page_title: History of Mexican Americans in Texas
hierarchical_section_title: History of Mexican Americans in Texas
caption_attribution_description: Belton, Texas in 1881. Birdrsquos Eye View of the City of Belton, Bell County Texas, 1881. Toned lithograph, 17.5 x 23 in. Lithographer unknown. Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.
context_page_description: Indigenous peoples lived in the area now known as Texas long before Spanish explorers arrived in the area. However, once Spaniards arrived and claimed the area for Spain, a process known as mestizaje occurred, in which Spaniards and Native Americans had mestizo children who had both Spanish and indigenous blood. Texas was ruled by Spain as part of its New Spain territory from 1520, when Spaniards first arrived in Mexico in 1520, until Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836, which led to the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. In 1830, the Mexican population fell to 20 percent and in 1840 down to 10 percent. When Spanish rule in Texas ended, Mexicans in Texas numbered 5,000. In 1850 over 14,000 Texas residents had Mexican origin.
  In the 2010 Census, 31.6% of Texans identified as "Mexican, Mexican Am., or Chicano".
  Texas has the second largest population of Mexicans after California.
context_section_description: Indigenous peoples lived in the area now known as Texas long before Spanish explorers arrived in the area. However, once Spaniards arrived and claimed the area for Spain, a process known as mestizaje occurred, in which Spaniards and Native Americans had mestizo children who had both Spanish and indigenous blood. Texas was ruled by Spain as part of its New Spain territory from 1520, when Spaniards first arrived in Mexico in 1520, until Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836, which led to the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848). In 1830, the Mexican population fell to 20 percent and in 1840 down to 10 percent. When Spanish rule in Texas ended, Mexicans in Texas numbered 5,000. In 1850 over 14,000 Texas residents had Mexican origin. 
  In the 2010 Census, 31.6% of Texans identified as "Mexican, Mexican Am., or Chicano". 
  Texas has the second largest population of Mexicans after California.
caption: Map of Belton
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