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Social Bandits

What is a social Bandit?

A social bandit is a person who robs rich or wealthy people to give to the poor. It is know that social bandits are people who on the edges of rural societies and steal. Some people might think they are heroes, for at times social bandits robbed and stole for the poor people that were in need.

Who is a bandit?

Joaquin Murrieta is an example of a social bandit. Murrieta was also know as the Mexican or Chilean Robin Hood. Murrieta was a well known bandit in California during the California Gold Rush. Murrieta doesn't really have an original birth place. Some people think that he was born in Sonora, Mexico, and some think he was born in Quillota, Chile. Legend says that Murrieta first went to California to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush. Instead of getting what he was looking for he encountered racism and discrimination. Murrieta couldn't get what he had worked hard in finding so he became a leader in a group called "The Five Joaquin's." The ones in the group were called JJoaquin Botellier, Joaquin Carrillo, Joaquin Ocomorenia, and Joaquin Valenzuela as well as Joaquin Murrieta who was the leader of all these men. During 1850 and 1853 it was said that these men, along with Murrieta's right hand man "Three Fingered Jack" (also known as Manuel Garcia) were responisible for most of the cattle rustling, robberies, and murders that were committed in Mother Lode which was located in Sierra Nevada. It is thought that probably stole $100,000 worth of gold, over 100 horses, and about 19 murders in the mines. During the year of 1853 there was a man hired to arrest the Five Joaquins. They were being paid $150 a month and had a chance of winning a $5,000 dollar reward. Eventually they captured Murrieta who was the leader of the band and decapitated him to show that it was him that was captured.