De La Reforma a la Segunda Guerra

Mundial:
How Events in Mexico Influenced
Mexican-Americans

Edgar S. Mendoza

Span 308
Seminar 3
Adrian Andrade
De La Reforma a la Segunda Guerra Mundial:
How Events in Mexico Influenced Mexican-Americans
The end of the Mexican-American War created a displaced population.
Mexico had just lost a war of aggression against its northern neighbor and
with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo saw a great deal of its
land mass taken by the United States. Mexicans living in what had become
part of the United States faced problems of national identity and the loss of a
sense of belonging in their own land. Influence of Mexican culture, as well as
the mother nations struggles had a continuous stream of influence on
Mexican-Americans. The most significant and measurable impact that Mexico
had from the end of the Mexican-American War to World War II on the
American Southwest was immigration. During the time of the Reforma in
Mexico and the French occupation to the Mexican Revolution, political strife
in Mexico contributed to an increase in the population of Mexican Americans.
The conditions of living in Mexico dictated immigration to the United States,
therefore political, social and economic policies in Mexico influenced the
Mexican-American population in both size and culture.
Since the Spanish had control of the American Southwest, the
occupation of this land had been characterized by three major areas,

California, New Mexico and Texas. With the addition of the Gadsden Purchase
in 1854, the United States was now able to connect these regions by railroad.
After the Mexican-American War, Mexicans faced racism by the flood of white
settlers that came from the East. Many felt that they were relegated to
becoming second-class citizens. This situation created the image of the
social bandit and the stories of heroes like Joaquin Murrieta and Tiburcio
Vazquez in California became a source of pride for the Mexican-American
community. Figures of rebellion or champions for the oppressed? Its still an
ongoing debate amongst historians, nonetheless these bandidos were the
product of the social climate of the time.
During the early 1860s Mexico faced a shift in the political ideology of
the country. The liberals, led by Benito Juarez, underwent the tremendous
task of curbing the Catholic Churchs power and redistributing land amongst
the farmers and working classes. The liberals implemented a series of
reforms to achieve the goal of equality, something that didnt sit well with
the Mexican elites and the clergy. These events led to a short civil war that
lasted roughly two years and saw Benito Juarez emerge as president and a
symbol for the poor. Napoleon, under the pretense of collecting debts owed,
attacked Mexico in 1862 and in 1864 proclaimed Maximilian I as Emperor of
Mexico. The change to a monarchy was applauded by the elites and the
clergy, who clamored for a revocation of the reform laws. Maximilian,
however, upheld the reform laws and saw to make Mexico into a progressive
nation. Due to this he lost much support and was executed in 1867. During

this time, a handful of political refugees moved to the United States and
contributed to the established Mexican-American communities.
With the death of Benito Juarez in 1872 the stage was set for the
repeating political turmoil that Mexico was accustomed to. Porfirio Diaz
sought to give the country some stability and assumed command as
President, a title that he would influence up until the Revolution of 1910.
During his rule, known as El Porfiriato, the country granted access to foreign
investors and invited a more progressive atmosphere. Diaz made great leaps
in the modernization of Mexico but like his predecessors he failed to help the
poor, especially the farmers who contested the issue of land tenure. The
expansion of the railroad helped industry in Mexico but it also made it easier
for Mexicans living in the Bajio and the Southern part of the country to reach
the United States. During this time the precursors to seasonal immigration
began to take hold thanks to the ease of transportation.
In the early 20th Century the signs of unrest began to spring up in
Mexico. In 1906, the small mining town of Cananea, Sonora saw a worker
strike protesting wage differences for Mexican and American miners resulted
in the deaths of over 20 miners. This event was more of a warning shot than
a catalyst for the events that were about to unfold. The Mexican Revolution
was a full-fledged civil war, conditions in Mexico drove many Mexicans to
search for better fortunes in El Norte. By this time, the United States was
well on its way to making large scale farming the norm, a move that called
for an increased labor force. This need created the demand for labor, an

opportunity that many Mexican families couldnt afford to refuse. All the
while they came and worked in the United States, many Mexicans retained a
sense of national pride and hoped to one day return to Mexico.
In the years the followed the end of the revolution, many Mexicans
emigrated north and became a crucial part of the agricultural system in the
United States. Even throughout the First World War and the Great Depression
Mexicans continued to work in the fields and remained undocumented. By
this time, many Mexican-Americans were assimilating to American culture
but still retained some of their national identity. When World War II came
about, an estimated 250,000 to 500,000 Latinos served their country.
The proximity to the United States and the shared heritage allowed
events in Mexico to hold a great deal of influence with Mexican-Americans
living in the United States. The history of Mexico and Mexican-Americans
goes hand in hand, the occurrences in the Madre Patria shaped many
Mexican-American communities in the United States and ultimately gave
birth to this society we now live in.

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Cover image. http://www.ailf.org/exhibit/ex_mexican_files/waveflags.jpg