Compare And Contrast Colonialization And Colonialism

In order to adequately explain modernization and colonialism, one must take into consideration some basic historical factors. The Mexican-American War took place in the years 1846 to 1848. As of result of this War, Mexico was forced to cede half of their land to the United States. The land Mexico ceded to the United States includes states such as California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, half of New Mexico, about a quarter of Colorado and a small section of Wyoming. The importance of this succession is that an estimated 75,000 Spanish-speaking people lived in the Southwest. The majority of these Spanish Speakers lived in New Mexico (60,000), followed by California (7,500), Texas (5000), Arizona, and Colorado (1,500) (Language Rights and New Mexico

Hence, these upcoming activists urged for political, economic, and social equality. The fact that there was an increasing population of Mexican Americans being born in the United States led to a series of problems to Anglo-Americans. One question that was being raised was in regards to Mexican Americans knowing the English language and uplifting American values and still being rejected and considered “foreigners”. Mexican Americans questioned their roles in an American society that they began to demand recognition. Many Mexican Americans envisioned a society where they would be treated with respect. One example of such urgency for change can be seen in the conventional meeting that became known as The Congreso Mexicanista often referred to as El El Primer Congreso Mexicanista. This event took place on September 14 to the 22 of 1911 in Laredo, Texas. The meeting was proposed and organized by the Idar family, who owned and published La Cronica. The importance of this meeting is that it educated groups about the intolerable racism and brutality against Mexicans in South Texas. Jovita Idar made it her duty to promote the advancement of education, culture, and civil rights for Mexican Americans. Organizations such as the “La Gran Liga Mexicanista de Beneficencia y Proteccion” and “Liga Femenil Mexicanista” were established in the Congreso Mexicanista “to promote cultural and moral values among Texas Mexicans, provide protection from abuse by public authorities, and combat segregation of Texas Mexican students”( Congreso Mexicanista). Both established the motto “Por La Raza y Para La Raza”. The Congreso Mexicanista is the beginning of political activists like Jovita Idar combating Anglo American unjust treatment and