Essay Format
Font Type: Times New Roman
Font Size: 12 pt.
Margins: 1 inch on all sides (left, right, top and bottom)
Spacing: Double spacing
Page requirement: Minimum of 3-4 pages
File Type: PDF or Word document (docx.)
Instructions
For this essay, I would like you to organize your paragraphs by topic, (rather than one long paragraph). Answer the prompt with as much detail as possible but make sure to focus on what the prompt is specifically asking for. The essay should be at least 3 pages long in order to answer the prompt adequately. To answer the prompt you will be relying on the information covered in the course readings, the video lecture, and the reading questions; no outside research (such as from the internet or library databases) will be accepted in the essay. Although you will be basing your essay on the course readings/lectures, please do not quote from the readings. Instead, the essay should be written in your own words so that you can demonstrate your understanding of the material. Finally, make sure to convert Google Docs, or Apple Pages, documents to a PDF before submission. I can not accept files in Google Docs or Apple Pages format.
Essay Prompt
Race relations between Anglo Americans and Mexicans/Mexican Americans shifted drastically after the War for Texas Independence and the Mexican American War. While relations were often civil and mutually beneficial before these wars, they soon soured as Mexican Americans experienced various forms of oppression. Overall, what were relations like between Anglo Americans and Mexican Americans after Texas Independence and the Mexican American War? To fully answer this question, please respond to the questions below:
How were Mexican Americans supposed to be treated after the Mexican American War, according to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
What were examples of oppression experienced by Mexican Americans after the Mexican American War? (This question will cover the majority of your essay. Make sure to give several examples of how land was taken from Mexican Americans in New Mexico, California, and Texas through both violence and the legal system).
How did Mexican Americans fight back, or resist, their oppression by Anglo-Americans?
How to Organize the Essay
The essay is looking at the development of race relations over time between Anglo-Americans and Mexicans/Mexican Americans. Begin with a brief introduction giving an overview of race relations in Texas, New Mexico, and California. Start the body of the essay with a paragraph about how the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo related to the rights of Mexican Americans. Then, follow that paragraph with three or more paragraphs on how race relations actually took shape after the Mexican American War (in terms of violence and land rights). Use examples from Texas, New Mexico, and California. Then, include at least two paragraphs on how Mexican Americans resisted racial oppression. Finally, finish the essay with a brief conclusion that summarizes your main points and offers a reflection on the significance of this topic.
