Transcript document

Mexican American Before 1900’s
Thy
Erika Buenrostro
Yaolee Chen
Scott McKague
Elizabeth Robles
Brian
Jason Ray
Mexican American Settlers
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Mexican immigrated to the US can
roughly be placed in three
categories.
1. The first is immigrants who were left outside the borders of a
shrinking Mexico after 1836,1848, and 1853 and these were
natives who, although not really immigrants, but they were
considered foreigners in their native land by the American.
2. The second category consists of migrants who continued
entering and leaving the US in southwestern area.
3. The third and most important group , in terms of bigger
picture of immigration are Mexican who arrived in response to
the dramatically expanding need for laborer after 1880s.
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Between 1850 and 1880, 55,000 Mexican
workers immigrated to the United States to
become field hand workers in regions that had,
until very recently, belonged to Mexico.
For many Mexican immigrants, moving to the
U.S. was not necessarily a one-time journey of
permanent relocation. Since the distance was
so short, Mexican citizens could return home
relatively easily, and many did so--because of
improved conditions in Mexico, In the 1910s
and 1920s, it is estimated that more than 1
million Mexican immigrants returned to Mexico.
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need of U.S. employers for manual labor
heightened first by the expansion supported
American agriculture.
World War I also increased Mexican immigrant,
because much of the U.S. labor force was
overseas fighting the war. This open
employment opportunities for Mexicans
American jobs like industry and service fields,
working in trades such as machinists,
mechanics, painters and plumbers. These
years were ripe with employment opportunities
for Mexicans and much made the move to
major cities.
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Americans felt that immigration was beneficial and
necessary to the economy. They are seen as people
with good characters and their migration meant they
would be both producers and consumers in society
and help economic growth in the United States.
Americans were also left with the feeling that the
United States simply could not turn their backs on the
Mexican people simply because the quality of life that
they had in Mexico was minimal
The Mexican American war
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Major conflict driven by the idea of
“Manifest destiny”, God given right to
expand overseas
Tension grew between Mexico and US
after Texas independence
It caused a great deal of suffering for
many mexicans
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
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Signed in Feb 2, 1848
55% Mexican territory annexed including CA,
NV,AZ,NM,UT
$15 million paid in compensation for territory
Mexicans given the choice of citizenship
Mexicans now “foreigners in their own land”
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Democracy for Anglos only. Mexicans
not granted suffrage.
New tax system dispossess Mexicans
from land
Tax system was color blind and applied
to everyone
Mexicans lost their land to Anglos who
would pay the taxes
Gender roles
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The history of Mexican woman can be traced back to the
18th century when the Spanish missionaries brought
their wives and children to live in California. The man
was a missionary. He played a role like a shepherd to
his sheep. The Spanish woman worked as a midwife,
who helped the Indian woman to deliver the babies.
After the babies were delivered, the Spanish woman
often baptized the Indian babies and converted the
Indian babies into the Catholics. The Spanish woman
during the colonial period played a role like a mother to
the Indian children.
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The Napoleon War fought in 1815-1820 around. Because of the
political instability in Spain, the Mexican Government stroke for the
independence. In the year of 1820, the Mexican government
received California from the hand of Spain. And the California
became a state of Mexico. The Rancheros were the Mexican
governors who lived in California. The Rancheros often received a
huge land grand from the Mexican government. The population of
Rancheros was only 3% of the Californian’s. The rest of the
people, they worked in the Ranchos. The Indian man crafted tools,
chairs, and other valuable materials for the Rancheros. The Indian
woman cooked the dishes, cleaned the houses, and baby-sat the
children for the families of Ranchero. And, there were the cowboys
and the cowgirls, watching cattle on the Ranchos. In general, the
man's job and the woman's jobs in the Ranchos were different,
except the children.
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The story changed in the late 19th century. The rise
of the American Industries required a great number
of labor worker. Usually, the immigrants were paid
poorly because they were the non-skillful workers.
The Mexican children were about in the same
condition as if they were the children of immigrant.
The Mexican boys worked in the coal mining camps.
They were muddy and dirty. For other Mexican
boys, who worked in the factories, they often lost
their fingers or toes during the works. The Mexican
girls worked in the laundry shops, the hotels, the
restaurants, the garment factories, or the cannery
industries.
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Since the Industrial Revolution, the types of
man's job and woman's job are not much
different. An increasing number of Mexican man
performed woman's jobs in the cities because of
that the types of job were well paid in the cities.
And they were the food processors, chefs,
bakers, laundry operators, and garment factory
workers.
A garment factory worker, for example, was not
always a woman. A Mexican man worked as a
garment factory worker too, by the turn of the
century.
Technology and Mexican
American Childhood
Introduction
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California was remote region in
Spanish empire
Remained isolated within Mexican
Republic
Referred to themselves as
Californios
Held large tracts of land called
Ranchos
Traded with Americans, principal
goods of trade
Life on the Rancho 1850
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After the war, initially, life changed
little in the southern ranchos
A child living in the early 1850’s on
large rancho would be exposed to:
hide and tallow production for
commercial trade
for local trade, tanners, soap
makers, harness makers
household included cook, baker,
and winemaker
Change was coming
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Land Act of 1851
Legitimize Californios land claims
The ranchos in the north were the
first to go
Many of the ranchos in the south
remained intact
Life on the rancho 1860
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child living on a rancho in 1860
rancho was considerably smaller
There were considerably fewer
ranchos
Californios were losing economic
dominance to Anglos
New Technology
Arrives!
