Roman Catholics are clustered in the U.S. Southwest primarily because of the migration of Latinos from Central and South America. Upon discovery of the Americas, the land masses were quickly divided in South America into those controlled by Spain and Portugal. The Spanish settlers were heavily influenced by the church and as a result, many were Roman Catholic. As there is a heavy blending of Latino cultures in the U.S. Southwest, the origins of which come from migrants and immigrants from the Spanish settled lands.
