Mexican American History

Mexican American History

Mexican American History Facts

Very little is learned about the Mexican American history and culture in the United States schools.

This is very unfortunate.

However, what is even more unfortunate is the systematic attempt by the U.S.A educational system to change the history and by doing so to change the present.

For example, how would the American people feel about the Mexican Americans if they knew that the first European settlement in what is now United States was established by the Spanish explorer Lucas Vazquez de Ayllon, in Georgia in 1526; which is 80 years before the English immigrants arrived in Virginia in 1607?

Or what about the Mexican American war outcome?

How many Americans know the real reason for the Mexican American war and who started it?

Not that many

Many historical facts were deliberately changed and altered so that the existing historical facts would make Mexico look like the aggressor and the United States as the liberator in the Mexican American war.

However, the only thing that the United States liberated in the Mexican American war was the 55% of the Mexican territory from Mexico.

The peace treaty that ended the Mexican American war (The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo) that was dictated by the United States to the Mexican government provided for the Mexican cession of 55% of Mexican territories to the U.S.

Territories that U.S. annexed from Mexico include the whole modern U.S. States of Texas*, California, Nevada and Utah as well as the parts of the modern U.S. States of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Wyoming.

Also, even though the peace treaty promised that the landowners in this newly acquired territory would enjoy full rights and protection of their property as if they were citizens of the United States, many former citizens of Mexico lost their land as a result of legislation passed after the treaty.

Unfortunately many Mexicans (the first official-unofficial Mexican Americans) were not just robed by the American government but they were also ethnically cleansed.

Those that stayed in the United States were discriminated against and humiliated in many different ways.

During The Great Depression which occurred a decade before the WWII, the United States government sponsored a special Mexican solution (Mexican Repatriation program) which (officially) was intended to encourage people to voluntarily move to Mexico however hundreds of thousands were deported against their will.

More than 500,000 individuals were deported and the worst part is that approximately 60 percent of them were actually United States citizens (the Mexican Americans).

Mexican American History WWII

During World War II, between 300,000 and 500,000 Mexican Americans served in the US armed forces and defended the United States with their lives.

Mexican Americans were generally integrated into regular military units because at the time the Hispanics were included in the general white population census count in the United States.

This however didnt mean that they had the same rights as white American soldiers. Even though the Mexican American soldiers were good enough to die for their country they were not good enough for their country to take care of them when wounded or disabled in a battle.

Many Mexican American war veterans were discriminated against and even denied medical services by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs when they arrived home.

As you can see the big part of the Mexican American history is the discrimination, injustice, deportation, ethical cleansing, and suffering.

However, this didnt make the Mexican Americans depressive, pessimistic or hopeless; it made them strong, resilient and proud.

Mexican Americans are one of the most optimistic Americans. They love life and cherish every moment they are blessed with.