The History of Mexican Americans Essay - 2462 Words

In the Preface of Major Problems in Mexican American History Zaragosa Vargas writes, Nearly two thirds of Latinos in the United States are of Mexican descent, or Chicanos- a term of self definition that emerged during the 1960s and early 1970s civil rights movement. Chicanos reside mainly in the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest. Their history begins in the precolonial Spanish era, and they share a rich mestizo cultural heritage of Spanish, Indian, and African origins. The Chicanos past is underscored by conquest of the present-day American Southwest first by the Spanish and then by the United States following the Mexican American War (xv). When one thinks of a Chicano one thinks of the Mayans and Aztecs, the conquests,†¦show more content†¦It shows the struggle and emotions of the Chicanos. Some of the murals like the mural of Mexican history and an unknown really shows all the aspect of their history. It shows the natives, women, men, revolutionaries and th e major figures in Mexican history. The home page shows a drawing that represents the mixture of race which makes up the Chicano identity, the Native, Spaniard, and mestizo. This is a very visual history and one can pick some of the emotions and struggle through the paintings but one needs to understand the written history in order to appreciate it better because it makes it easier to identify especially with the major figures. Michelle Rosado makes an interesting point about the murals in the Chicano web site, when she mentions that one may think that this is the history of all Mexican-Americans, but it is not. The effect of certain events that occurred in Mexican-American history on this community and California, such as the Chicano Civil Rights Movement and the Chicano Moratorium march against the Vietnam war, is addressed. The major outcome of these events emphasized by the web site is the influence it had on art in the Mexican-American culture. However, the history and other ef fects on all Mexican-Americans throughout the United states is not discussed. I agre with Michelle Rosado that similar to the web site it [the documentary] does not talk about the very beggining of the Mexican-AmericanShow MoreRelatedAmerican History : The Mexican American War1363 Words   |  6 Pages Throughout American History, started from Jamestown Americans started to settle upon Native American land by wiping them out or forcing them to move west. By 1846 throughout 1848, Americans approach Mexican territory’s land which they were eager to conquer and Manifest Density that was unstoppable and a goal for the United States. The conflict was the Mexicans weren t going to give up their land because of a selfish belief and were provoked to go to war against a stronger nation. A war broke outRead MoreMexican American Forgotten in History1392 Words   |  6 PagesWorld War II brought forward the opportunity for many Mexican Americans to show their commitment to this country . United states was lacking men labor because of the recruitment of men for the army. This gave hope for many that wanted to escape their harsh lives back at home. This war was a fight for power and United States needed more support, which led them seeking help. Latinos made great contributions in Worl d War II efforts but still are those like Ken Burns who believes otherwise . WorldRead MoreAmerican History : The Mexican American War Essay1413 Words   |  6 Pagestoday was the Mexican-American war. This war not only shaped American politics for decades, but also fueled the sectional crisis that culminated into the infamous Civil War. 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It allowed the young nation to uncover what their true values were and come into its potential as a world power. The Mexican-American war cemented the United States’ role as a world power as the people banded together and put aside differences to secure the supremacy of their way of life. It expanded the val ues of the American society beyond parochial lives and improved the overall quality of lifeRead More Recovering History, Constructing Race: the Indian, Black, and White Roots of Mexican Americans1677 Words   |  7 PagesRecovering History, Constructing Race: the Indian, Black, and White Roots of Mexican Americans Recovering Aztlan : Racial Formation Through a Shared History (1) Traditionally history of the Americas and American population has been taught in a direction heading west from Europe to the California frontier. 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