Hispanic Americans
Overview
Hispanic Americans are a large, diverse minority. They trace their ancestry to a variety of countries. What makes them a group is that they or their ancestors spoke Spanish when they entered the United States. Hispanic Americans have been in America since the beginning of the United States. They have been gradually increasing in number ever since.
The Mexican-American War (1846–1848) caused a large increase in Hispanic American citizens in the United States. The United States believed in manifest destiny. This was the idea that the United States would control all of North America. Before the war, Mexico controlled California and most of what became the American southwest.
President James K. Polk tricked Mexican soldiers into fighting in American territory....
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