Barefoot Heart: Stories of a Migrant Child by Elva trevino Hart

Barefoot Heart is written by Elva Trevino Hart who tells the story of her childhood.  She tells how she was born in Mexico and traveled with her family each summer to Minnesota to find work.  She tells about how difficult it was leaving her friends in Mexico each summer.  She also tells about the struggles her family faces in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  She recalls not fitting in with the white people in the U.S.  Although Hart faced many challenges she was able to overcome them.  She worked hard in school and eventually graduated from Stanford University with a degree in computer science/engineering.  This is a moving story of a migrant girl who overcame all the struggles of moving from one place to another.  It made me aware of some of the challenges that migrants face.  Challenges that I never imagined that they were facing.          

Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

       This book written by Sonia Nazario follows the life of Enrique, a young boy living in Honduras without his mother. When Enrique was only five years old, his mother left for the United States in search of a job that would pay her enough money to feed her children. She left her son behind in Honduras so that he could continue to receive an education but promised that one day she would return. However, his mother faces many difficulties in the United States as the years keep ticking by. Enrique calls her and begs her to come back because without her, he feels lost and lonely. Finally, after 11 years of not seeing his mother, he decides to go find her. With nothing but his mother's telephone number, Enrique sets off for the United States and illegally travels through Mexico by clinging to the sides of trains or riding on top of them. While making the journey through Mexico, Enrique and other migrant children encounter many obstacles. Gangsters are patrolling the tops of the trains, thieves steal and even kill some of them, and cops are patrolling the border, ready to deport any illegals. In order to escape from these cops, they must jump on and off El Tren de la Muerte (The Train of Death). Despite all these harships, Enrique eventually finds his mother. However, they realize they are strangers and get into arguments, but soon they learn to get along and both get jobs in the United States.

       I chose to read Enrique's Journey in order to learn more about what immigrants have to go through. Enrique is not alone; millions of children migrate illegally in search of their parents. All my life, I have grown up with a negative attitude towards these illegal immigrants; however, this book challenged that attitude and caused me to have more respect and understanding towards those who simply want a better life for their families.

History: Gaudalupe Hidalgo Treaty

                                                 

           The Treaty of Gaudalupe ended the Mexican American War in 1848.  In this treaty Mexico lost 45 percent of its land.  What once was Mexico is now California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado.  In exchange for this land the U.S. gave Mexico $15 Million.  The U.S. also agreed to pay for the debts of U.S. citizens to the Mexican government.  This treaty also gave Mexican living within the now U.S. border civil and property rights.  The picture above shows the land the U.S. received in the Treaty of Gaudalupe.

History: Mexican Revolution

The Mexican Revolution began in 1910.  It started because the people were unsatisfied with the dictatorship of President Porfirio Diaz.  Government spots were held by only a few men and the people of Mexico were not happy with this so they started to revolt.  However, there were many Mexicans who opposed the fighting.  Most of these Mexican chose either to hide away in Mexico or flee their country to the U.S.  In fact, 890000 Mexicans immigrated to the U.S. between the years of 1910 and 1920.  The main reason they immigrated was to find peace.  In the late 1910’s the revolution ended but many of the immigrants who had immigrated to the U.S. never went back to Mexico.  They instead chose to continue building their family in the U.S.  

History: Cuban Independence

       In the 1820s, when the rest of the Spanish Empire in Latin America rebelled and formed independent states, Cuba remained loyal. Cuba depended on Spain for trade, protection from pirates, and control over slaves. Cuba feared the United State's rising power more than they disliked Spanish rule. However, in 1868 Carlos Manuel de Cespedes led the Cubans in a rebellion for independence from Spain. This rebellion resulted in what was called the Ten Years' War, but the U.S. refused to recognize the new Cuban government. Spain agreed to give Cuba a little more autonomy but remained in power.
       Then in 1895 a few Cubans tried again to achieve their independence. However, the Spaniards came over and suppressed the people. Many Cubans died of starvation and disease while in concentration camps. The United States, wanting to bring protection for its American people who had settled in Cuba, sent the U.S.S. Maine over with supplies. One night the Maine suspiciously blew up, and President McKinley declared war on Spain shortly after the incident.
     When the war was finally over, Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, by which Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million. Spain also gave up its power over Cuba. Cuba gained formal independence in 1902 from the United States as the Republic of Cuba. Under Cuba's new constitution, the U.S. retained the right to intervene in any Cuban affairs and to supervise its finance and foreign relations.

History: Mexican-American War

       The Mexican-American War was an important battle and had quite the impact on the history of the United States as well as on the history of Mexico. Although the war has long since been over, the effects of it can still be seen and felt today.
       The cause of this war is mostly credited to the imperialistic attitude of the United States. After gaining Louisiana, Virginia, and Florida, America was greedy for more. They looked to the land of the Mexicans which was being sold at cheap rates to attract American settlers. Those Americans who had settled in Mexican-owned Texas wanted their independence, so they revolted in 1835. U.S. President Polk officially declared war on Mexico in May of 1846. He thought that Mexico would feel threatened and allow the U.S. to annex California and Texas. That, however, did not happen, and General Taylor ruthlessly crushed the Mexican resistance. Taylor continued to win battles, including the Battle of Buena Vista and the Battle of Cero Gordo. In 1847, the Mexican defeat is obvious, and President Polk arranges for peacemaking. However, Mexican leader Santa Anna refuses to give up, and the war continues for a few more months. Then in February of 1848, the U.S. wins the batttle and the Negotiation treaty is signed.
       In the end, the U.S. aquired Texas and the northern half of Mexico which included, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. However, relations between the U.S. and Mexico remained tense for decades and resulted in several military encounters along the border. Even today, bitter feelings still remain toward the U.S. in the hearts of some Mexican citizens.

The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez

The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez is a story based on the life of the author. Through The Circuit Jimenez shares his experiences as an immigrant child from Mexico. Jimenez writes about his experiences from the child-like perspective of when he was a boy. As a young boy, Francisco Jimenez or “Panchito,” goes through a number of trials as he and his family struggle to stay out of poverty. The Circuit tells the compelling story of Jimenez’s family and their struggle to survive in America as immigrants from Mexico.
The story begins when the Jimenez family, living in El Rancho Blanco, Mexico, decides to cross the boarder into the United States. Francisco's Papa hopes to find work in California so that he can provide for his family. One night, the family sneaks across the boarder and they become illegal citizens residing in the US.
In the families first few months in America they experienced extreme poverty, exhausting working conditions, and a constant worry of not making enough money to meet their needs. The Circuit describes all of the hardships the family faces. Francisco experiences his first year in school. He does not know any English and struggles to keep up with what is going on in the classroom.
Despite the hardships the family goes through, they continue to stay positive and work hard. Francisco always has his family to encourage him and get him through the hard times. Through out the first few years in America, Francisco learns that family is far more important than any material object. He learns the English language and is thankful for his opportunity to go to school. He learns how to work hard and also how to stick up for what is right.
Just as the Jimenez family seems to be settled (Francisco's older brother finds a permanent job) Francisco is called out of class by the immigration officers who have discovered that the Jimenez family are illegal immigrants. The Circuit leaves the readers wondering what will happen to the family.
Overall, The Circuit gives readers a new perspective into the life of an immigrant. It colorfully plays out many of the trials the family faces. The readers of The Circuit fall in love with the Jimenez family and find themselves hoping for the family's safety.