7-Mexican Texans The People

Before 1821 there were no "Mexicans." When explorer Hernando Cortes from Spain arrived in 1519, there were only indios. Eleven to 20 million Indian people lived in the region of Central America. Over the decades after Cortes's landing, the Spanish men who immi­grated to New Spain joined with the Indian women, creating a new group of people called mestizos.

When the native people revolted against Spain in 1821, New Spain became an independent country called Mexico, and the Indians and mestizos became known as Mexicans.

Texas was part of New Spain and then Mexico, but, with the Texas Revolution, Texas became the Republic of Texas. The border separat­ing the two countries was not clear until the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The treaty made the Rio Grande the border be­tween the United States and Mexico, and all people living north of the river became part of Texas.

Early Settlements

The government of New Spain and the Catholic Church set out to settle their north­ern frontier, Texas, by building missions and forts. Between 1682 and 1793, 26 missions were built to settle the huge area and change the Indian religion to Christianity.

In the 1650s Fray Garda founded a mission along the south banks of the Rio Grande in today's Ciudad Juarez. Within 30 years there were five settlements: El Paso del Norte, San

In 1922 these men were stacking groceries at Matilde Elizondo's store. What foods might be in the store's boxes?

Lorenzo, Senecu, Ysleta, and Socorro. In the 1850s, 200 years later, 5,000 Spaniards, mes­tizos, and Indians gave the area the largest population on the Spanish frontier. In 1718 more Spaniards, mestizos, Indians, and free blacks came as priests, soldiers, and farmers to settle San Antonio de Bexar, the fort, and San Antonio de Valero, the mission. There the Indians in Texas were made to work in the missions and learn European ways of living.

To encourage more settlers to come to the area, the government gave large grants ofland to developers (salesmen) called empresarios. It was their job to bring in settlers and sell them land to populate the area.

The settling of South Texas along the Rio Grande started in 1748, when Jose de Escan­d6n from Spain issued land grants to men who began the towns of Camargo, Reynosa, Dolores, Revilla, Mier, and Laredo.

Mexican Cultural Folkways

Two major holidays of Mexico which con­tinue ancestral ties are celebrated in Texas: Diez y Seis de Septiembre and Cinco de Mayo. Mexico's fight for independence from Spain began on Diez y Seis de Septiembre, September 16,1810. Cinco de Mayo, May 5, honors the day in 1862 when a small Mexican army defeated a large French army in the city of Puebla on the east coast of Mexico. Today this battle recognizes the courage and deter­mination of the few who fought against the many. These holidays are a celebration of freedom from foreign rulers as the people of Mexico fought to end European control of their country.

Fiestas occur on these holidays in Texas with lots of food, music, and dancing­a great big party. There is color and excitement as people watchfolk16rico dances and listen to mariachi or conjunto music while eating gor­ditas} thick corn tortillas filled with beef or chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese, and bufiuelos} deep-fried pastries sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Mariachis probably first appeared in the late 1700s as music groups in the small towns of Mexico. The groups played local songs using a harp, two violins, and a vihuela} a small five­string guitar with a rounded back. Changes have occurred over the years, with the harp being replaced by the bass guitarron, which is a larger version of the vihuela. The music is happy, joyous, and filled with movement.

Amazing Mexican Texans

Martin de Leon (1765-1833) was a Mexican empresario who settled the town of Victoria. He was born in the northern state ofTama­ulipas to wealthy parents from Spain. After

he married Patricia de la Garza, he began ranching in the area, but following a visit to San Antonio and Nacogdoches, he decided to settle near the village of San Patricio.

From his ranch near San Patricio, he drove cattle to the market in New Orleans, making him one of the early cattle drivers of Texas. In 1824, after Mexican independence, he was issued a grant to settle 41 families at Nuestra Senora Guadalupe de Jesus Victoria.

De Leon was a big man, six feet tall, and a skilled horseman. The Indians called him Capitan Vacas Muchas, or Captain Plenty Cows, because he gave Indian raiding parties beef to protect his ranch and livestock.

Jovitaldar (1885-1946) was born in Laredo, one of eight children. She became a teacher, journalist, and political activist. She worked on her father's newspaper, La Cronica, and wrote about the poor conditions of Mexican and Tejano people. Tejanos were people of Mexican heritage who lived in Texas.

She was the first president of the League of Mexican Women in 1911 and worked to provide education for poor children. During the Mexican Revolution in 1913, she joined La Cruz Blanca and worked as a nurse. When her father died, she ran the newspaper, using it as a voice for her people.

Don Pedrito Jaramillo (?-1907) was a fa­mous curandero, or healer, in South Texas. He came to Falfurrias, living near Olmos Creek in 1881. People came from allover seeking his powers to heal them. He carried a Bible and provided cures to the many people who came. The people paid whatever they had for his help, such as chickens, eggs, beans, or a treasured piece of jewelry.

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