CH 18 notes • The Mexican American war ended making Mexicans give up texas, California, and all the areas inbetween. The antislaveryites liked the Wilmot proviso because it prohibiterd slavery in any territory gained from the Mexican American war, but southern senators didn’t use the proviso. The debate of slavery in the Mexican territories caused problems between whigs and democrats along the north and south sectional lines. Popular sovereignty panacea • General Lewis Cass took over from President Polk and created popular sovereignty that appealed to the public because it was a compromise between free soilers who wanted to ban slavery and the territories who wanted to keep it. Popular sovereignty could spread the blight of slavery.
In The New Latino Studies Reader: A Twenty-First-Century Perspective by Ramon A. Gutierrez and Tomas Almaguer, chapters “Gender Strategies, Settlement, and Transnational Lives” and “She’s Old School Like That” talk about the gender issues first and second generation Latinas faced. In the first generation, Robert Smith articulates how gender structures impact the lives of men in women. Whereas in the second generation, Lorena Garcia communicates how mother and daughter relationships worked during that time period and how sexual behavior played a big role in their relationships.
Being a Mexican American myself, I have always wondered what it was like for Hispanics in the 90’s. In the article “Hispanics and the American Dream,” Linda Chavez answers that exact question. She explains how Hispanics were, and still are, the largest minority group, and they were perceived as poor, uneducated, and the “dregs of society.” When in reality, that was not the case. Hispanics in the United States were succeeding in all different areas of life, they were well educated, had less infant mortalities than black and whites, and were making drastically more money than when they first migrated to the U.S.
Throughout history, various ancient civilizations all over the globe have created traditions and customs that have been passed down through generation to generation. The idea of having these customs withstand the test of time is truly remarkable. A perfect example of the passing of tradition is the Mexican celebration of El Dia De Los Muertos. El Dia De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that honors and celebrates loved ones of family who have passed away. Although it has its origins from the Aztec Empire, the holiday is widely celebrated in Latin America and even some parts of the United States.
Leadership in the Genesis of the Farm Workers Movement In 1946, Mexican-Americans were very poor, and could not read nor write. Most of them would die by the age of 49 because of the miserable life conditions they lived. During this time, the American society was very segregated; for example, in theaters, white people used to sit on the middle and the others had to sit on the sides. The farm owners treated their workers like slaves and forced them to work deplorable conditions.
The hispanic student from a low income wakes up at 6am and groans Trying to make a name for himself but held back by student loans Seems like every night he falls asleep as he wept Plunging deeper into the abyss of student debt Walking in a dark tunnel and at the end a light Such miracle he realizes his dreams in sight The dream to give his family, posterity, and himself a better future Held together so tight like a surgical suture Determination in his face trying to achieve his dream by any means But when it’s all sewed together it isn’t what it seems
The Man Who Dedicated His Life to Helping Others Throughout history, there have been certain individuals who have risen up to set examples for future generations. Whether it has been through speech, action, or sacrifice, these certain individuals dedicated their lives towards impacting certain populations. Though there are many groups that have been impacted throughout history, Latinos are one of the main populations known for their ability to change. There have been many historical figures known for their impact on Latino communities, but one of the main ones to stand out is a man known as Cesar Chavez.
In the reading, “(Re)constructing Latinidad: The challenge of Latina/o studies.” it explains the challenge that is, defining what it is to be a Latino in America. In the reading, it gives reasons as to why there is a challenge, examples include how diverse the Latino community is in America and how others in America perceive the Latino community. After reading the article, I saw two main ideas that Aparicio had and they were; redefining what it means to be Latino in America and to show that there are issues in the Latino community that need to be addressed. Then I will provide my reaction based on the ideas I got out of the reading.
“The common denominator all Latinos have is that we want some respect. That 's what we 're all fighting for” - Cristina Saralegui. Judith Ortiz Cofer published the article, “The Myth of the Latin Woman,” where she expresses her anger towards stereotypes, inequality, and degradation of Latin Americans. Cofer explains the origins of these perceived views and proceeds to empower Latin American women to champion over them. Cofer establishes her credibility as a Latin American woman with personal anecdotes that emphasize her frustration of the unfair depiction of Latinos in society.
During the early morning of July 24, 1973, two white Dallas police officers responded to a gas station for a burglary call in Little Mexico, one of the officers thought he recognized one of the Rodriguez brothers or witnesses gave the boys’ description, there are various answers as to how the police came to suspect the two brothers of burglary. Darrell Cain and Roy Arnold, the two Dallas cops, went to the Rodriguez house and apprehended Santos and David Rodriguez, who were twelve and thirteen respectively, and took them back to the scene of the crime. One of the officers, Darrell Cain pointed his service pistol at handcuffed Santos’ head and demanded he confess. Santos denied involvement in the burglary, so Cain pulled the trigger of his
Along with Brazil, Mexico has demonstrated a similar phenomenon, amongst the Nahuatl-speaking locals. It is another Virgin Mary figure which was discovered on a sacred Aztec site. The statue is commonly referred to as Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe, pictured below), however the indigenous people call her Tonantzin, after an indigenous goddess of the earth. Asides from religious figurines, there are many buildings in Latin America which are known to be influenced by the colonisation which are religious sites, most often churches. The increase in the number of churches in Latin America is another sign that religion took a large part in changing Latin American society and lifestyle.
Las Vegas is where I was born and raised. That doesn’t mean that I just gave up on my Mexican culture. Like many others, I have a culture that is both American and Mexican. My culture has shaped my values, perceptions, and behaviors. The culture of my family, community, and society has made who I am as a person in numerous ways.
The folklores of this particular culture hold creencias or beliefs that have shaped Mexican history. These stories serve to stimulate the minds of Mexican Americans that keep the history alive. For children it brings a view of a mystic world of the past to life in their eyes. It is the heart and soul of the culture and it gives people the insight to their value system. One story in particular from what I remember as a child was the story of La Llorona.
I’m the first generation of my family to be Mexican -American, but I have been introduced to the Mexican culture since I was born. I appreciate the difficulties my parents have faced to make me the person that I am today even though I wasn’t born in Mexico my parents have taught me the language and the culture which I’m so proud of being part of. For others being Hispanic is actually being born in any Latin American countries which is not true at all. Being Hispanic is much more than my cultural background it actually describes how much I appreciate my culture and how I get to experience things other people don’t. I fit into the Hispanic community through the experiencing the culture first hand ,participating in traditions and planning to include my culture in my future.
Mexican Culture: Customs and Traditions The Mexican culture is very diverse which has undergone many transformations over several decades and the culture varies widely throughout Mexico and the United States. I will be more focused on the other side of the border and express my findings about the Mexican culture in Mexico. According to woldatlas an online database, the majority of Mexicans live in cities like Mexico City with a population of 12 million Mexicans.
