Citizens by Treaty

This volume gathers works produced by Spanish-speaking people of Mexican descent who became United States citizens by virtue of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) and whose ancestors had resided in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, and Colorado for hundreds of years prior to the Mexican-American War. The writings in this collection, drawn from various genres, were composed at a time marked by the confluence of tradition and change. In addition to facing unprecedented challenges to their rights, livelihoods, language, and religion, the writers experienced the arrival of the railroad, the telegraph, film, and radio; they fought in the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World War I; and they saw Arizona and New Mexico gain statehood in 1912. This anthology of songs, poems, speeches, and journalism shows the persistence of a vibrant culture in the face of upheaval and change.