For reasons of language and history, the United States has appreciated its Anglo-Saxon heritage above all others. However, as Carrie Gibson explains with great depth and clarity in her work El Norte, America has much older Spanish roots - roots that have remained unconsidered or marginalized. The Spanish past of the United States preceded the arrival of the Pilgrims by a century and has been equally significant in shaping the nation. El Norte chronicles the extensive and dramatic history of Spanish North America from the arrival of the Spanish to the present day - from Ponce de Leon's initial landing in Florida in 1513 to the Spanish control of the vast territorial area of Louisiana in 1762, the Mexican-American War in 1846, and up to the more recent tragedy of post-hurricane Puerto Rico and the ongoing confrontation at the border with Mexico. Embedded in this poignant narrative of events and people are cultural issues that have existed from the beginning and remain unresolved: language, belonging, community, race, and ethnicity. Tracing these issues through the centuries provides a vital perspective at a time when it is urgent to be considered. In 1883, Walt Whitman wrote, 'in the composite American identity of the future, the Spanish character will supply some of the most needed parts.' This future is here, and El Norte, a moving and fact-filled history in its own right, will have a powerful impact on our perception of the United States.

Pages: 576, Dimensions: 16.5x16.5cm