Changing National Identities at the Frontier: Texas and New Mexico, 1800–1850

by Andrés Reséndez

Hispanics, Native Americans, and Anglo Americans made agonizing and crucial identity decisions in this southwestern region during the first half of the nineteenth century. Whereas the Mexican government sought to bring its frontier inhabitants into the national fold by relying on administrative and patronage linkages, Mexico's northern frontier gravitated toward the expanding American economy. Andrés Reséndez explores how the diverse and fiercely independent peoples of Texas and New Mexico came to think of themselves as members of one particular national community or another, in the years leading up to the Mexican-American War.

Genres: American History, History, Nonfiction, Westerns

326 pages, Paperback

First published September 13, 2004

About the author

I grew up in Mexico City where I worked in various capacities--the best job I ever had was as a historical consultant for telenovelas (soap operas). After getting a PhD in history at the University of Chicago, I taught at Yale, the University of Helsinki, and UC Davis. I have written about the history of border regions (Changing National Identities at the Frontier--Cambridge University Press, 2005), early European exploration (A Land So Strange--Basic Books, 2007), and the enslavement of Native Americans (The Other Slavery--Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016). More recently, I have focused on the "Columbian moment" in the Pacific, beginning with the first expedition that went from America to Asia and back (1564-1565), instantly transforming the Pacific into a vital space of contact and exchange (Conquering the Pacific: An Unknown Mariner and the Final Great Voyage of the Age of Discovery--Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021). These days I am researching the fallout from that venture. Just as Columbus's voyages triggered a major transfer of plants, animals, and germs across the Atlantic, so did the opening of the Pacific created a biological corridor across the largest ocean on Earth with very significant but little-understood consequences for the world.

