Mexican Republic Chapter 6 Summary

In chapter six, Menchaca examines how the newly formed Mexican Republic adopted the United States' constitutional structure and moved a step further by granting citizenship to people regardless of race. This was a very tolerant idea that was well ahead of its time. However, this new Constitution established by Mexican legislators excluded slaves. Under the Mexican Republic, legislators decided that instead of abolishing slavery, a slave code would be issued to improve the lives of slaves. This racial legislation passed in Mexico after the Mexican Independence affected the southwest states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Spain's racial caste system that had been in place in the past was now demolished under Mexican control. The …show more content…
This is something I felt was wrong and destroyed Native American culture and customs. Indians were forced to change their daily lives when the Mexico gained its Independence. This included changing the way Indians dressed, the tools they used, and how they cooked their food. It was interesting to see how Menchaca gave vivid details of how Mexican society enforced certain customs and ideas on the Indians they encountered. Even growing and eating certain types of food were enforced among the native tribes. The Spanish and then Mexican residents in the Southwest introduced growing simple plants like wheat and other agricultural products to the Indians. Prior before Spanish and Native American contact, Indian diets consisted of what was able within their environments, however, the Spanish and Mexican government and residents "encouraged" the Indians to plant foods that were accustomed to eating in their culture. Schooling was also established as a way to teach Indians Spanish and to become acculturated into Mexican society. Catholicism was also introduced to the Indians. The goal of many friars was to convert the Indians so they would become part of Spanish society and speak Spanish. These acculturation techniques used by the Mexicans deteriorated the vast and beautiful culture of many native tribes.