Recognizing Hispanic

An Explorer:

Select an early Spanish explorer (1500-1700s) and write a one sentence description of what the explorer did . . who, what, when, where, why and the source of information.

This information will be posted on a classroom website to be used as a resource. Student will keep a notebook, and compile the Spanish Explorers discovered by classmates and posted on their class website, "Heroes Among Us".

A Hero:
Select and research a Latino Hero, during any time period. either a well known public figure, or a family member or ancestor whose life was lived heroically, over-coming many challenges, male or female.

Prepare a poster, of the hero, which will be displayed during the student presentation and in the hallways during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Make a presentation, promoting the student’s hero, preferably in first person and in period clothing, or with props appropriate to the hero.

Suggestions for class discussions:
*What accomplishments/characteristics does the student admire about this individual?
* In what ways did the student's Hero perform his life heroically?
* Why is the title "Heroes Among Us" used?

Caution: Unfortunately, it is difficult to read about the early Spanish explorers without considerable negative commentaries. The hosts of many websites write about the early Spanish explorers from a non-Latino perspective.

Their commentaries paint a black-legend, depicting the Spanish, as greedy, cruel people whose goal in the Americas was simply to get gold, silver and other riches. The term Conquistador unfortunately labeled the Spanish nature and purpose incorrectly.

You will discover the real story is quite different. Most of the Spanish came to build a life for themselves and family. Ship manifests document men traveling with male relatives, and also many traveling with their wives and children. The Spaniards came not to conqueror, but to colonize, hoping to acquire a piece of land and build a future.

The basic economy of the Spanish in the Americas was based on cattle.
In 1509, Spain established a colony for raising cattle on Jamaica. Raising cattle does not require a large labor-force.

The basic economy of the Anglo-Saxon was based on agriculture:
hemp, tobacco, cotton, sugar, all require a large labor-force. Slavery was of importance to the Anglo-Saxon businessman in the Americas. In 1525, German financiers built a silver factory on Hispanola. German miners immigrated to work in Venezuela.

Source for the two facts above:
Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas by Christina K. Schaefer c1998

The tradition and practice in Spain, based on Jewish law, was that the oldest son received the full family inheritance. Rather than dependency on the whims and disposition of their brother, many younger brothers, either joined the military or became priests. Rising within the Spanish military, opened doors to a career in Spain's government in Nueva Espana. Besides the Adelantados, those who came first) were the merchants, craftsmen, the carpenters, vaqueros, tailors, farmers, bakers, doctors, lawyers, teachers.

In the English Army, soldiers were rewarded with land, based on their military rank and military service. Not well known is that among English sailors, European merchant ships were robbed by English pirates, called privateers.

The wealth, booty, and confiscated ships were divided with Queen Elizabeth I, and the captain and sailors on the ship. One of the leaders in this "trade" was Francis Drake. For his thievery, Drake was knighted in 1581 by the Queen and history always refer to Drake as Sir Francis Drake. Drake actually made a living by high sea robbery, but was welcomed into English society.

I have edited Somos Primos for 30 years, 10 years as a newsletter and 20 years as a monthly online magazine. It has been a volunteer effort, dedicated to sharing a fact-based historical view of the Spanish presence world-wide. The 20 years online is available at www.SomosPrimos.com. The following list are some facts which I have pondered, and I hope you will too. Consider:

1. Spanish soldiers were the first to dedicate the Americas to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The first religious meeting and the first Thanksgiving dinner in the US were in Spanish.

2. The Spanish very early in their explorations brought horses with them. Without the horses,
only the fringes of the continent would have been explored. Estimates on how far inland explorations might have taken place, are a maximum 20 miles inland from the coast.

3. Spanish horses multiplied and the indigenous soon mastered the skill and were able to

hunt and protect themselves against the westward movement.

4. Spanish soldiers accompanied the Jesuits and Franciscans Fathers protecting them.

5. In addition to horses, the Spaniards also brought pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, cats, cattle, donkeys, bees and new dog species. Spanish colonizers brought wheat and Asian rice to Mexico in the early 1500s, where cultivation spread to the southwestern United States.

6. Spanish built their camps next to indigenous encampments to encourage interaction
between the Spanish and indigenous.

7. Spanish soldiers from the Florida coast to the Southwest were protectors of
the indigenous who fled to the Catholic missions and Spanish forts for protection.

8. Spanish soldiers were encouraged by the Catholic Priests to marry indigenous women start families, and stay in the Americas. Historical and DNA evidence proves they did.

9. English strategy was to invade, and force the indigenous off choice lands, and put the tribes on reservations. This treatment of the natives destroyed entire tribes. Tribes who were not friendly with each other were forced to both restructure their traditional leadership and find the means of feeding themselves, within a constrained and different flora and fauna geographic location.

10. Spanish soldiers under Spanish General Bernardo De Galvez fought with the colonist
for independence from the English.

11. Many United States historian have taken the position that without Spain's help, the colonists would not have won its independence from the English. Many Latinos are being welcomed into the Sons and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

12. During the American Revolution, horses, cattle, canons, munitions, supplies was given,
as directed by Spain, to the American colonists. This support was carried out by Spanish citizens living throughout what is now the United States.

Hispanics/Latinos have served in every war and military conflict in which the United States has been involved.

Explorers from the 1600's - EnchantedLearning.com

enchantedlearning.com/explorers/1600.shtml

List of Hispanos - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Spanish_settlers...

