What is Barrio

Mexican American culture did not originate in one place or even in one country. The culture originated in different regions of the country as the people have moved from place to place, combining the culture of one group with the culture of another as they adapted to a new life. Mexican influences include all their values related to ethics, language, religion, and family; all these make them stand out from the main culture and their influences can be traced from the 1500s, despite the fact that their influence on the history of the United States is deliberately kept vague in textbooks. However, in regard to their religious beliefs, legacy in education, effect on the armed forces, and national organizations, their footprints in the path of our history are clear and easy to read. Their great Mayan, Aztec, Olmeca, and Chichimeca cultures have been remembered and honored and continue to function in their colorful traditions. Government, written history, education, and public media have led the majority of U.S. citizens to believe that Mexican Americans have taken advantage of this country, but they have failed to acknowledge the true history behind the Mexican presence in this country. In this chapter, the author will share the Mexican influence (on food, religion and spirituality education, colonialism to World War II, and the Armed Forces) in the United States, but most importantly, the author will point out the influence of Mexican women/Mexicanas or Chicanas in this country. The chronological overview of Mexicanas is divided into five periods, starting from where they were first settled in the Southwest, then in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.