Exploration & Early Spanish Colonization
On October 12, 1492, this Italian navigator sailing under the Spanish crown reached an island in the Bahamas and claimed the land for Spain, an event Europeans long referred to as the "discovery” of the Americas.
Who is Christopher Columbus?
Between 1846 and 1848, the United States and Mexico fought this war over disputed territory following the U.S. annexation of Texas.
What is the Mexican American War?
Passed by the U.S. Congress in 1862, this law allowed settlers to claim land in the western United States, often affecting lands previously owned by Mexican Americans.
What is the Homestead Act?
Beginning in 1942 during World War II, this labor program allowed Mexican citizens to temporarily work in U.S. agriculture to address labor shortages.
What is the Bracero Program?
Founded in 1929, this organization became one of the most influential Latino civil rights groups advocating for education, voting rights, and protection from discrimination.
What is LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens)?
Founded in 1565 by Spanish settlers, this Florida city introduced Catholicism and the Spanish language to the region and is recognized as the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States.
What is St. Augustine?
After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico encouraged settlement in this northern territory, inviting Anglo settlers to move there.
What is Texas?
Ratified in 1868, this amendment to the U.S. Constitution established birthright citizenship, declaring that anyone born in the United States is a citizen.
What is the 14th Amendment?
Created by Congress in 1925, this federal agency was established to patrol and regulate immigration along U.S. borders.
What is the U.S. Border Patrol?
In 2009, this Puerto Rican jurist became the first Latina appointed to the United States Supreme Court.
Who is Sonia Sotomayor?
In March of 1519, this Spanish conquistador landed at Tabasco, Mexico with eleven ships, about 500 soldiers, and several horses, beginning the campaign that would eventually lead to the conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Who is Hernán Cortés?
In 1834, this Mexican president dissolved Congress and centralized power, provoking opposition from Texans and Tejanos who feared authoritarian rule.
Who is Antonio López de Santa Anna?
This 1917 law required men in the United States to register for the military draft during World War I, including Mexican immigrants who were not eligible for citizenship.
What is the Selective Service Act?
This major political revolution beginning in 1910 forced thousands of Mexicans to migrate to the United States to escape violence and economic instability.
What is the Mexican Revolution?
Passed in 1964, this landmark federal law outlawed discrimination based on race, religion, gender, or national origin.
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
Established by Spanish colonists in 1598, this territory became the oldest and largest Spanish settlement in the American Southwest and remains culturally significant in Hispanic history.
What is New Mexico?
In March 1836, Mexican forces led by Santa Anna defeated Texan defenders at this famous fort after a thirteen day siege.
What is the Alamo?
Passed by Congress in 1917, this act granted United States citizenship to residents of Puerto Rico following the Spanish American War.
What is the Jones Act?
Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, this legislation granted legal status to some undocumented immigrants while imposing penalties on employers who knowingly hired undocumented workers.
What is the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)?
In 1968, thousands of Mexican American high school students in Los Angeles organized these protests demanding better educational conditions and equal opportunities.
What are the East L.A. Walkouts?
Founded in 1718 as both a mission and military settlement, this Spanish colonial outpost later became a major cultural and economic center in Texas history.
What is San Antonio?
This decisive April 1836 battle ended the Texas Revolution when Sam Houston’s forces, joined by Tejano leader Juan Seguin, defeated Santa Anna’s army.
What is the Battle of San Jacinto?
In 1848, Mexico formally surrendered to the United States following their war, resulting in a major territorial transfer that reshaped the map of North America.
What is the end of the Mexican American War (Mexican surrender in 1848)?
On May 1, 2006, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and supporters participated in this nationwide boycott of work, school, and shopping to demonstrate the economic importance of immigrant communities.
What is A Day Without Immigrants?
In this landmark 1954 Supreme Court case, the Court ruled that Mexican Americans could not be systematically excluded from juries based on ethnicity.
What is Hernandez v. Texas?