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Mexico’s independence from Spain caused a variety of effects in America and the land known as Texas. Mexico’s government was more open to trade than the Spanish government had been, and as a result welcomed American traders. The traders from the East and the Midwest brought manufactured goods which were traded for animal hides or silver. The silver became an important part of American exchange in some regions, becoming one of the main currencies used. Mexico’s independence caused striking changes for Texas. The Spanish government had welcomed the Native Americans into missions to teach them agriculture and to convert them to Christianity, specifically Catholicism. However, this declined after the Spanish were thrown out, and the Mexican government treated the natives like slaves. The natives fled, and thus, the Mexican frontier became too dangerous because of the disgruntled Native Americans. Very few from the Mexican government wanted to go there, which led to an increase in encouraging American settlers. This went decently well until the Americans began bringing slaves. Mexico had emancipated its own slaves already and did not want any more, so the government decided to not allow any more Americans into their territory. However, the Americans kept coming, and brought their ideas with them. Their ideas of independence contrasted greatly with the Mexican president’s totalitarian ideals, and this stirred up rebellions in Texas, eventually leading to a Texan revolution. If Spain had retained Mexico, these rebellions might never have happened because Spain had more control over the number of Americans that were allowed onto their land. They were more strict about trade and settlement, preferring to keep out as much American individualism and religious beliefs contrary to Roman Catholicism as possible. It was the management rather than the ideas of the Mexicans that were different from those of Spain. Mexico kept much of the Spanish ideals of absolutist government as well as religious beliefs, but its policies that brought America closer to Mexico allowed new ideas to spread.

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As immigration grew in America in the 1800s more and more societies were coming about. Discrimination was common among these societies and most often directed towards Catholics. This was widely a result of America’s roots coming from protestant beginnings. Early Americans were attempting to separate themselves from Catholics and therefore despised their movement to American soil. In some cases the dislike and ill will for the Catholics resulted in violent actions towards them. By this time  natives’ beliefs flourished, along with the immigration of the Irish and Germans. Before now most Americans were considered immigrants. American nationalism was beginning to become prominent in American society with the institution of the Monroe Doctrine. As can be seen in modern day society the foreign immigrant families began displacing American families in textile mills and other factories. Many families that lost their jobs to the Irish resented these people for the loss of their positions. German immigrants were also disliked, but for different reasons. Americans grew wary of the Germans because they did not understand them. In some cases Americans resented the economic success of Germans. Anti-German beliefs lingered in American society and even contributed to the Prohibition movement because Germans were often associated with beer.

Although immigration certainly encouraged distrust from Americans, some prejudices may have existed beforehand. The Alien and Sedition Acts display the presence of American discrimination previous to the 19th century. Many societies, such as the American Republicans, rose in response to a strong increase in immigration. The primary targets for these groups were the Catholic immigrants, eventually changing into universal discrimination towards all immigrants.

 *Based on cartoon on page 358* KEO- This cartoon reveals one of the most common, and largely irrational, arguments that southerners used to support slavery- the argument that the conditions that slaves lived under in America were a large improvement from the conditions that they endured in Africa and the conditions that factory workers endured in the north. John C. Calhoun was one of the people who believed strongly in this idea. The top drawing in the cartoon depicts a seemingly savage black man wearing little clothing and holding a spear. In the second drawing, the same man is wearing nice clothing and sitting in a fancy parlor in America. This idea may have seemed to make sense on the outside, but in reality, it was only true to a certain extent. Life in Africa was not what Americans understood it to be. This is clearly demonstrated by the attempt made by northern abolitionists at “helping” blacks by sending them to Liberia. They thought that since they were used to hunting and living in savagery in Africa, they would have no difficulty surviving in this new colony and they would enjoy living as free men. They did not realize that this was not the way that blacks in Africa were used to living and it was made clear when they began returning to America because even living in servitude there was better than living in Liberia. The NBC News Archives cartoon “Positive Good of Slavery” depicts another false assertion made by the southerners- that slavery was like a large family. In most cases, white women living on plantations left their children to black wet nurses who basically became the child’s surrogate mother. Despite this fact, the wet nurse still became the child’s property when he grew up and was not treated as a member of the family. Although most parts of the positive good of slavery idea were largely untrue, the part that said that slaves were treated better than northern factory workers was partly true. In the north, factory workers were fired if they got injured and they were treated more like tools than people. Slaves in the south may not have been treated as equals, but many of them were given time off if they were injured or sick and were given clothes to wear in the summer and winter. Despite this, slave punishment did increase during this time and branding became a common practice. For the most part, the idea that southerners used to defend the practice of slavery was inaccurate and clearly irrational. checked