|
|
A Tejano (Spanish for "Texan"; archaic spelling texano)
is a person of
Hispanic descent born and living in the U.S. state
of Texas.
In 1821,
at the end of the
Mexican War of Independence, there were
about 4,000 Tejanos living in Texas. In the 1820s, many
Anglo settlers moved to Texas from the
United States. By 1830, the 30,000 settlers in Texas outnumbered the Tejanos six
to one. The Anglos and Tejanos alike rebelled against the centralized authority
of Mexico
City and the draconian measures implemented by the Santa Anna
regime. Tensions between the central Mexican government and the settlers eventually
led to the
Texas Revolution.
Tejanos may variously consider themselves to be
Hispanic,
Chicano, Mexican American,
Spanish,
or Latino
in ethnicity. In urban areas as well as some rural communities, Tejanos tend to
be well integrated into both Hispanic and Anglo-American cultures.
|