Chapter 17: Mexicano Contributions to the Southwest Essential Question: How have Mexicano contributions influenced life in the United States? Objectives In the course of reading this chapter and participating in the classroom activity, students will Social Studies · identify the effects of the Mexican-American War on Mexicanos. · analyze the influence of Mexicano contributions on the culture and economy of the Southwest in the 1800s and the United States today. · demonstrate an understanding of Mexicano contributions in their communities. Social Studies Vocabulary Key Content Terms Mexicanos, irrigation Academic Vocabulary tradition, accompaniment, procession Section 1 Introduction The Texas War for Independence and the Mexican- American War in the 1840s had a lasting effect on the people of the Southwest. Spanish-speaking people had made their homes in the region since the days of the conquistadors in the 1500s. By 1848, from 80,000 to 100,000 Mexicanos, or Mexican citizens, lived in the territories given up by Mexico in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Most of these people remained in the Southwest and became U.S. citizens. The treaty with Mexico promised Mexican Americans full citizenship rights, the right to keep their property, and the right to use their language. These promises were not kept. Armed with the belief that they were a superior people, white settlers pushed Mexicanos off their land. Whites also made it illegal for Mexicano children to speak Spanish in schools. They found ways to keep Mexicanos from exercising their right to vote. Mexicanos protested each of these assaults on their rights. But the government did little to protect them. Before long, Mexican Americans found themselves, in the words of one historian, "foreigners in their native land." The problems of prejudice, poverty, and lack of political power persisted well into the 20th century. Despite much progress, many of these problems are still with us today. Yet, Mexican Americans also had a deep influence on their new country. Even though most white settlers had little respect for Mexican Americans, they freely borrowed much that was useful from them. Spanish words and Mexican foods, laws, technology, and architecture all became a lasting part of the Southwest culture. In this chapter, you will learn about many contributions Mexicanos made to American life. Section 2 - Mining Mining in the West developed in three waves-gold, silver, and copper. Each wave depended on the contribution of Mexican miners. Mexicanos[Mexicanos: Spanish-speaking people who, in the 1800s,
lived in parts of the United States that previously belonged to Mexico] came to the Southwest with a rich mining tradition[tradition: an inherited or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior]. They knew where to look for precious metals and how to get them out of the ground. Gold Mining The Americans who rushed to California in 1849 had many skills. But they knew nothing about mining. Mexicanos introduced them to the batea (bah-TAY-ah), or gold pan. Miners scooped up mud from streambeds with the batea. Then they swished it around to wash away the lightweight sand. The heavier flakes