History

Historical Progression of Mexican Americans

Mexican Americans have had a very rough life and our history books tend to show them in very menial roles. Although Mexican American’s are not well known for making huge contributions to our history they were major players in helping shape our country into what it is today. Hispanics have had to prove themselves throughout history and still continue to fight this up hill battle for equality. There have been major changes to the Mexican American culture however it is still a society that is still not looked upon as an equal. Mexican American’s are still carrying the stigmata of being inferior due to things like lack of education or racial profiling or only being good for cheap labor. As Mexican American’s show through their many advances in history and by continuing to persevere and change the perception of who they are hopefully the can be accepted by society as they should be.

In Unit One the new found era of transportation by railroad brought about many changes to the Southwest along with other states and territories that bordered Mexico. As the new markets and industries were rising new people began to settle from the east and south across the Mexican borer. (Davidson et. al. 2008 p.517) Both Hispanos and Indians soon learned that they had to either accept the vast amount of Anglos or resist them. Some people like the “Ricos" , often aligned themselves with Anglos against their country folk to protect their status and property.” (Davidson et. al. 2008 p.517) Not all Anglos however were friendly and they often fought Hispanos and it was the politicians and lawyers who used the law in their favor to deprive them of their property.

The Southern economy relied on African American labor and the Southwest soon began to rely on the labor of Mexicans. Mexican immigrants mainly worked as seasonal and contract workers for railroad and large farms. Many of the workers settled in cities that were close to the rail lines...