1. What was the early relationship between Mexicans and Anglos?

The Mexicans and Anglos lived side by side in a relatively equal status. The life style and

mode of production was somewhat different, but the pattern was quiet similar. There was

some competition but it was counterbalanced with cooperation. Both groups oppressed

Southwestern Indians.

2. What was the impact of the war on viewing Mexicans?

The main impact on viewing Mexicans as inferiors to Anglos was the prejudice. War with

Mexico led many people to think of Mexicans as enemies, while federalist Mexicans were

the ones to fight for Texas independence; many southerners that migrated to Texas after its

independence have brought their racial prejudice and applied it there; the idea of racism

served as the main argument for taking the land from the Mexicans.

3. What Southern issues were parts of this situation?

Southern people were really racist and have carried that idea wherever they traveled. This

idea has led to numerous competitions between Mexicans and Anglos, especially over land.

4. Discuss how the desire for land influenced the relationship.

Federalist parts of Mexico rendered themselves to the United States with almost no fight

because they have their countries centralized government. As the Americans started

migrating West and colonizing Mexican provinces they outnumbered them and basically

claimed the land as a part of the United States. After some fight and revolts those provinces

were added to the US and Mexicans were given citizenships and verbal promises. However,

the balance of power was in the hands of Anglo-Americans who would take Mexican land

with force. According to Americans this was justified by God’s will and the ‘’manifest

destiny’’. This resulted in even more hatred and the racial inequality.
5. How was economics involved?

White people in Southwest were developing economic system around mining, agriculture,

and railroad transportation. All of these are labor-intensive. Mexican-Americans become

cheap source of labor and were highly exploited.

6. Discuss the different history between Blacks, Native Americans, and Chicanos.

Unlike Chicanos, Blacks had no land in this country because they were not indigenous.

Native Americans resisted assimilation and since they resided on reservations they were not

viewed as an easy source of cheap labor. Chicanos were exploited for both their land and

their labor. They were restricted to certain jobs and were mostly not allowed to go to school

and were thought of as incapable of performing higher status jobs.