Mexican Californians after 1848

Mexican Californians after 1848

The United States is rightfully considered to be a country of immigrants. Its entire history was marked by continuous flows of people coming from all corners of the world in search for a better world. They came to establish themselves in different parts of the country, depending on the period the immigration took place. In this sense, the first immigrants to arrive in America, the British pilgrims, establish themselves on the East Coast and set the basis for one of the most prosperous areas of America. However, the evolution of the American states was greatly influenced by the coming of Italian, Chinese, or African immigrants who would later on move West in search for gold during the Gold Rush.

The Mexican immigrants are one of the most important groups to be part of the American nation. Their presence in the Californian state in particular however represents the historical result of a series of factors (Jenkins, 1997). On the one hand it was the matter of a historical necessity to move west due to the increasing possibilities available to poor people after the 1849 Gold Rush. On the other hand, the American-Mexican war represented an important challenge for the Mexican population which, following the war, became Mexican-Americans, and in this way the American population in California and in parts of New Mexico came to play an essential role in the structure of the American society.

All these elements had an impact over the structure of the Mexican family, on the new emerging economy, and on the establishment of the ethnic consciousness. However, the migration West and the flow of immigrants from Mexico had a similar effect and influenced the structure and the economics of the American society.

The development of the new American economy was greatly influenced by the flow of immigrants of Mexican descent. In this sense, they represented a source for additional work in the conditions in which there was need of cheap and strong labor force in the gold extraction business. In this sense, the Mexican miners "numbered between two and three thousand and often traveled in entire families. By early 1849, there were an estimated 6,000 Mexicans digging for gold. In California, a region that had so recently been their own, the Mexicans found they were considered foreigners by the legions of Anglo miners from the east" (the Gold Rush, 2006). Therefore, it can be said that the presence of the Mexican workers in California changed the economic structure of the region because they somewhat destabilized the workforce in the region. They came with a work offer which was more attractive for mine owners and the latter often chose to hire immigrants rather than workers of American descent taking into account the positive financial perspectives and the possible additional profit.

The fact that the Mexicans came to be more appreciated in terms of financial gains in California rather than in their native land, they decided to establish themselves with their families as well. In this sense, the structure of the society changed as well. More and more Mexicans became part of the American culture and contributed to its definition. The Mexican family played a major role in creating the sense of multiculturalism inside the society. Unlike the traditional way of life of the American family the Mexican family was quite different. In this sense, "Mexican residents were given one year to move south of ht the new boundary or become American residents. Most became American citizens" (Nostrand, 1975). Therefore, the family component was an important part in the assimilation process and in the creation of a unitary familiar background for the Mexican community. The specificity of the community relied heavily on the need to feel comfortable and to create a similar environment to the one in the native country.

Another impact of the presence of the Mexican family was the change in the structure of the educational process. At the end of the 19th century, the enrolment in primary schools increased especially taking into account the Mexican children who appear to be more engaged in the learning process than American ones. This comes to prove the fact that the Mexican families considered their existence on the U.S. soil as being permanent and tried to adapt to the conditions provided by it.