouthWest.
• Because Spanish speaking Immigrants were
successful in Goldmine California the Angelo
Americans inflammed public opinion against the
“Greasers” to get rid of their competition.
• Although there was much hostile between both
groups some Mexicanos adjusted better to the
new regime.
16. California
• During the mid 1800’s numerous Gold
deposits were discovered in California leading
to mass migration.
• The most successful of early miners were Latin
Americans who arrived from South America
and Mexico.
• Envy and racism resulted in an attempt to
drive Spanish speaking peoples from the Gold
fields.
17. New Mexico
• The Hispanic population in New Mexico was able
to preserve heritage better then in other parts of
the SouthWest.
• The Native Spanish Speaking population of New
Mexico were referred to as Hispanos.
• However, the preservation of their land proved to
be impossible yet the Hispanic culture was kept in
tact and continued to serve as a point of
reference by which people viewed their past and
future.
19. Motives for Mexican immigration
• Mexicans were among the first people who
made the United States their home.
• After the first World War I, immigration laws
passed to regulate immigration.
• The Mexican Revolution was one major causes
of Mexican immigration.
20. The Mexican Revolution
• Since the beginning of the century, Mexicans
enter large numbers in United States.
• Life in Mexico is way more oppressive then in
the United States.
• first few decades of 21st Century were
dominated by a revolution which indicated
massive discontent among the people.
21. The Immigrants
• After being driven out of Mexico many
immigrants were attracted to the SouthWest
for political, economic, religious, and other
reasons.
• Most were poor and made the dangerous
journey to the North in the early 20th century.
• Several Mexican immigrants gathered around
El Paso Texas and in other boarder towns.
23. The Depression
• In the 1930’s America had a depression because
the stock market had crashed and it affected
Mexico.
• Jobs were scarce for the American people and the
Mexicans who came into America did not have as
good of a chance of a getting a job.
• Many people lost their jobs and homes.
• Weather in the SouthWest was better and there
were more jobs but then many people moved on
them and people were competing for the same
job.
24. The Dust Bowl Migration
• Farm income in the United States dropped by
2/3 between 1929-1933.
• Droughts and windstorms destroyed most of
the crops which led to the abandonment of
the Mid West.
• Some parts of the Dust Bowl lost up to 40% of
their population.
25. Mexicanas and the labor movement
• During the strikes of the 1930’s Mexicanos
played powerful roles in economic interests.
• By the 1930’s Mexican women played an
important role in the emerging role in the
Union movement in the SouthWest.
• By now Mexicanos, many who were born in
the United States , were beginning to realize
they would not turn back and go to Mexico.
27. Mexicanos in the Military
• For Mexicans World War II represented an
opportunity to enter the American
mainstream.
• At the time the military counted Latinos as
whites.
• Mexicanos who survived the war grew by
experience.
28. Urbanization:Trials and Tribulations
• The best jobs are found in cities.
• During the War there were more job
opportunities and so more Mexicans moved
into the cities in large numbers.
• Zoot Suit Riots caused trama for Mexicans.
29. The Mexican American Generation
• The emerging middle class in Mexicano
communities in the United States began to call
themselves Latin Americans, Mexican
Americans, or Spanish Americans.
• They were willing to gain acceptance into the
dominate society at any cost.
• During WWII most Mexicanos began to see
the advantage of remaining in the United
States instead of returning to Mexico.
31. The Mexicano Community In The Mid
sixties
• Following the African American community which
started a massive civil rights movement, many
Mexicanos began to call themselves Chicanos or
Chicanas.
• They started their own campaign to improve
social or economic conditions and full recognition
of their rights as US citizens.
• Because of their lack of education, most
Mexicanos were employed as unskilled or semi-
skilled workers in low wage jobs.
32. Chavez, Huerta, and the United Farm
Workers
• The Chicano movement consisted of hundreds
of organizations that focused on a variety of
issues.
• One of the key organizations was the United
Farm Workers led by Cesar Charvez and
Dolores Huerta.
• The UFW always focused on the family unit so
women gained prominent rules in the Unions
activities.
33. The Chicano Movement In the
Community
• The Chicano Movement played an important
role in the schools and the barrios.
• The movement was particularly popular
among the working class.
• One of the more extreme organizations was
the brown berets which was a paramilitary
group founded in East Los Angeles by college
students.
35. Demographic Trends
• Mexicanos maintained a high profile in
America in the 1970’s.
• There was a great increase In Hispanics which
included Mexicans, Puerto
Ricans, Cubans, and other Latin Americans.
• California in the 1990’s achieved a hispanic
majority in 109 towns.
36. The Resurgence of Mexican
Immigration
• Beginning in the 1960’s there was a massive
immigration from Mexico the United States that
still continues today.
• The number of Mexicans apprehended by the
immigration and naturalization service for illegal
entry exceeded one million in the 1960’s and
seven million in the 1970’s.
• The Majority of boarder crossers were
undocumented workers who wanted economic
gain.
37. The Decade of the Hispanic: The
Unfulfilled Promise
• The 1980’s were nicknamed the “Decade of
the Hispanic”.
• The post Chicano generation found that it had
underestimated the resistance and change in
the society and over estimated its ability to
resolve long term problems.
• By the late 1980’s major Mexican crime
syndicates began to form.
39. Mexicanos Galore
• Its impossible to know how many immigrants
there are in the United States.
• This is because Mexican immigration has a large
undocumented population.
• One of the key factors of Mexican immigration
was Mexicos failure to provide their citizens with
a decent living.
• Mexicans wanted to live a better life style and
have their family have a better lifestyle so they
immigrated to the US.
40. Stemming the Tide
• Immigration laws like RICA failed to stem the
Southern immigration movement.
• This resurrected Xenophobic feelings towards
Mexicans.
• In an attempt to placate critics, the federal
government began to use extreme measures
like the Fence Act, signed by President W.
Bush in 2006.
41. Popular Culture: Mexicanos and The
Wide World of Sports.
• Immigrant groups have been getting into the
mainstream that is America’s sports.
• Since the 1920’s to the present, Mexicans
have been immersing themselves in sports like
Baseball or Soccer to win acceptance in the
American Society.
• As an oppressed ethnic minority, Mexicans
have been seeking hero's who can portray a
positive image in mainstream society.
