77skelter's channel

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Chileno achievements in California

At first, the Chilenos who remained constituted a very closely-knit group. Chileno newspapers were published in San Francisco from 1863 to 1883 and when Chile was threatened with aggression from Spain in 1865, "Chileno Patriotic Clubs" mushroomed all over California to collect funds to help the motherland. During the War of the Pacific, 1879-1882, the Chilenos contributed large amounts of money to the Chilean cause and actively engaged in propaganda at all levels. However, little by little they became anglicized. Most Chileno women married "anglos" as did a large percentage of the men. The Chilenos, for the most part, did not have to contend with the color prejudice of the black or the sharp Indian features of the Mexicans. Since a chance had been afforded to go home to Chile for those who wanted to return, only the best fit, the ones that loved California remained. Furthermore, throughout the turmoil and the abuse in the mines and in the cities, the Chileno demonstrated himself to be an unusually good fighter who met the "gringo" as an equal refusing to be pushed around.

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