Plan de San Diego Rebellion, Effects of the Repression, and Tejanos Links with the US

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Revolution in Texas
America has seen numerous revolts since its independence in 1836. These revolts have brought about transformation to society and changed the way things were done. The events marked important dates in the American calendar and served as a reminder of the changes that the US has undergone. One of such revolts was the Plan of San Diego in 1915, a rebellion aimed at overthrowing the US government in the Southwest and establishing a Mexican republic. While the rebellion did not succeed, it brought to attention the subjugation that the ethnic Mexicans were undergoing.
Changes Sparking the Rebellion
Changes occurring at both the state government and the border were a major catalyst for the violence. Towards the end of the 20th century, individuals of Mexican descent had become a small minority in the state of Texas (Ortiz and Edward 43). However, in the surrounding areas, they formed a majority of the population. In the enclaves where those of Mexican origin were the majority, while much of their land was in the hands of the Anglos, they held prominent positions in society. The Anglo Americans moving to Texas were more likely to adapt to border society by learning Spanish, getting married to Mexican families, and becoming Catholics instead of assimilating the Mexicans to Anglo Texan cultural ways.
However, new railroads and road connections were built, connecting the border enclaves to the rest of Texas. The move caused many white Americans to shift to the region, doubling the whole population within a few years. Because of the increasing land values, a majority of the ethnic Mexicans continued losing their lands to the whites. The ethnic Mexicans lost their land to the wealthy Americans and subsequently became laborers in the same lands that once belonged to them. Unfortunately, the new white farmers disregarded the power held by the ethnic Mexicans in South Texas (Carrigan and Clive 428). The white farmers constantly used segregation and disfranchisement to demonstrate white supremacy. Amid the growing dissatisfaction, a group of unidentified Mexican and Tejano rebels endeavored to secede Texas from the US and form a utopia for minorities. The idea was to execute all the white men above 16 years and return the land to the Mexicans. While no uprisings took place, raids started in July 1915, destroying a large number of properties.
Effects of the Repression
The US repressed the rebellion before it escalated. Benjamin Johnson believes that repressing the rebellion created a more segregated and brutal society. Repressing the rebellion exposed the racial and economic disparities that had developed and institutionalized (Johnson). It indicated the need for the whites to continue suppressing the ethnic Mexicans. While the ...