The Australian Broadcasting Network
Originally Posted: March 28, 2016
The following is from the March 29, 2016, edition of The Australian Broadcasting Network. SMU History Professor Neil Foley provided expertise for this story.
Donald Trump has some seemingly simple strategies to stop many Mexicans migrating to the US, but the relationship between the two North American neighbours is a complex one. As Annabelle Quince explains, much of south-west America was once part of Mexico, and without Mexican labour the US agricultural industry would be in trouble.
It’s obvious from the names of some of America’s biggest cities that they have a Spanish-speaking heritage. Settlements like Santa Fe, San Antonio, Los Angeles, and San Diego fall within the swathes of south-west America that were colonised by Spain and were then, for centuries, part of Mexico. READ MORE