-
Mexican-American War Begins
The Mexican-American war began under President James K. Polk who believed that the United States had a "manifest destiny" to expand to the Pacific Ocean. The fight began on a contest over the border on the Rio Grande. The United States took over what is now New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California and Utah. -
Mexican-American War ends
The Mexican-American War ends and the United States claims more than one third of Mexico's territory. Several ethnic Mexicans are now in the United States but issues remain about their citizenship. -
Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American war begins. The war began over a conflict between Spain and America ofer the United State's intervention on the Cuban War of Independence. -
Spanish-American War Ends
The Spanish-American war ends and Puerto Rico is captured by the United States. Puerto Rican citizens are not considered actual citizens of the United States of America. -
World War I Starts
World War I causes an increase in jobs, especially in agriculture that needed to be filled. Mexican natives come to America to work doing manual labor jobs in the agricultural sector. The United States Government considers the usefulness of Mexican workers doing manual labor. -
Jones Act of Puerto Rico
The Jones-Shafroth Act, also known asthe Jones Act of Puerto Rico is encted, giving all Puerto Ricans citizenship in the United States of America. However, they weren't truly treated as Americans because they were not allowed to vote. -
Puerto Rico becomes Self-Governed
Puerto Rico declares self government. However, Puerto Rico decides to remain under United States soverignity. -
Immigration Act of 1924
Immigration into the United States was severly restricted to all emmigrators with an exception towards mexican immigrants looking for work. The reasoning was that mine and farm owners needed cheap labor which would be filled by Mexican Immigrants. -
1920's Post-War crisis
In the mid 1920's, a post-war crisis of no jobs resulting from the failing agricultural indusrty caused many migrant Mexican workers to be forced out of work. There were no available jobs in the United States, so their only hope was to go back to Mexico. -
1920's Mexican Immigration
In mid to late 1920's Mexican immigration back into the United States results in a backlash from Nativist Americans who feared that the migratory Mexican workers would steal all of the jobs and force the white man out of work. Mexican immigrants were viewed as a threat to national and racial integrity in the country. -
Cesar Chavez Day
On March 31st, Cesar Chavez was born. Cesar Chavez was a civil rights activist who fought for the rights of Mexican and Latino populations in the United States. Chavez was a worker himself, who had to quit school in the seventh grade. Later in his life, he lead peaceful protests about the treatment and denial of rights on Latinos in America. A saying that he made famous was "Si, se puede," meaning, "Yes, one can" or "Yes, it can be done," -
The League of United Latin-American Citizens
The League of United Latin-American Citizens forms, a union of Latinos wh fought against racial descimination especialy in education. -
Lemon Grove Incident
The Lemon Grove school board attempted to segregate Mexican or Latino students into a different school. In Lemon Grove vs. Robartl Alverez, the school borad was sued and the Plaintif, who sued on behalf of the Mexican children, was the victor. This was the first major desegregation of schools in America for the Mexican population. -
The Bracero Program
In August of 1942, under the FDR administration, the Bracero Program (meaning "manual laborer"), that brought willing Mexican workers to the United States which was in dire need of industrial production jobs to be filled. The Bracero Program filled a hole of more than 500,000 jobs left unfilled with migrant Mexican laborers. The program was scrutinized by U.S. politicians on the account that is exploiting the need for Mexican people to go to work. -
The 1960's
In the 1960's, Latinos begin to puplicly fight for civil rights and to end segregation and descrimination towerd Mexican and Latino peoples. Notable groups formed during this time, including the Brown Berets, a union of Latino civil rights activists who pressured the government to end racial descrimination. During this time, Latinos also began to support the United States in the Armed Forces. -
Bracero Program ends.
The Bracero Program formally ended in 1965 because U.S. politicians thought negatively of the program, and eventually had it abolished. This resulted in over a million Mexican workers being deported back into Mexico? -
Delano Grape Strike
in the years of 1965 to 1970, Phillipino workers, led by Cesar Chavez, boycotted and walked out on the Delano Grape vineyards demanding that they recieve better working conditions and a higher pay. This was a huge advancement in Latino populations recieving fair treatment for their contributions in the work force. -
Latinos become politically active
It wasn't until the 1970's began that Latino and Mexican people began to become active in the world of politics. Several Latino politicians fought for equal voting rights and treatment of Latino people in America. The Latino's battle was finally over when the U.S. anti-descriminatory acts were passed.
