Texas Revolution in The Alamo: Jim Bowie

American History before taking part in this class was fairly easy to understand, especially when one is not considering all the perspectives. I have learned that, in having different perspectives, one can only assume history specifically American history is one-sided. The idea of only one perspective being the most prevalent tends to cause friction with the way different people, cultures, and races view American History and also how they are treated. One example was the El Paso school located in the Segundo Barrio community being named after Jim Bowie. I believe that El Paso named the high school after Jim Bowie and placed the school in the middle of the Segundo Barrio community in an effort to give credit to a one-sided perspective of history and to keep from having to acknowledge or consider what Mexican heroes have accomplished.

I think El Paso naming a High School after Jim Bowie instead of another well-established hero that was actually Mexican just marks that American History is and has been one-sided. Looking through the perspective of Americans, the “Texas Revolution was a big accomplishment for Texas and America as we know it”. Others did not see that perspective, as “some interpretations depict the Texas Revolution as part of the southern slavocracy conspiracy to take over Texas”. Americans believed that the Texas Revolution was a very heroic accomplishment and should be celebrated as a victory. The problem with the Texas Revolution in the Alamo was that it only gave credit to the perspective of American history and not the perspective of Mexicans. “Newspapers in the United States publicized the battles and venomously condemned the Mexican people”.

In celebrating the Alamo, many acknowledged Jim Bowie as an American hero and patriot for his efforts in the revolution. Jim Bowie was also American, being one of the important reasons he received the honor of having a high school named after him in the center of the Segundo Barrio community. All his hard work was considered, just on the basis of his race and a myth. In terms of the location of the high school, although considered a predominately Mexican community that was an assumption, in reality, it is home to mainly US War veterans. This could also explain why a hero of Mexican descent was not specifically considered for the naming of the high school.

In naming the high school after Mexican heroes such as Benardo De Galvez, Juan Seguin or Marcelino Serna, it would me that Americans would have to acknowledge the history of Mexicans from the perspectives of Mexicans. It would also mean that history would be changed and in some of cases what Americans would no longer be considered patriotic or heroic. There were many Mexicans who actually fought tirelessly, they were not considered for the name of the high school, because they are simply not considered American. In the eyes of Americans, although Mexicans live and thrive in America they are not considered Americans. Many Mexican are treated as lesser in class because of their race. Mexicans have had a rough journey trying to achieve freedom and equality in America.

It can be hard coming to America to live being Mexican, because although America is considered diverse and free, in some cases that is not always how it all plays out. There have been many instances of Mexican discrimination including in the classrooms, in the work field, and also in society as a whole. In the classrooms, Mexicans were pushed into vocational classes while it also being unacceptable to speak Spanish, which for many was their first language. In the world field, many Mexicans have no choice but to do manual labor and housekeeping work because even with the proper education on the basis they are not American many do not believe they should be highly respected. For instance, the illegal farmworker by name of Alfredo who became a brain surgeon and was highly respected. Although he had the proper education many did not consider him worthy just off the basis of his status of being an immigrant. In American society, we fail to acknowledge that Mexicans have helped keep America thriving forward, “Yet the sad fact of the matter is that Mexican Americans do not exist as far as the major textbooks in American history are concerned”. As Americans, we also have to realize that in order to fully understand American history we have to acknowledge the different perspectives even when it means American history would change.

In conclusion, I believe fully that history, as well as different perspectives, is important to society. In terms of American history, it can be very one-sided because it is only seen from one perspective. In many instances, we have failed in seeing different instances in terms of perspectives including the instance High School named after Jim Bowie and placed it in the Segundo Barrio. “I think we should move away from the standardization and generalization concept of history perspectives paradigm in order to move forward”. I believe El Paso named the high school after him to give credit to a one-sided history, by failing to acknowledge all perspectives, especially the Mexican perspective.

References

1. Aragonés, A. (2019). “The Texas Revolution” Retrieved from https://blackboardlearn.utep.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_76027_1&content_id=_2540629_1
2. Aragonés, A. (2019). “Final Project” Retrieved from https://blackboardlearn.utep.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_760_1&content_id=_2540656_1
3. “Changing the Education Paradigm” NPR, (2010). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=zDZFcDGpL4U
4. Chavez, E. (2008). “Introduction: Race, manifest Destiny, and the U.S. War with Mexico” (pp. 1-31). Retrieved from https://blackboardlearn.utep.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2540631-dt-content-rid-78330735_1/courses/27088.201920/Chavez.pdf
5. Hoffman, A. (1972). Where are the Mexican Americans? Retrieved From https://blackboardlearn.utep.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-2540642-dt-content-rid-79155688_1/courses/27088.201920/Course%20Readings/hoffman.pdf
6. “Illegal Farmworker Becomes Brain Surgeon” NPR, (2011). Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2011/12/05/143141876/illegal-farm-worker-becomes-brain-surgeon
7. “Taking Back the Schools” NPR, (1996). Retrieved from https://utep.kanopy.com/?utm_medium=display&utm_source=embed-more videos&utm_campaign=126030-taking-back-the-schools