The Ethnicity of Mexians in the United StatesFor centuries, Mexican Americans have faced enormous difficulties dating back to their earliest roots Aztecs. The source of many problems in the history of the United States of America dates back to the precolonial period, before the United States of America was even conceived. The major issues of this era in history affected not only the Aztecs, but also subsequent generations of Aztec and Mexican descent, and continue to impact their descendants in contemporary American society. Starting in the 15th century with the arrival of Columbus, the natives of the Americas were infected by European diseases which proved fatal to the Indians. The population of northern Mexico suffered an immense decimation, falling from 2,500,000 people to fewer than 320,000 by the end of the 16th century (Vargas, 30). The Spanish's cruel treatment of the natives contributed to this vast reduction in the Aztec and Mexican population, allowing the Spanish to conquer the lands of the Aztecs and other native tribes. By the end of the 16th century, the Spanish had expanded their conquests into the southwest region of what is now known as the United States of America. In the years following the Spanish conquests, the southwestern region of the United States became a Spanish colonial territory. . Indians, Spaniards and blacks occupied this territory where the shortage of Spanish women led to the mixing of these cultures. The result of the mixing of these races was a homogenization of people of various cultures, called mestizos and mulattoes who, like today's Mexican Americans, inherited two distinct cultures that would make their culture rich, but somewhat a little confusing..... . middle of paper ......n, Gonzalez declares his identity; “I am the Aztec prince and the Christian Christ.” This combination of culture is the basis of his poem, available at http://www.pbs.org/chicano/joaquin.html, and is representative of the heritage of Mexican Americans. The concept of Aztlan is explained in Chicano!, and the mural "Corazon de Aztlan", found in Chicano Park (http://chicanopark.org/murals/north/n8.html), reinforces the importance of this image in people's lives. Chicanos. The myth of Aztlan symbolizes centuries of culture and struggles of Mexican Americans who have faced incredibly difficult times throughout history, but who never lost hope and always remained strong, determined to to one day be treated equally as citizens of the United States of America. Zaragoza. Major Issues in Mexican-American History. (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999).