Essay - From Out of the Shadows Introduction in 'From Out of...

FROM OUT OF THE SHADOWS

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In "From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in the United States" by Vicki L. Ruiz, the author discusses Mexican-Americans in 1848, and how their lives changed. In *****, there were thousands of Mexican-American settlers in what is now the Southwest United States. ***** states life for these settlers "changed dramatically in 1848 with the conclusion of the U.S.-Mexican War, ***** d*****covery of gold in California, and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo," and this began their long descent into second-class citizenship that continues. Ruiz goes on to say, "With little opportunity for advancement, Mexicans were c*****centrated in lower echelon industrial, service, and agricultural jobs," ***** this downward spiral persists in society today.

Each of the causes ***** change was important and devastating, but probably the most ***** was the discovery of ***** in California. ***** had long made California ***** home, and some owned extensive ranchos, but California glittered too brightly, ***** the ***** States took the country for its own in 1850. The rancho way of life disappeared, especially when the ranchos belonged to women, which ***** not unusual in Mexican society. Unlike ***** U.S., Mexican women could and did own their own property, but their title was not recognized when the U. S. annexed *****, ***** they lost much if ***** all of their land.

Women went to work ***** help support the family, and they usu*****y worked for menial wages and suffered from stereotypes. Mexicans were called "lazy, sneaky, ***** greasy," and the women were "flashy, morally deficient sirens," stereotypes ***** also still exist today.

Mexican-Americans in ***** *****.S. suffered greatly after 1848, it was a turning point in their history. *****ir *****s of ***** ***** altered forever, and ***** have never recovered their former