Final answer:
Las Gorras Blancas was a resistance movement organized by Mexican Americans in New Mexico to combat land appropriation by White settlers. They targeted railroads and White settler property, advocating for the preservation of communal lands and their way of life against the ethos of Manifest Destiny.
Step-by-step explanation:
Las Gorras Blancas and Their Resistance Movement
The resistance movement called "Las Gorras Blancas" (the White Caps) was organized by Mexican Americans in New Mexico during the late 19th century. These individuals were protesting against the appropriation of Hispanic land by White settlers, an issue exacerbated by the ethos of Manifest Destiny and abuses such as those suffered during the Sand Creek Massacre. Las Gorras Blancas targeted the property of railroads and White settlers' farms, using tactics such as burning homes, barns, and crops.
This was a response to the economic and cultural displacement due to railroad expansion, which threatened communal land practices, and actions such as fencing off lands for private use. The White Caps hoped to reclaim their lands and preserve their way of life in a rapidly changing social and economic landscape, suffering from both local and national policies designed to undermine their heritage and rights.