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"New Spain" came into being around 1521. The map from 1819 is below.
New Spain had nothing to do with the United States. That was just some land that was marginally controlled by Spain. And they weren't even doing anything in those territories. They just wrote on a piece of paper that the land belonged to them.
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The 13 Colonies were not Spanish, but a lot more land in North America was owned by Spain than England.
Yes, and the 13 original states are where American people and culture were formed. There were no Spanish people. We were English speaking and protestant.
New Mexico was not part of the United States when this nation was being formed. They had nothing to do with forming or shaping this nation. American people and American culture were formed in the original 13 colonies and spread out from there. We were English-speaking protestant people that were white or black.
And when we acquired the former Spanish colonies in the southwest there was nothing there. It was just some land - almost no development whatsoever and very few people. The Southwest was developed by Americans. Spanish people did nothing.
Very few people can even claim to be of Colonial Spanish descent in those states. Nearly all of today's "hispanics", even in New Mexico, are of recent Latin American immigrant origin and have no roots in the United States.
Agreed re Urban legend....
HOWEVER Texaslawyer2000 has an excellent point... that America has always had a wonderfully diverse cultural mixture and as such all the languages are represented.
There isnt any need to make English an official language (primarily as those in America speak AMERICAN (English)... which is made up of alllll those other languages from people who have immigrated here over the years.
Wrong, American English evolved directly from proper English. It didn't evolve from Spanish, German, Italian, etc.
After reading this inane commentary, it only further convinces me English SHOULD be the official language of the United States, even as a symbolic gesture.
I knew a Peruvian lady she was the cleaning lady for a govt office for 15 yrs. Had a green card I helped her get all that stuff together for citizenship. She went to take the test.. failed it when forgot an "R" in strawberry. WTH??
Anyhow she cried like a baby, her husband was very sick, why I suggested go for her citizenship. Next time took the exam,she passed and then applied for her son in Peru. The petitions take 10 yrs. The husband died and she ended up with cancer.
They tried to get the son to the states to be able to visit with his mother with all of the Drs. information etc on a humanitarian waver. They denied it 3 times, because "he might overstay",,, he was an upstanding citizen, no criminal background etc.
I finally met this young man at the church services- where they let him come pick up her ashes... it may mean nothing to you, but this lady had recommendations from several govt employees attached to her petions. We can be arseholes too.
Wrong, American English evolved directly from proper English. It didn't evolve from Spanish, German, Italian, etc.
Well the argument against the strawman augment is correct. It can be said that English has common roots in Latin, Middle English (Germanic roots) French etc.
Anyway, anyone not going through the trouble to learn English will be punished by practical reality, I assure you.
German, French, Spanish and a handful of other languages are part of our heritage and culture as well. As a country, we've always had no official language and that's now a part of America since its founding. We don't need liberal big-government agenda to assign the country one.
Wrong, American English evolved directly from proper English. It didn't evolve from Spanish, German, Italian, etc.
Actually you are incorrect
English (American) as we know it today is derived from Middle English - which was brought over by William the Conqueror to England. The language they brought which was the language of the Royal Court (and most upper class) was a sort of French. For quite awhile the lower classes spoke 'English' and the upper class spoke 'French'.
From around 1100 (14th Century) English was predominantly the language spoken HOWEVER, there was still a carry over of many French words. This is the language known as Middle English.
However, prior to that - English had its roots in many other languages.
Going back to 'the beginning' from 55 BC until 449 'England' spoke a Celtish language. In 449 the Germanic invaders arrived and started to settle Britain. The three main Germanic tribes who invaded Britain were the Angles, Saxons and Jutes. (they came from what is now known as Denmark, and Northern Germany) - In 1066 William the Conqueror (the Duke of Normandy.. which is part of nowadays France) conquered England.
It wasnt until 1348 that English replaced Latin as the language taught in most schools. And then it wasnt until 1362 that English replaced French as 'the language of law' and was used in parliament for the first time.
1607 is when the English settlement, Jamestown, was established (in America)
In the 1500's Britain came into contact with many people around the world, there were many new words and phrases that became incorporated into the 'English' language. Because this is when printing was invented, there became a more 'standardized' version of 'English' (where the spelling and grammer became 'fixed').
Because the British Empire covered almost a fourth of the world, many Spanish words (canyon, ranch, stampede, vigilante), French words (through Louisiana) and West African words (through the slave trade) as well as the original Germanic words, were incorporated into the 'English' language.
Therefore English (American as well as British, as well as New Zealand English, Australian English, South African English, Indian English, Caribbean English) is an eclectic mix of languages from around the world
Foreigners don't know this. They come here and want to turn America into their country.
I was responding to Oldglory who stated that the Constitution was written only in English - wasnt written in Spanish... and that was incorrect.
No... actually your comment is also incorrect. They dont come here wanting to turn America into their country - they come here looking for a better life and want to retain some of the components of their old country - as comfort.
Generally speaking, America is NOT very welcoming to 'foreigners'.
When I went off to Uni.. I took my favourite book and my pillow and a bunch of photos of my family and I set them all up in my dorm room to comfort me. I wasnt trying to turn my dorm room into my old room at home... I just wanted some bits and pieces to keep my memories of my home alive. I also tended to stick with the other Island kids as 'we' had more in common and ate the same foods I did.
Thats all they are doing. And because 'birds of a feather flock together' - all those from... China... will tend to stay together in one area and bring those things that are familiar to home into that area.. same with Italians, and Germans and and and. There is nothing wrong with that. America isnt an entity in itself... it IS made up of all these different countries who have come together... and that is what makes America sooo wonderful.
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