This is a list of Hispanos, both settlers and their descendants (either fully or partially of such origin), who were born or settled, between the early 16th century and 1850, in what is now the southwestern United States (including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, southwestern Colorado, Utah and Nevada), as well as Florida, Louisiana (1763–1800) and other Spanish colonies in what is now the United States. Governors and explorers, who spent time in these places serving the Spanish crown, but never settled in them as colonists, are not included, although they also helped shape the history of the present United States. This list shows notable people of Spanish and Mexican origin who lived in the Hispanic colonies now part of the United States, as well as their descendants.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hispanos

Texas Connection to the American Revolution
http://sarsat.org/HistoricalAccounts/thetexasconnectiontotheamericanrevolution.htm

All too often, when Americans think of the American Revolution, they think only in terms of the events that occurred in the thirteen English colonies. Important as they were, they do not tell the whole story. An oft-neglected part of it concerns the role of Spain in the American Revolution. A generally unknown part of it is the Texas connection. Overlooked by most historians much too long, the contribution of Spain, Texas included, was vital in the winning of American independence two hundred years ago.

There has been a 30 year effort lead by members of the Sons of the American Revolution in Texas to promote and give visibility to the history of Spain's support of the American colonists in their effort to free themselves from England.   Much of the leadership has been non-Hispanics, supported by Hispanics authors researching their families histories.

INVENTORS:

https://www.nic.lat/top-10-latino-inventions-in-history/

https://www.thoughtco.com/list-of-hispanic-inventors-1991700

https://blog.xcaret.com/en/19-mexican-innovations/
https://blog.chron.com/lavoz/2015/09/the-most-important-inventions-created-by-hispanic-americans/ /
https://www.lifepersona.com/the-30-most-important-mexican-inventions-current-and-historical

· Hispanic Heritage and Inventions | USPTO

www.uspto.gov/.../hispanic-heritage-and-inventions

In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office is recognizing some Hispanic Americans whose inventions contributed to the nation's social and economic well-being.

Exploring Space

Bertrand Acosta- born in California, Pioneer Aviator in 1910, set speed records.

Dr. Ellen Ochoa - born in California, first Latina Astronaut, first human to play a classical instrument in space.
Jose Moreno Hernandez - born in California, Astronaut from 2006-2009.

Latinxs who broke the glass ceiling.
A wonderful series of articles written by Mercy Bautista Olvera highlighting 66 success stories of both Latinas and Latinos. In addition, Mercy has written many articles sharing personal warm and tender family stories of living in Los Angeles. Perfect for the classroom.

Mercy, educator and writer has written a collection of mini-bios and success stories which are unique. In each case, the individual was the first Latino to hold that position, good models and examples, "que si se puede." http://somosprimos.com/mercy/mercytoc.htm
scarlett_mbo@yahoo.com

Lists of Hispanic and Latino Americans, in various fields.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans In various fields.

1 Arts

Hispanic Medal of Honor Society http://www.hispanicmedalofhonorsociety.org/recipients.html
60 Latinos who received a United States Medal of Honor compiled by Rick Leal, President.
The organization is actively engaged in lobbying for the inclusion of 17 other deserving Latinos who were recommended for a Medal of Honor, but were by-passed by the committee.

Contact Rick directly to help
415-385-1616
Email: gg1031@gmail.com

Spanish Surnames

https://www.scarymommy.com/spanish-last-names/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58846/30-discoveries-about-family-history-spanish-surnames
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_Spanish_surnames

Hispanic Contributions Throughout the World:
http://www.SomosPrimos.com

As an ethnic group in the United States, Hispanics have had difficulties in uniting because we are so diverse. Our ancestors circled the globe, settled and intermarried, adding all racial groups into our DNA, both adopting and sharing cultural traditions and customs.

Somos Primos is dedicated to recognizing the presence and contributions of all those of us who have a connection to Hispania, the ancient name of Spain. What has persisted over the 2,000 years since Hispania was settled by our Jewish ancestors. Languages developed based on the Roman language. If Spanish is your first language, you may find you can communicate fairly easily with Italians, and Portuguese.

My personal thesis is if you have a Hispanic/Spanish surname, we are cousins. It may be very distant, but our roots are intertwined. Learn more Spain and your Spanish surnames:

https://www.scarymommy.com/spanish-last-names/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/58846/30-discoveries-about-family-history-spanish-surnames
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_Spanish_surnames

Learn about the Spanish history in Hispania. Aramaic was the common language in Israel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Spain
https://www.unrv.com/provinces/hispania.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Hispania

Researching Indigenous History

John Schmal, historian, genealogist, and lecturer in this area of research. John started this journey, with his friend Donna Morales, with whom he coauthored “Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico” (Heritage Books, 2002).

John has degrees in History (Loyola-Marymount University) and Geography (St. Cloud State University) and is a board member of the Society of Hispanic Historical Ancestral Research (SHHAR).

John served as an associate editor of Somos Primos since its online inception. He has collaborated with Eddie Martinez – a graphics illustrator – on a manuscript entitled “Indigenous Mexico: Past and Present”. Gives lectures in the Los Angeles area.

Table of Contents, Essays and Research on Indigenous Mexico by John Schmal
http://www.somosprimos.com/schmal/schmal.htm < < < < < < < <
https://indigenousmexico.org/about/
http://houstonculture.org/mexico/baja.html https://www.mexconnect.com/authors/193-john-p-schmal/

How About DNA for Finding Indigenous Roots?
Somos Ancestria
https://www.somosancestria.com/?afmc=CHELA
New DNA website specializes on indigenous roots. Testing spans Pima, Rarámuri, Wixárika, Zapoteco, Mixteco, Triqui, Nahua Central, Maya, Amazonas, and Andes.

For researchers who can identify the birth place of their indigenous grandparents, DNA might be able to identify the tribe.