The US-Mexico War, 1846-1848

“…The agrarian development of this period can be seen as the last in a series of crises that eroded the centuries old class structure of the Mexican ranch settlements. By 1920, the Texas Mexican people had generally been reduced, except in a few border counties, to the status of landless and dependent wage laborers” (Montejano)

The US-Mexican was the commencement of change in lives of the Mexican people near the border. The war began on April 25, 1846 and it ended on February 2, 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe – Hidalgo. This treaty marked not only Texas as US territory, but all the northern half of Mexico’s territory as well. In return, Mexico received 15 million dollars and also a “sense of crisis” that the people had to deal with as they realized that their lives would change forever as the United States actively entered their lives.

Ever since a contract was made with Stephen F. Austin with the consent of the Mexican government, in 1824, the first Anglo – Americans settled in Texas. This contract allowed the Anglo’s own land in Texas with the as long as they adhered to certain conditions such as: becoming Mexican citizens, integrating into Mexican society, converting to Catholicism, and obeying Mexican law, among others. Between 1830 and 1840 more than one thousand families migrated each year. The Anglos in Texas, not willing to adhere to the conditions that were in place decided to openly revolt Mexican rule in 1830.

This causes General Santa Anna to get rid of the rebels at the Alamo which later causes the United States to fight back. The battle at San Jacinto is causes the defeat of Santa Anna and the loss of Texas. In addition to the loss of Texas, there was a dispute over the Nueces river area being claimed as part of Texas. This dispute and the willingness of the United States to annex Texas unleashed the war between both nations. It is here where the novel Caballero comes into context. Disputes, conflicts, within the Mexican community and with the Anglo community in Texas cause tensions after the war. There is resentment towards the Anglos for causing dispossession of land, recriminations, violence, and revenge of the Mexican population in Texas. As time passed, like Montejano explained the Mexican population had been reduced to laborers, in a land that was formerly belonged to them, mostly due to racist feelings.

--Continue to: Exposing Invisible Systems of Oppression: Sexism, Gender Non-Conformity, and Classism in Mexican-American Culture--

1.)http://www.oberlin.edu/faculty/svolk/latinam.htm

2.)Dew on a Thorn

3.)Lecture 09/16/09 – US – Mexican War