Spanish Speaking American in the Southwest

The Treaty that ended the Mexican War in 1848 surrendered to the United States an immense territory, that in some parts became Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico.  Mexican controlled much of the Southwest.  They built churches, and they traded with the Indians.  The U.S failed to keep their pledge in protecting the liberty and property of Mexicans that remained in American soil instead they took control and forced much of the Spanish-speaking populations off the land.  

Texas cotton planters confiscated Mexican lands and began a racist campaign that labeled Mexicans non white.  A cycle of flood ruined many of the large southern California ranches owned by the californios.  Many them retreated into segregated urban neighborhoods called barrios.  In many western states, Mexicans, Native Americans, and Chinese experienced similar patterns of racial discrimination, manipulation, and exclusion.  White state legislators passed laws that made ownership of property difficult for non-Anglos.  Non-Anglos were tagged as shiftless and irresponsible since they did majority of the labor.

Spanish speaking Americans to Anglo society initially unfolded more smoothly in Arizona and New Mexico.  Examples of successful cooperation between Hispanic and White Americans helped moderate American settlers antagonistic attitudes.  Problems still continued in Arizona and New Mexico over property.  In the 1880s Mexican-American ranchers organized themselves into a self-protection vigilante group called Las Gorras Blancas (The White Caps).  The White Caps protested the enclosure of gazing lands.  Violence and discrimination against Spanish speaking citizens of the southwest began in the 1890s.  Whites would label the Mexican-Americans as violent and lazy.  The Spanish speaking citizens struggle for fair treatment and respect continued in the twentieth century.