During the late 18th century, King Carlos III of Spain creates the Bourbon Reforms. The edict has a number of laws to better manage the New World, including the creation of the Interior Province. This territory consists of modern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. In this paper the Interior Province will simply be called El Norte.
The Bourbon Reforms is a logical place to begin a discussion about El Norte, but the creators of Encounters think otherwise. At the beginning of the exhibit there is a brief video about Cortés and his encounters with the Aztecs. The video discusses the first impressions Europeans have of Indians, and the conquest of the Aztecs. It also establishes the prejudice of the white man, and foreshadows the mistreatment of the Indian.
This is a reminder to all that El Norte means the north, not the south. Cortés first contact occurs on the Gulf coast of Mexico. This is miles south of the focal point for the exhibit. To establish setting, make the introduction about the Bourbon Reforms. These laws separate Mexico from its Interior Provinces giving the modern day observer a clear geographical distinction. It also establishes the ruler of the territory, and demonstrates some of the problems of early Spanish authority. The law increases the amount of troops sent over the Atlantic, indicating a need for protection. This need illustrates the fact that Spain did not conquer the New World with the snap of a finger. The formation of the Interior Province and the increases in troops also indicates a solid interest in El Norte, thus making the Bourbon Reforms a more relevant introduction to this exhibit.
A good follow up to the introduction would be a short video about the explorers who first came to El Norte. This video would highlight the key features of first contact for explorers like De Soto, Cabrillo, and Manila, with the Indians. It is interesting how the exhibit talks of Spanish explorers who “wandered Texas and New Mexico, just 50 years after Columbus,” without mentioning the names or deeds of these explorers. Instead the curator talks about Cortés, and compares all Indians to the Aztecs. The Indians of El Norte differ greatly from the highly organized, warlike, urban society of the Aztecs. “The great majority of California groups practice a subsistence economy based on the hunting and gathering of naturally occurring foods and materials.” (Rice et al. 34). They did not form large urban capitals like Tenochtitlan, and they did not practice war, religion, or trade on the same scale as the Aztecs (Haynes).
Once one is past the film, the exhibit gets better. On the ground is a giant time-line stretching across the room. It spans across the discovery of the New World to the beginning of American rule, highlighting the events relevant to El Norte. On either side of the time line are giant sheets of fabric that divide the exhibition in two. On the left are artifacts from Spanish rule, and examples of the average family lifestyle. On the right are relics demonstrating El Norte during the time of Mexican and American rule.
The section about Spanish rule is rather dull. A giant portrait of some nobleman, various armor and weapons, and a small statement about the missions represents the period. The exhibit seems to emphasize the weapons and the elite portrait more than the missions. The painting took up an entire wall, and the military hardware is spread out in multiple display cases. In contrast the curator crams as much information, about the missions, as could fit on a couple of small columns off to the side. The numbers tell the tale. The missions start in 1738, with an Indian population of 300,000. By the time of Mexican Independence in 1821, the Indian population is 100,000. The tiny section mentions very little about Junipero Serra, and the abuses of the Indians. There is also a picture showing captured Indian fugitives. Technically all aspects of the missions system are covered. However, the impact of the missions is understated by the space devoted to them. An observer passing by could easily miss this information. Even if there are no large relics like the elite portrait or battle armor, a combination of items could be made to denote the deep impact the missions have in El Norte.
History is so often about the lives of the few elite, and rarely includes aspects of the average man or woman. This exhibit does an excellent job avoiding this cliché by including the interactive 19th century New Mexican home. The portrayal is truly an amazing thing. Not only does the exhibit allow one to see the items, but one can touch them too. The ability to sit in a chair and feel a piece of cloth enhances the experiences beyond anything else. One could almost smell the beans and tortillas cooking in the corner oven. This by far is one of the most exciting sections of the exhibit.
Another example depicting the lives of the average citizen is the impressive display of retablos (saint paintings) and bultos (saint sculptures). These images are made to supplement for the lack of holy relics from Spain. The shortage of supplies is on account of many factors. The two biggest reasons are the location of the colonies and trade restrictions imposed by Spain. There are two ways to supply the northern territories by land and by sea. Going by land is ill-advised do to uncharted routes and hostile natives. The sea is preferable because it is cheaper and the paths are well documented. However, the ocean voyage takes months and there are often delays do to pirates and bad weather. Also, Spain does not allow trade with foreign nations. Business with foreigners does occur, but not to a high degree. The trade restriction combined with the location makes manufactured goods very rare and valuable, thus the church cannot satisfy the great demand for holy relics. To solve this problem, the people of El Norte make their own saint paintings and sculptures. Retablos and bultos develop into their own unique art style by the time of Mexican Independence, and many are displayed in the museum.
