Covers the story of indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States: Aztlán, the Spanish colonial period, the Mexican period, and the acquisition and settlement by the United States. Seeks the exposition of indigenous and Hispanic historical and cultural foundations of the region and the confluence with other Asian and European influences. Taught in English with Spanish readings for Spanish majors.
In Spanish 308, we learned how to analyze the Mexican-American experience, through the perspective of author Manuel G. Gonzales. Our textbook, Mexicans: A History of Mexicans in the United States introduced us to Spanish and Native American prehistory, the Spanish frontier, Mexican life in the far North and in the American Southwest. One important lesson we learned about the Great Mexican migration into the United States, was that several events occurred that led to over 1 million Mexicans immigrating into the country. We discovered that the Depression in the U.S. caused many Mexicans to return to Mexico, however during World War II, many Mexicans and Mexican-Americans participated in the war effort and fought for the United States but received little recognition. Frustrated by the discrimination and unequal support, Mexican-Americans participated in the Chicano Movement during the 1960's and 1970's. As students, we learned about the sacrifices and hard work Mexicans and Mexican -Americans made to achieve equality, justice and the American dream. We were able to compare and differentiate between the Anglo-American culture and the Chicano culture (MLO 5).We learned about the changes that the Europeans, such as the Spaniards conquistadors, made when they So-called discovered Mexico (MLO 3). The impact American culture has had on the Mexican culture has been a complex and dramatic process over the years and still continues to have an influence in today's society, especially for Mexican-Americans. Latino communities are a reflection of the agricultural expansion and culture in the United States. Immigrants and families of those immigrants continue to come into our country and contribute their hard labor, traditions, and beliefs to the American culture. This course helps me to better understand the environment in which I currently live in. I currently live in Salinas California and experience shopping, dining, and working with people who live in highly populated agricultural neighborhoods, so I think it is important for me to be able to become familiar with the history and culture of the community.