California Immigration

Throughout history, there have been many changes pertaining to what is now called California. From Spain, Mexico, and the United States each country added their own ideas and culture blending them all the way. Once Mexico claimed this land from Spain they had to create their own identity. The Mexican government wanted to erase Spain’s influenced around the land. With the secularization of the missions it opened up many different avenues such as free trade, and colonies of immigrants they were not expecting. Thus creating a rivalry between the northern and southern Californians, which ultimately spilled over within the country, creating a lot of battles over land and power shaping a divide that would escalate into present time. However, being

There were three types of foreigners immigrating into Mexican California merchants, mountain trappers, and frontier settlers. The merchants were in the trade business mostly dealing with cowhide and tallow. Some of them actually became eligible for land grants and married into Californio families. Mountain trappers were searching for new resources of fur. However, they were not welcomed like the merchants. Mountain trappers traveled into California by way of the Sierra’s which at the time Californians thought to be a barrier. Lastly, the frontier settlers were multiple people and families determined to go out west for a new life. Mexico had a hard time controlling all the different type of people immigrating into their country. Around the time of the war, it is said that 1300 foreign – born settlers were occupying parts in California. The majority of them were American and European descent entering without due authorization however only one forth became actual Mexican citizens (Cherny, 2005) According to Cherny “They did not realize that many of the immigrants had no intention of assimilating into the Californio society. They did not learn Spanish, rejected the Catholic faith, and brought their own families with them instead of intermarrying with the Mexican population” (Cherny, 2005, pp. 92). What the government did not realize is how vulnerable they left themselves with all the new people entering their land, and what would happen to the original