Becoming a sovereign nation creates many problems for Mexico. These troubles spill over into El Norte, and as a result the territory is only under Mexican control for about three decades. The independence from Spain allows trade with foreign nations, and the new government secularizes the mission system making way for the rancheros. However, Mexico is plagued with internal struggles, which undermines its control of the nation. The lack of Mexican authority creates a distinct and diverse culture in El Norte.
In the following section of the exhibit, the curator uses California to represent most of El Norte. They do mention Texas and New Mexico, but only once or twice. This leads to the false assumption that all of El Norte is like California. Texas, for example, is a major part of the cotton south. This means there are slaves in Texas as well as rancheros and Indians. The cash crop also gives people addition employment options other than cattle. Texas is like a hybrid of the American West and South; part cattle country, part slave state.
California is no hybrid. It’s all about the hide and tallow trade. Californios (white natives) own huge rancheros that employ vaqueros (Indian cowboys) in order to satisfy the demand for raw materials. “Huge” may be an understatement in describing the enormous properties. In 1841, Santa Marguerita granted Pio and Andres Pico 130,000 acres of ranchland in modern day Camp Pendleton. These vast holdings are perfect for raising cattle to produce hide and tallow. The hides could be used for machine belts in Boston, and the tallow is made into candles for miners in South America. These are not the only uses for hide and tallow, and many Californios become wealthy. The hides were valued at “two dollars in money” according to Richard Dana, and by 1848 about 6 million hides and 7,000 tons of tallow are exported.
California is a good representation of El Norte up to a point. The hide and tallow trade is similar throughout El Norte. However, there are a few more discrepancies that need to be made involving the Mexican-American War. The museum exhibit displays the cause of the war as being a border dispute between two countries in Texas. America wants the border at the Rio Grande, and Mexico believes it should be at the Rio Nueces. Hostilities follow and the United States ends up defeating Mexico, conquering El Norte in the process. This is the information presented, but certain key events are omitted. Little is revealed about the Bear Flag Revolt, and the antics of John C. Fremont. New Mexico must have had a brief part in the war, for they are barely even mentioned. Another key distinction is Texas and New Mexico experience different kinds of population increases than California. Texas and New Mexico are not as isolated from the eastern United States and receives a fairly constant flow of trade and settlers. Land was fertile and cheap so there was an initial population boom, but nothing compared to the California gold rush. There were no “instant cities” like San Francisco in Texas or New Mexico. The curator should have represented these differences in order to make a clear picture of the diversity in El Norte before and after the Mexican-American War.
The exhibit ends by displaying the fall of rancheros in California. There are many examples of property changes, Indian abuses, and other affects of the Gold Rush population boom. The Indian situation does not change when the United States takes over El Norte. During the mid 19th century, $100 bonds are offered for killing Indians. This did not bother the white man, for many during this period believe that the only good Indian is a dead one. “Extermination is no longer a question of the time-the time has arrived, the work has commenced, and let the first man that says treaty or peace be regarded as a traitor” (Yreka Herald 1853). The curator does a fantastic job here of illustrating the doomed fate of the Indian. I wish he or she would have put the same effort into describing the Indians plight during the time of the missions.
Californios are better off than the Indians, but not by much. They have to verify their ranches to the United States government in order to keep their land. The United States congress passes the Land Act of 1851, which “created a three-member commission to review titles, requited claimants to present their cases within two years, and allowed appeals to courts by both claimants and the government.” Out of 813 claimants 512 confirmed their title (Rice et al. 219). Ironically, many rancheros have to sell parts of their land to pay for the court costs to save their property. The less fortunate rancheros fell victim to squatters, farmers, and other types of American settlers. Some, like Pio Pico, are able to sell their land for profit. Pico uses the money to buy a luxury hotel in Los Angeles, and lives a successful life. By the end of the century the great ranchero system is sold out to American settlers.
Leaving the Encounters exhibit one has a new appreciation for El Norte. However, this appreciation is better reached through outside knowledge of the subject matter. Additional information is needed for the early Spanish missions, and the latter diversity between California and the rest of El Norte. This exhibit focus on California is well warranted, but overused. It is hard to believe that the rest of El Norte was like California, especially Texas. By adding the material mentioned, and removing some of the less relevant items the curator could create a clearer picture of El Norte.
Works Cited
Encounters: El Norte-The Spanish and Mexican North. Autry National Center: Museum
of the American West, 2004.
Haynes. A History of Latin America: Ancient America to 1910. Boston: Houghton
Mifflin, 2000.
Rice, Bullough, and Orsi. The Elusive Eden. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2002.
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