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this study, Andrés Reséndez examines the push and pull of both Mexico and the United States on Texas as well as New Mexico from 1800 to 1850. Rather than painting with broad strokes the inevitable clash between two nations, Reséndez instead focuses on slow and periodic changes to the border culture between the two nation-states, highlighting key events and an orientation of Northern Mexicans to the United States economically. Inhabitants of Texas and New Mexico frequently “were compelled to maneuver within powerful political and economic constraints. As they went about their everyday lives, the men and women of the frontier experienced the tensions between the Mexican state and United States market in such diverse realms as the organization of ethnic/national spaces, the procurement and consumption of medicine and alcohol, the choice of marrying partners, or the tales that the told about themselves and about others. Critical to his argument is the encroaching United States economy on the Mexico’s Northwest Territories as powerful economic forces sought out new markets for goods while also providing a market for Northern Mexican’s goods. The United States economy was significantly larger than Mexico’s, and this fact changed the alignment of many Tejanos, Anglos, and Nuevomexicanos towards the United States. Still, Mexico had a significant hold on its northern territory through culture, the Catholic Church, and the military, though differently in New Mexico than in Texas. Nevertheless, the changing government structure, particularly as the Mexican government shifted from a federalist system to a centralist system caused political unrest and fractionalization between pro-federalist supporters and pro-centralist supporters throughout the region.
In addition to a general orientation towards the United States economically for Northern Mexicans, Reséndez highlights key events as transformative Tejano and Nuevomexicano society. First, Mexican independence forever changed the society, particularly in the borderlands. As a more liberal government formed in Mexico City, Americans were allowed to immigrate into Texas. Second, these first Anglos facilitated an orientation economically to the United States along with bringing federalist political leanings. Third, the Mexican government began as a federalist system, those ideals took root in many areas of Mexico but particularly along the United States border. However, this often materialized in an expectation of protection via military garrison without the regulation of commerce or corresponding taxes. Finally, as Anglo settlers moved into the region, federalism became more engrained. By the time of the passage of the Law of April 6, 1830, which forbade Americans from settling in Mexican Territory, a clear animosity towards the federal government began to materialize in Texas as both Anglos and Tejanos resented the intrusion on a rapidly improving economy. Consequently, the growth in Anglo immigration had firmly oriented the Texas economy towards the United States; a fact not lost on Mexican leadership. By the time of the Texas Revolution, many Tejano’s (though not all) found common ground with Anglos, who wanted independence. Texas had firmly oriented its economy towards the United States, and at the same time, the threat of centralization by the Mexican government forced many federalist minded Tejano’s to join ranks with Anglos in the revolution.
In New Mexico, the establishment of the Santa Fe Trail, had a significant effect on the economy as well as the society of Nuevomexicanos there. The Santa Fe Trail created a conduit for United States trade as well as a cultural exchange. However, though trade oriented the New Mexican economy towards the United States, this was to a lesser degree than in Texas. Reséndez points out that not long after the Texas Rebellion, New Mexico had the Chimayó Rebellion, which ultimately failed in its goal of independence. The reason for this was the more established ties in New Mexico. Unlike Texas, which had formed as part of Coahuila and Texas as an autonomous state, New Mexico was ruled directly by the Mexican government. Reséndez argues that the rebellion there had a much different result than in Texas and the Mexican grip on the territory actually became stronger “helping to revitalize the military, prompting parish priests to play a significant political roles, and leading to a reorganization of the civil administration that would result in a durable political coalition that would rule the destines of New Mexico for the next ten year.” Texans would learn this fact the hard way when during the Santa Fe Expedition in 1841, the Texans that came to “liberate” the territory were promptly arrested and imprisoned. By the time of the Mexican-American War, New Mexicans were divided and in many cases skeptical about the United States military presence, and some violence towards Anglos occurred.
The sources used for Changing National Identities at the Frontier: Texas and New Mexico, 1800-1850, were extensive for both primary and secondary sources. Reséndez was able to access archives in Mexico to reveal the Mexican perspective on the period. He brings together the diverse viewpoints of contemporary newspapers and successfully argues that Mexican literature loomed larger over New Mexico than Texas. He also brings in Archeological evidence, particularly from the Kiowa to examine Native American perspectives of key events that took place in the first half of the nineteenth-century.
Reséndez’s purpose for writing this book is clear; the simplistic portrayal of the United States as a conquering nation expanding westward compared to Mexico as a hapless fledgling nation state unable to properly manage its territory has too long dominated the historiography of the subject. Reséndez argues that cultural, economic, religious, demographic, and political changes on the boarder culture over time must be more thoroughly investigated to understand the transition of Mexico’s Northwestern territory to the United States Southwest. In other words, Americanization happened over time, particularly in Texas, though to a lesser degree in New Mexico. Ultimately, Reséndez’s goal is “to contest the binary opposition of “Americans'” and “Mexicans'” in narrating the events leading to the U.S. invasion of Mexico in 1846.” His analysis of the role the economic power of the United States had in transforming the society of Texas and New Mexico is critical to understanding southwestern border history. However, some areas of the book seem tenuously tied together, as one reviewer put it “Each chapter reads as a discrete unit—some of them were published as separate essays—and their thematic development at times seems truncated.” Nevertheless, Reséndez provides an excellent history of the Southwest. The text is readable and would be appropriate for an upper-level Texas history class. As one reviewer noted, “The author eloquently balances descriptive narrative and theoretical arguments,” I certainly concur.

[Jason S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting parts to this book, especially history of New Mexico from 1820-1850, which was something I’d read very little about. Biggest problem is the book seems like a variety of random chapters rather than sticking to a clear thesis.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrés Reséndez paints a world where national identity was anything but predetermined, reminding its audience that nations are not born whole, but are created, deconstructed, and redefined at their edges.

[Ashley Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book to an interesting approach to the aquisition of Texas and New Mexico into the United States, opting to look at it from a Mexican perspective than from the traditional US perspective. Generally, I thought that the points the book made were interesting and thought provoking - however I found it hard to read. Without a substantial background of the area I got lost in the names and stories of people of whom I had never heard and although the chapters were well categorized in themes, I had a hard time following the over-arching point of each section. If you are truly interested in this area and time period and have had substantial learning in it previously, I definitely recommend this book. However, if not, then I suggest maybe picking something else up first.

[Feather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bold, balanced and important.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good.