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First railroad arrives in Southern
California 1869
opened up Southern Cal to land
speculation
higher land taxes and lawyer fees
for Californios
Life on the rancho 1875
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child living on a rancho in 1875
very few left
Californios, once landowners, now
wage laborers
mortgaged property lost to banks,
lawyers, money lenders
Say good-bye
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1887 railroad brought in 120,00
Anglo settlers to Southern
California
total Mexican American population
at the time, 12,000
And then there was,
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Californios lost power and social
status
became indistinguishable form
Mexicans who came at the turn of
the century
went from dominant economic and
political power to one of prevailing
wage labor
schooling and language
changes
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Life did not change immediately, except in
texas and northern ca.
Language in central CA changed in 1852
Some remained spanish speaking until 1870’s
Schools were bi-lingual, there were bilingual
newspapers, judges, community leaders
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Language changed in 1878
Anglos dominate the west, transformed
schools
Caused Mexican to become forgotten
citizen
Play
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Mexican-American Children18501900
Play
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Mexican-American war
 Mexicans
become MexicanAmericans
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Traditional Games and Toys
Games
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Rondos
El Chicote
Lottería
El Bote
Marbles
Toys
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Trompos
El Balero
Muñecas
Paper-mache figures
Rag Dolls
Rattles and noisemakers
Mexican Religion: History
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The study of the history of religion has never
existed in Mexico as a distinct discipline.
-History of religion in Mexico coincides with
the political history of the country.
-Religious happenings date back to as early
as 40,000 BC.
Mayan: 2000bc-1500ad
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-Multiple gods: all had to do with nature
-Religion was an important part of Mayan life
that regulated almost everything
-Life dominated by priests and worship of gods
of nature and war -elaborate rituals including
sacrifice of war prisoners; respect for the dead
Colonial Religion:1500-1700
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Catholic Church’s role in Mexican history goes back
to 1519, when Hernan Cortes landed on coast of
Mexico accompanied by Roman Catholic clergy
-Virgin of Guadalupe has long been a symbol
enshrining the major aspirations of Mexican society
-Arrival of Spanish Roman inquisition(1571) to
“protect the faith”; banned Protestant bibles; became
political, executed 42% of all “Heretics” in Latin
America
Religion: 1800-1900
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The first major confrontation between the church and the state
occurred during the presidency of Benito Juarez(1855-1872).
-on July 12, 1857, Juarez declared
1.)No church could legally own property
2.)Foreigners could not serve as priests or pastors
3.)Worship services should be held exclusively in temples or
churches
4.)clergy could not directly or indirectly criticize government
authorities
5.)clergy could not vote or participate in politics
6.)mass media should not be used to promote religion
7.)government leaders supposedly should never participate in
religious ceremonies
Religion: Effect on Children
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-Religion during this time was influential in all
aspects of life including: social, political,
economical, and practical
-Children’s lives effected by long held family
beliefs and turmoil regarding religion’s role in
everyday matters
Study questions
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Who were the Californios?
What was the Land Act of 1851?
What were Mexican american called after Anglos dominated
the southwest?
When did CA stopped being a bilingual state?
Where did the game Lotteria originate?
What were dolls, or Muñecas, frequently made from?
As a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, how much
money did the United States paid to the Mexican
government paid for the seized land?
As a result of the Mexican American War what percentage of
territory was seized to the United States?
bibliography
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Meir, Matt S. and Felicano Rivera. Dictionary of Mexican
American History.Westport Ct. Greenwood Press. 1981.
Pitt, Leonard. The Decline of the Californios, A Social
History of the Spanish- Speaking Californians, 1846-1890.
Berkeley, Ca. University of California press. 1966.
Tenenbaum, Barbara A., ed. Encyclopedia of Latin
American History and Culture. New York: C. Scribner’s
Sons; London : Simon & Schuster:
Prentice Hall International, c1996. Vol 1.
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1.)Torres, Yolotl Gonzalez. “The History of Religion and the Study of Religion in
Mexico.” Method and Theory in the Study of Religion; 2000, Vol. 12 Issue 1/2, p38,
11p. EBSCOHost.
2.)Matovina, Timothy. “Our Lady of Guadalupe: Patroness of America.”
America;12/8/2003, Vol. 189 Issue 19, p8. EBSCOHost.
3.)Isais, Juan M. “Mexico.” Christianity Today;11/16/98, Vol. 42 Issue 13, p72, 2p.
EBSCOHost
4.)“Mexico-Religion.” http://countrystudies.us/mexico/61.html
5.)“Study Guide to Map & Facts: Mexico.”
http://www.ncccusa.org/friend/religionmex.hml
6.)“The Mayan World.” http://www.mayanet.hn.copan/English/Culture/culture.html