Mexican-American Culture

Traditional research has confronted only Mexican and United States interpretations of
Mexican-American culture. Now we must also examine the culture as we Mexican Americans
have experienced it, passing from a sovereign people to compatriots with newly arriving
settlers, finally, a conquered people -- a charter minority (a native rather than an immigrant
group in the United States) on our won land.

When the Spanish first came to Mexico, they intermarried with the absorbed the culture of
indigenous Indians. This policy of colonization through acculturation was continued when
Mexico acquired Texas in the early 1800's, and brought the indigenous Indians into Mexican
life and government. In the 1820's, United States citizens migrated to Texas, attracted by land
suitable for cotton. As their member became more substantial, their policy of acquiring land by
subduing native populations began to dominate. The two ideologies clashed repeatedly,
culminating in military conflict that led to evolve uniquely Mexican-American modes of though
and action in order to survive.

This article excerpted from GRE Reading Comprehension.