Mexicano Contributions to the Southwest

1
Mexicano Contributions to the Southwest

• Chapter 17
• Pgs. 233 - 243

2
17.1 Introduction

• The United States adopted many things from the
  Mexican heritage
• Heritage (tradition)- something that is passed
  down from previous generations

3
17.2 Mexicano Mining Contributions

• Gold Mining
• Mexicans gave Americans the
• Batea The gold pan
• Riffle box Separated mud and gold
• Arrastra Crushed rocks so gold could be removed

4
17.2 Continued

• Silver and Copper Mining
• Henry Comstock found silver in Nevada
• Americans looked for Mexicans for help when they
  mined for copper in Arizona

5
17.3 Cattle Ranching

• Cattle were very thin with long horns
• The Rancho
• The main products produced on Ranchos were meat
  hides and tallow (lard)
• Vaqueros (Cowboys) worked there

6
17.3 Continued

• The Roundup
• Vaqueros most important jobs were rodeo and
  branding
• They branded to see and show which cattle was
  theirs so no one would steal them
• This is still done in todays cattle farming!

7
17.4 The Cowboy

• American cowboys gained their skills from the
  Mexican Vaqueros
• Cowboy Clothes and Gear
• Cowboy hats sombreros
• Cowboys chaps chaperreras
• Cowboys boots botas
• Cowboys ponchos
• Vaqueros created the horn on the saddle
• Vaqueros also created the la riat

8
17.4 Continued

• Cowboy Lingo
• The terms Americans Cowboys use come from Spanish
  Words
• Example Ranch came from Rancho

9
Questions

• Who did American cowboys gain their skills from?
• Describe what Spanish cattle looked like?
• What did Vaqueros do to their cattle to show that
  they belonged to them?
• Vaquero is Spanish for what English word?
• Something that is passed down from past
  generations is called a what?
• Draw Cowgirl Buzz and label the 5 items that she
  got from the Mexican Vaqueros.
• What were the three things that the Mexicans gave
  to Americans during the gold rush?
• When the Spanish came to Mexico what did they
  find instead of gold?

10
17.5 Sheep Raising

• Two types of sheep raised
• 1) Merios
• 2) Churros
• The Spanish Sheep Raising System
• Americans started raising sheep when they saw how
  much money could make
• Americans adopt the Spanish System
• Because of increased sheep raising American wool
  production went from 5 to 22 Million pounds of
  wool in 18 years

11
17.6 Irrigated Farming

• When the farmers moved west they had to use
  irrigation because it did not rain as much as the
  East
• The Mexican Style of Irrigation
• They brought water from streams by creating dams
• They would fill up a square of crops with water
  and when was filled they would make a hole to
  spread the water to the next square of crops

12
17.6 Continued

• Americas Fruit Basket
• Mexicanos introduced Americans to many fruits
  that could not be produced in the East
• Grapes, Olives, Apples, Peaches, Lemons, Limes,
  and Oranges

13
17.7 Mexican Food

• The Food Revolution
• Spanish came to Mexico for gold but instead found
  Indian Food
• Corn, Tomatoes, Chocolate, Peanuts, Vanilla,
  Beans, Squash, Avocados, Coconuts, Sunflower
  Seeds, and Chili Peppers
• Spain took foods from Mexico, but also brought
  some of theirs

14
17.7 Continued

• A New Style of Cooking
• When they combined Spanish and Indian food came
  up with Mexican food
• When Americans adopted Mexican food to their
  culture started combining it with American foods
  called Tex-Mex

15
Questions

• When farmers moved west, why did they use
  irrigation systems?
• What were the two types of Spanish sheep?
• What two types of food were combined in order to
  make Mexican food?
• When Americans combined their food with Mexican
  food it became known as what?
• What was the main reason that the Spanish started
  raising sheep?
• In a paragraph explain how the Mexicano
  irrigation system works.

16
17.8 Spanish-style Architecture

• Homes were created to suit hot, dry climates of
  Southwest
• Adobe Building
• Wood was hard to get a hold of so used adobe
  bricks
• Adobe mixture of earth, grass, and water baked
  in the sun
• Covered homes with red clay tiles
• Most homes had a patio and a veranda
• Newcomers adopt the Spanish Style

17
17.8 Continued

• Advantages of Adobe Houses
• Cooler in summer and warmer in winter
• Can be made from local materials
• 1930s nearly 1 million adobes were made
• Homes, court-houses, trading post, and post
  offices

18
17.9 Mexican Laws

• American Legal tradition came from English Law
• Mexicano Legal tradition came from Spanish Law
• Mining Law
• Because of all of the miners, America came up
  with the laws of the mines based on the Mexican
  mining laws
• These laws moved throughout America

19
17.9 Continued

• Water Law
• East Law Water that was on a farm or moved
  through a farm was that farmers water and could
  be used anyway they wanted
• Mexican/West Law water belonged to everyone and
  anyone could use it

20
17.9 Continued

• Community Property Law
• East Law Anything that a woman owned belonged
  to her husband
• Mexican/West Law Community Property anything
  that a couple owns will be split in half if that
  couple separates
• This law still is in most Western U.S. States

21
17.10 Mexicano Entertainments

• Music and Dancing
• Mexicano music influenced country and western
  music in the Southwest
• Most important influence was the Corridor (A
  dramatic story accompanied by guitars)
• Mexican dances have also influenced America ( La
  Bamba, Fanadango, and Jota)

22
17.10 Continued

• Fiestas and Rodeos
• Largest religious fiesta is the one that honors
  Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico
• Largest celebrated holiday is El Cinco de Mayo
  (the Fifth of May)
• Rodeos are a big part of Mexican tradition and
  that has also spread into American culture

23
Questions

• What is the largest celebrated holiday in Mexico?
• In order to make an Adobe brick, what three
  materials are needed?
• What are the two advantages of an Adobe house?
• Adobe homes were created to suit what types of
  climates in the Southwest?
• Who have Mexican dances influenced?
• The Largest Religious holiday in Mexico is to
  honor Our Lady of what?
• In a paragraph please explain the difference
  between the Water Laws in the East and the
  Mexican /West.
• In a paragraph please explain the difference
  between the Community Property Laws in the East
  and the Mexican/West.