The recent riots in Los Angeles, marked by protesters defiantly waving the Mexican flag, reveal a stark reality. Many saw the flag as mere symbolism of heritage; an alarming number interpreted it as a declaration—California is rightfully Mexican territory. This brazen sentiment is more than just misguided fervor; it threatens to undermine American sovereignty.
On college campuses, “land acknowledgments” have become routine, where event organizers superficially concede that institutions occupy lands once claimed by various Native tribes. This performative virtue signaling fails to recognize a pivotal truth: tribes historically seized land from one another long before European explorers set foot on the continent. Such gestures gloss over a complicated history that demands a more honest reckoning.
The United States acquired its western territories through treaties, compensation, and, tragically, conflict. Let’s not mince words: the narrative that the descendants of the Aztecs or any other group hold a legitimate claim to California or the American Southwest is unequivocally false. The territory belongs to the United States as a result of treaties and undeniable military victories.
### The Rise and Fall of Spanish Power
Spain’s exploration and conquests in the Americas began in the 15th century, leading to the destruction of the Aztec Empire. By the 18th century, however, Spanish control weakened. Their governance model was exploitative and ineffective, entrenched in class resentment and disconnected from the land and people. The ruling peninsulares often returned to Spain, leaving power struggles among the creoles, mestizos, and native populations.
Inspired by the American Revolution, Mexico declared itself a republic in 1824 but lacked the institutional strength to maintain order. Political instability ensued, culminating in the dictatorship of Antonio López de Santa Anna, who ruthlessly suppressed dissent.
In Texas, tensions simmered. Before independence from Spain, Mexican authorities encouraged Anglo settlement as a buffer against Comanche invasions. The Comanche, highly skilled horsemen, exerted their power across the Southern Plains, compelling rival tribes to retreat. As Anglo settlers sought decentralized governance, they ultimately declared independence, sparking violence. Santa Anna’s brutal response at the Alamo further solidified Texan resolve.
### The Acquisition of the Southwest
After annexing Texas in 1845, war between the U.S. and Mexico became inevitable. President James Polk’s insistence on conflict led to the Mexican-American War—one of the most significant chapters in American history. The U.S. military, efficiently organized and superior in strategy, overpowered Mexican forces, claiming strategic victories in Santa Fe and Los Angeles. General Winfield Scott’s audacious amphibious attack and subsequent capture of Mexico City would go down in military history as a remarkable feat.
This war could have been averted. The U.S. sought to purchase the disputed territories, but Mexico, insulted, refused. As a result, conflict erupted, and the U.S. emerged triumphant.
### Legitimacy of Land Ownership
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, solidified America’s territorial gains, including California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of several other states. The U.S. compensated Mexico with $15 million, an equitable outcome that included offers for affected Mexican nationals to remain as U.S. citizens.
The assertion by some that America unfairly acquired this land is not only historically inaccurate but dangerously misleading. The U.S. paid for the territories it acquired and ensured that individuals living within them were offered full citizenship rights. Faced with the realities of 19th-century geopolitics, the acquisition was a justifiable outcome.
America’s integrity and sovereignty must not be undermined by misguided attempts at historical revisionism or territorial claims based on flawed interpretations of the past. It’s time to confront these narratives with unwavering confidence in our national identity and the rightful claim to our land.
