Social scientists study people. Anthropology (an(t) thrə pä lə jē) is one of the social sciences. Anthropology is the study of people in societies and cultures. Societies and cultures include particular groups of people. Societies and cultures can include groups of people who lived during a certain time and in a certain place. Societies and cultures can also include groups of people who make, for example, a particular type of art or music. Any group can have its own culture. Your school, for example, might have its own culture, different from other schools. Do you think a city school’s culture is different from a rural school’s culture in the United States? How might these cultures be different? How might they be similar?

Native peoples lived in Mexico until the Spanish invaded in the 16th century. Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1810. Mexico once contained almost twice as much land as it does today (figure 1). New Mexico, now a state in the United States, was once a part of Mexico.

New Mexicans who lived in northern New Mexico during this time owned two types of land. Individual families owned a small piece of land for their house and a garden. Other large areas of land were shared by the community. The lands were granted to individuals and communities by the Spanish and Mexican governments. This ownership system was called land grants.

When the United States government gained Mexico’s northern territory in 1848, it promised to respect the New Mexicans’ land grants. These New Mexicans became United States citizens in 1848 following the MexicanAmerican war. In this article, these citizens will be called Hispanic ranchers to reflect their ethnic background and how they used land.

To keep their land grants, the Hispanic ranchers had to apply to the United States government. Most of the Hispanic ranchers were not awarded their land grants. One reason was that the Hispanic ranchers did not speak English. Because they did not speak English, they did not have the information to correctly apply for the land grants. Many were also cheated out of their land by dishonest lawyers they hired to help them. Much of the land lost by these Hispanic ranchers became national forests (figures 2, 3, and 4). In this article, you will learn about the descendants of these ranchers. You will learn how some of these descendants are trying to regain the land grants owned by their ancestors.

National forests and national grasslands are managed for all United States citizens. Parts of these forests and grasslands, however, may be leased to individuals and companies. Some individuals and companies lease public land to graze sheep and cattle (figure 6).

They may also lease public land for other purposes, such as to mine for minerals. In New Mexico, these lands were once shared by the Hispanic community in a system of land grants. Today, some Hispanic people in New Mexico feel they have a right to regain some land. They feel this way because they believe the land grants were unfairly taken from their ancestors. Many Hispanic ranchers feel a connection to the lands once owned by their ancestors.

The scientists in this study wanted to understand the Forest Service’s position about the land grants. They were also interested in understanding the Hispanic descendants who want to regain their ancestors’ land grants. The scientists wondered if there was a way to resolve the conflict between the Hispanic ranchers and the Forest Service’s land grant policy.

The scientists talked to 300 Hispanic ranchers who lease national forest land to graze cattle and sheep (figure 7). These ranchers lease land that their families once owned through land grants. To lease this land, these ranchers pay the Forest Service a fee every year. The scientists asked the ranchers questions about the historic land grants, current land use, and the leases. The scientists entered the answers into a computer. The scientists read the answers and comments and placed them into categories.

The scientists also talked with 10 people who work with the Forest Service. The scientists wanted to know if the Forest Service workers had suggestions that might resolve the conflict.

Some of the Hispanic ranchers said that the past should be left in the past. Most of the ranchers, however, felt anger. They felt anger because the land grants were not being honored by the United States government. Some of them said that by having to lease public land, they struggle to make a living. Others did not want to talk to the scientists about the land grant issue.

Some of the Hispanic ranchers said the United States government was trying to settle some of the land grants. Others said that there may not be a way to resolve the injustices of the past. Many people wished the United States government would admit its role in these injustices. Most of the Hispanic ranchers felt their ancestors had been wronged by the United States government.

The Forest Service workers told the scientists that they have no choice but to defend the United States government’s ownership of public lands. The official viewpoint of the government is that the land grants were properly managed following the Mexican-American war. Forest Service workers had different opinions on whether this was true. Forest Service workers suggested some actions to help resolve the land grant issue:

• Teach Forest Service workers about Hispanic ranchers’ history, culture, and way of life.
• Include Hispanic ranchers on committees that plan future use of public lands.
• Develop agreements with Hispanic ranchers about collecting firewood from public lands.
• Develop agreements with Hispanic ranchers about their access to and use of public lands.
• Appoint one Forest Service worker to work directly with Hispanic ranchers.
• Build trust between Hispanic ranchers and Forest Service workers by improving communication.

Forest Service workers did not agree with each other about the land grant issue. All agreed, however, that the issue can only be resolved by the United States Congress. Congress is the body that makes United States laws. Only a new law can change the way Forest Service workers manage the national forests in New Mexico.

In the 1960s, Hispanic ranchers began to protest the loss of their ancestors’ land grants. Now, in the early 21st century, the question of land grants has not yet been resolved. If the United States Congress considers the question of land grants in northern New Mexico, the issue may finally be resolved. Until then, the Forest Service will continue to manage the lands as national forests for all United States citizens.