My History Not Yours

In this paper, I will be summarizing the following chapters: Chapter 3: "A Legacy of Hate: The Conquest of Mexico’s Northwest”; Chapter 4: “Remember the Alamo: The Colonization of Texas”; and Chapter 5: “Freedom in a Cage: The Colonization of New Mexico. All three chapters are from the book, “Occupied America, A History of Chicanos” by Rodolfo F. Acuna. In chapter three, Acuna explains the causes of the war between Mexico and North America. In chapter four, Acuna explains the colonization of Texas and how Mexicans migrated from Mexico to Texas. In chapter five, Acuna explains the colonization of New Mexico and the economic changes that the people had to go through.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1948 would have lasting negative effects on Mexican Americans. The Treaty was signed after America had won the Mexican American war. America gained possession of the southwest states that had been part of Mexico for the price of around eighteen million dollars. In Article IX of the Treaty, it states that the Mexicans "shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property, and secured in the free exercise of their religion without restriction"(Vargas 139). And as Rachel Rivera points out Article VII promised the Mexicans the right to keep their land which previously belonged to Mexico. However, the Treaty would not grant the

The aftermath of the Mexican American warManifest Destiney, the annexation of Texas, and the actions of President John Polk are all factors leading up to the Mexican-american war. It is known that the annexation of Texas was what pushed Mexico leaders over the edge. In 1836 Texas gained independence from Mexico, after becoming an American State the relationship between Mexico and the U.S quickly came to an end. Polk not only had his eyes on Texas but also on California and New Mexico. Polk won the support of the american people by declaring he would complete Americas Manifest Destiny, to reach the West coast. Mexico denied Polk’s offer to buy these lands, leading America to send troops onto disputed territory. April 25, 1846 Mexican troops killed american soldiers on the disputed land, marking the beginning of the war, this was the battle of Palo Alto. The Mexican-American war had a major impact on both Mexico and U.S history. This essay will discuss the political, social, and economical effects between Mexico and the U.S after the Mexican American war.

They accused us of robbing land from them. “Restless Spirits discontented at home… the work of rebellion sped” {Doc. D Paragraph 3} We then accused our newcomers from Texas of stealing the land. “...Might just charge our citizens with disgraceful robbery…” {Doc. D Paragraph 3} This evidence shows the US was unjustified in going to war with Mexico because we were the ones who stole the land from them but blamed our newcomers, because Mexico did not yet know these newcomers so would most likely not bring much harm. Mexico only wanted the disputed territory to make up for the land we robbed from them, they didn’t want any

Signed on February 2, 1848, in Guadalupe Hidalgo, a city north of the capital. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by the U.S. and Mexico. The United States appointed Nicholas P. Trist, a citizen of the United States and the Mexican Republic has appointed Don Luis Gonzaga Cuevas, Don Bernardo Couto, and Don Miguel Atristain. This Treaty, brought to an end the Mexican American War. Bringing peace between the two countries. The U.S. called for Mexico to cede 55% of its territory, extending the boundaries of the United States by over 525,000 sq/m. This newly acquired land is what is known as present day Texas, California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado,and Wyoming. In exchange for this land, Mexico received a $15 million compensation.

The Mexican War of 1846-1848 was one of major importance to U.S. history, but has since fallen into annals of obscurity. It was the nation’s first war fought on foreign soil: a war that advocated the concept of “manifest destiny”, the United States God-given right to claim territory for the establishment of a free democratic society (Stevenson 2009). Even though many historians claim the war was forced on Mexico by slaveholders greedy for new territory, President John Polk viewed the war as an opportunity to defend the annexation of Texas, establish the Rio Grande as its border, and to acquire the Mexican territories of California and New Mexico (Stevenson 2009).

In Doc D Para 2, the quote said, “Slaveholders crossed the Sabine River with their slaves, in defiance of the Mexican ordinance of freedom.” The location of the Sabine RIver is between Louisiana and Texas so people in the United States were moving into Texas. The most likely people coming into Texas from their state would be California. California had white people moving into the state. (Doc A Para 3) America was losing people. “Mexico was achieving their independence and decreed the abolition of human slavery embracing the province of Texas”(Doc D Para 1). The US was justified in going into war in Mexico because Mexico was gaining independence by having more people in

Mexico still looked at Texas as a “part of Mexico” because they believed the treaty that General Santa Ana signed was not fair or did not apply due to the General being forced to sign it. “When the Mexican government learned of the treaty signed between Texas and the United States… [Mexico] would consider such an act an act ‘a declaration of war’” ( Since the Mexican Government still considered Texas a part of Mexico, they saw this as a land grab from Mexico, giving them all the incentive needed to declare war. “The American government acted like a bandit who came upon a traveler.” (Document C)

