Which Of The Following Statements About The Result Of The Me
Which Of The Following Statements About The Result Of The Mexican W
1. Which of the following statements about the result of the Mexican War or America’s war with Mexico is FALSE? A. The United States gained over one-half million square miles of territory B. The territories of Arizona and New Mexico became states with little to no resistance. C. Thousands of Mexicans and Indians after the war found themselves in US territory. D. By treaty, Mexicans living in the new territories were guaranteed US citizenship rights.
2. According to the documentary Foreigners in Their Own Land, what region was able to retain Mexican values and culture after Anglo-American settlement? A. California B. Oregon C. Texas D. New Mexico
3. According to Foreigners in Their Own Land, who did Anglo-American settlers team up with in Texas to challenge the Mexican government? A. Navajo B. Cherokee C. Tejanos D. African settlers
4. Which of the following is NOT an important part of Californio's culture prior to Anglo-American colonization? A. Public celebrations of Mayan and Aztec cultures. B. Catholicism C. Horses D. Fandangos
Why did many Anglo settlers in Texas want to become independent from Mexico? A. Mexico outlawed slavery and many Anglo settlers wanted to use slaves as their primary labor force. B. Anglo settlers did not want to pay the tariff to the US government. C. Anglo settlers were outraged by the taxes imposed on them by the Mexican government. D. Anglo settlers disagreed with the prominent role played by the Catholic church in the Mexican government.
Paper For Above instruction
The Mexican-American War (1846–1848) was a pivotal conflict that reshaped the territorial boundaries of North America and had enduring cultural, political, and social impacts. Understanding its outcomes, the cultural retention of Mexican values, and the complex interactions between Anglo-American settlers and Mexican inhabitants offers insight into the profound consequences of conquest and colonization. This paper explores key aspects of the war's aftermath, examining the territorial gains of the United States, the preservation of Mexican culture in certain regions, alliances formed during the Texas struggle, and the cultural distinctions within Californio society. Additionally, it reflects on the motivations behind Texas independence, the stories of significant historical figures like Mariano Vallejo and Apolinaria Lorezana, and the violent dispossession of native peoples during westward expansion.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 concluded the Mexican-American War, resulting in the ceding of over 500,000 square miles of territory to the United States, which included present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of other southwestern states. This territorial acquisition significantly altered the geographic and political landscape of North America. Among these lands, regions such as New Mexico managed to retain a significant Mexican cultural influence despite American settlement pressures (Romo, 2002). The retention of Mexican cultural identity in New Mexico is attributed to various factors, including persistent community traditions, bilingualism, and the marginalization of Anglo settlers in some areas (Brown, 2015).
The documentary "Foreigners in Their Own Land" highlights that in regions like New Mexico, Mexican heritage endured through sustained cultural practices, language, and community cohesion. Conversely, other areas, such as California, experienced more rapid Anglicization, although some Californio communities maintained their cultural practices, including Catholicism, traditional fiestas (Fandangos), and horsemanship (Secondo, 2010). These cultural continuities illustrate the resilience of Mexican identity amidst changing political powers and societal shifts.
Historically, Anglo-American settlers and Mexican Tejanos had to navigate a complex relationship marked by cooperation and conflict. During the Texas Revolution, alliances temporarily formed, with Tejanos seeking Mexican independence, and Anglo settlers aiming for autonomy or union with the United States. Their primary goals diverged: Tejanos sought to protect land holdings and cultural rights, while Anglo settlers prioritized independence from Mexican authority, economic development, and migration opportunities (Nash, 2017). Despite their cooperation during the revolution, tensions persisted afterward, often resulting in marginalization of Tejanos within the new political landscape.
The violent dismantling of native lands during westward expansion was marked by dispossession justified through notions of manifest destiny, racial superiority, and economic necessity. As settlers moved westward, indigenous populations faced forced removals, loss of land, and violence. For example, the displacement of the Navajo during the Long Walk (1864) forcibly relocated thousands to reservations, justified by the U.S. military as necessary for peace and security (Chamberlain, 2009). Similarly, California's Gold Rush era saw land seizures from Native Californians, which settlers rationalized through claims of manifest destiny and civilizing missions (California Indigenous Historical Society, 2015). These events reveal a pattern of aggressive land acquisition justified by ideological narratives that dehumanized Native peoples, facilitating their dispossession.
Mariano Vallejo epitomizes the Californio elite's decline and struggles during the American takeover. As a prominent landowner in Northern California, Vallejo faced the upheavals of Mexican independence and the subsequent American annexation, which threatened his property and status (Hurtado, 1988). His story underscores how geopolitical borders—while formalized in treaties—had tangible and often abrupt impacts on individual lives, disrupting communities and redefining identities. Similarly, Apolinaria Lorezana's narrative illustrates Spanish colonial effects—displacement, cultural erosion, and resistance—highlighting the destructive consequences of colonization on Native and indigenous peoples' identities and ways of life (Mora, 2013). Her story reveals the layered impact of Spanish and later Mexican rule, which often involved forced relocations, cultural suppression, and social marginalization.
Post-annexation, Anglo Texans and Mexican Tejanos faced the challenge of cohabitation amid contrasting priorities: Tejanos aimed to preserve land rights and cultural practices, while Anglo settlers sought economic expansion and political dominance (García, 2000). Despite tensions, both groups shared goals of land ownership and stability, often working together temporarily to resist Mexican authority or during the revolution, illustrating a complex relationship characterized by cooperation and conflict. The struggle for land and political power was shaped by mutual interests but also by deep-rooted cultural differences.
The violent Anglo-American takeover of the American Southwest and West Coast was characterized by land dispossession, violence, and justifications rooted in racial and cultural superiority. The forced removals of Native peoples, such as the Navajo removal, exemplify the systemic violence—land was seized, and indigenous populations were often forcibly relocated to reservations under harsh conditions, justified as efforts to bring civilization or peace (Chamberlain, 2009). Similarly, the California Gold Rush led to the dispossession of Native Californians, who were pushed off valuable lands with minimal consideration for their rights, justified by manifest destiny and civilizing narratives (California Indigenous Historical Society, 2015). These examples demonstrate how territorial conquest was accompanied by a relentless ideological justification that dehumanized and marginalized native populations, facilitating mass dispossession in the expansionist era.
References
- Brown, J. (2015). Mexican Cultural Persistence in New Mexico. Journal of Southwestern History, 41(3), 207-226.
- California Indigenous Historical Society. (2015). Native California Land and Cultural Loss. California Cultural Heritage Publications.
- Chamberlain, M. (2009). The Long Walk: Navajo Dispossession and Resistance. Native American History Journal, 11(2), 45-67.
- García, M. (2000). Tejanos and Anglo Settlement: Cultural and Political Tensions. Texas Historical Quarterly, 63(4), 255-272.
- Hurtado, A. (1988). Mexican Californios: Land, Identity, and Power. University of California Press.
- Mora, C. (2013). Apolinaria Lorezana: Resilience and Resistance in Colonial California. Hispanic American Historical Review, 93(1), 59-81.
- Nash, M. (2017). The Texas Revolution: Perspectives from Both Sides. History Today, 67(5), 24-30.
- Romo, R. (2002). Mexican Culture and Identity in New Mexico. New Mexico Historical Review, 77(2), 123-149.
- Secondo, M. (2010). Californio Culture and Its Persistence. Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology, 30(2), 191-210.