The Mexican-American war fought between 1846 and 1848 remains a topic of much contention amongst modern historians. Differing accounts and conclusions of the war are often presented and one must remain pragmatic when analysing both primary and secondary sources regarding the war. There is a clear time line of events that led to the outbreak of the war, but there is one major event, and one minor action, which directly resulted in the declarations of war on both sides of the conflict between Mexico and the United States. Most scholars agree that the annexation of the Republic of Texas by

Mexico and the United States have a rough history, as tension from the U.S. annexing Texas strained their relationship. The U.S. and Mexico couldn’t agree on a border, the U.S. believing it was the Rio Grande and Mexico believing they had all the land to the Nueces River. The remaining land in between was called undisputed land, or territory both countries shared. On May 9, 1846, Mexican soldiers shot a group of Americans patrolling the Rio Grande, inducing one of the more arguable wars, The Mexican War. In Mexico, this war is referred to as “The U.S. Invasion”, but in reality, both sides were in the wrong.

Dr. Henderson’s purpose for writing A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States is to explain the causes of Mexico going to war with the United States in 1846, and the reasons Mexico suffered severely from it. Dr. Henderson’s focus throughout the book is not solely on the military tactics, but rather on the political and diplomatic maneuvering. This approach to the book is to provide to the reader the conflict’s real significance, as to the how and why the United States and Mexico went to war. This book does not point blame at either side, but tells the war from the Mexican point of view. Furthermore, Dr. Henderson explores Mexico’s weaknesses at the time and how those weaknesses led to the war with the United States.

As the Article VIII states, “Mexicans now established in territories previously belonging to Mexico, and which remain for the future within the limits of the United States, as defined by the present Treaty, shall be free to continue where they now reside, or to remove at any time to the Mexican Republic” (O’Sullivan 122). Their rights to the property were also promised to be respected. Moreover, Mexicans living in the annexed territory henceforth ceded their Mexican citizenship and became Americans due to Article IX, where it states, “The Mexicans who, in the territories aforesaid, shall not preserve the character of citizens of the Mexican Republic” (O’Sullivan 122). Despite the promise of enjoyment of American rights the occupants of the acquired land found life harsh as the U.S. did not honor what it guaranteed on the treaty. Citizens of Eastern American started moving to the new territory almost immediately after the annexation. The Mexicans were robbed of their properties and land by the new occupants. The legal and outright oppression of Mexican negated them to second class citizens in the US. The new citizens were not part of Mexico, yet they were subjected to oppression in their new country. The Mexicans were therefore colonized citizens of the US. They were used as laborers in their territory by the White occupants. Article VIII of the treaty which was the

It is 9 March 1916, very early in the morning a big group of Mexican revolutionaries loyal to Francisco (Pancho) Villa was heading towards the town of Columbus, NM. A raid was in the works and the events that were about to take place in that border town were unknown by the detachment of U.S. soldiers from the 13th Cavalry Regiment guarding the post.

The regions acquired by America in the Mexican-American war of 1846 to 1848 don't agree with the course of action of organization. Bigotry and detachment among various general population are not recognized by the general population. It is the motivation behind why others are seen troubled and alone.

On 1821 Mexico won its independence from Spain becoming a young independent country. Mexico was faced with many challenges after the wars for independence. The economy had been ravaged. Many had died. The social dislocation caused by the wars and all its residual wounds had still to be healed. And in this chaotic environment the Mexican tried to forge a nation out of growing economic, social, and political, instability. An independent Mexican congress was also formed made up of conservative criollos who debate the future course of Mexico. Mexico was organized as a federal republic composed of 19 states and 4 territories. After its independence, Mexico had a vast territory and not enough citizens to occupy the land. Mexican government afraid to losing the un-occupy land, encourage immigration from the united states to become Mexican citizen and reside on the Mexican territory called Texas. True the years, the Anglo immigrant population in taxes grow so fast that when the Mexican government try to obtain control over it was too late. According to Acuna, “By 1844 war with Mexico over Texas and the Southwest was only a matter of time. James K. Polk, who strongly advocated the annexation of Texas and expansionism in general, won the presidency by only a small margin, but his election was interpreted as a mandate for national expansion” Europeans are guilty of imperialism because in the 1830s and 1840s they took advantage of the young, independent, and unstable government of