...Hispanic American Diversity ETH/125 Cultural Diversity For the assignment due this week I have had to do some research on Hispanic groups and learn more about their culture and more. In the following the political, social, economic, religious, and familial conventions or statuses will be discussed shortly about the Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and ………… Mexican Americans are one of the fastest growing groups in the United States and for this reason they should be able to have a powerful say in politics. However when it comes to politics and more specifically voting, they just don’t have a voice very loud just yet. Although they due play a larger role in the southwestern states than other parts of the country since this is where the vast majority live. This is in part due to the fact that many are either younger Americans or just not U.S. citizens yet. Socially and familial conventions the Mexican Americans still in generally hold different thoughts and lifestyles than that of the majority of U.S. citizens. The core groups of Mexican Americans hold strong ties to family and even extended family is just as important as immediate. Woman are greatly respected and loved but still considered secondary when it comes to their husbands who are seen as the authority figure for the family. They typically very large families and everyone is kept very close. Catholicism is the religion that the vast...
Words: 1521 - Pages: 7
...Hispanic American Diversity ETH 125 Wk. 7 Assignment Mexican Americans are a diverse people who have attained socioeconomic, linguistic assimilation, and permissible status. Many work rigorously to get away from the modest reputation of past ancestry. “Hispanics who are born in the United States or have lived in the United States for 10 years speak English well; English is the dominant language by the second generation; and by the third generation monolingualism is common” (Alba, 2006). The obvious prevalence of Spanish spoken by Hispanics is because of immigration. Mexican Americans are different from the Cuban Americans that are established in Miami who have innovations, finance and business acumen and a dispersed amount of ethnic economy throughout Miami. Throughout the history of immigration to America, Mexicans seem to have made little progress in moving up from immigrant status to mainstream social status, partly due to the amount of discrimination and the poor educational systems provided to them. Cuban Americans have had a substantial influence on United States organization as a result of the nation's unsettled government associations with Cuba. The Cuban American population is mostly clustered within Florida, where they have lived since 1831 (Schaefer, 2006). Many generations later, diplomatic pressures have resulted in communal experiences composed of people on the run from the Communist Cuban governance to reside in the United States and migrating in...
Words: 1057 - Pages: 5
...Hispanic American Diversity Several different groups fall under the Hispanic Group. Cuban, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Colombian are the four groups that I have chosen to compare and contrast their differences and similarities. Mexican Americans is one of the largest groups in the United States. They comprise 66% of all Hispanics. Spanish is the main language, but Spanglish, which is the combination of Spanish and English, is being used more and more frequently among younger generations (Bravo, 2005). Mexican American culture varies and is constantly changing due to the influence of other cultures (Bravo, 2005). The social roles in the Mexican Americans are very well defined especially in the more traditional families. Traditionally Mexican families are male dominated but over the years that has changed due to the dominant culture here in the United States. Women were expected to stay at home and take care of the house and the children while the men worked. This has since changed; more women are working outside of the home. Mexican Americans have very strong bonds to grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, godfathers, godmothers, and so on. They are also stereotyped for being Catholics. This is not true. Majority are of them are Catholic, but there are also Protestants, Muslims, Jews, Mormons, etc. Mexican Americans are as equally segregated and discriminated as blacks. The income for Mexican Americans is 40% less than non-Hispanic whites and although...
Words: 903 - Pages: 4
...among American’s is that all Hispanics are alike. They have the same cultural backgrounds and speak the same language. This could not be further from the truth. In actuality there is great diversity among different Latin ethnic groups. Hispanic Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Columbians all have different cultural and historic back grounds that identify them as separate ethnic groups. Hispanic Americans are Americans of Spanish-speaking descent. Many Hispanic Americans are the descendants of Mexican people who lived in the Southwest when it became part of the United States. Almost all other Hispanic Americans or their ancestors migrated to the United States from Latin America. The three largest Hispanic groups in the United States are Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans. As a group, Hispanic Americans represent a mixture of several ethnic backgrounds, including European, American Indian, and African.( http://www.thehispanicamerican.com/latino-hispanic-american/p1) The Spanish language and the Roman Catholic religion are among the oldest and most important cultural bonds that unite Hispanics. During Spain's colonial period, which lasted from the 1500's to the 1800's, Spanish missionaries and landowners spread their language and religion throughout the areas they controlled. As a result, nearly all Hispanic Americans can speak Spanish, and a large majority are Roman Catholics. (http://www.thehispanicamerican.com/hispanic-american-culture/p2) The Puerto...
Words: 1201 - Pages: 5
...Hispanic American Diversity The United States is known for its multiculturalism as people from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Australia have settled down in America and these people constitute what America is today. Regarding the ethnicity, the influence of Hispanic or Latino groups is very strong in the land. Richard T. Schaefer rightly observes that “more than one in eight people in the U.S. population are of Spanish or Latin American origin” (Schaefer, 2006, p. 236). The writer, after taking the data from the same book, asserts that among the population of America, one third is constituted by these Hispanic groups. Among the major Hispanic groups, Mexican Americans take the major portion. The other groups, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, and others have relevant influence in America. These Hispanic or Latino groups, that constitute a major portion among the population of America, are not well considered in the land. This research paper takes a study on Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban, and central/south Americans and analyses the linguistic, political, social, economic, religious and familial problems of these groups in America. Mexicans: Mexicans are the largest group among the Latino Americans. They contribute about one third of all Hispanic groups: “as of 2002, about 23 percent of Mexican Americans are English dominant, 26 percent are bilingual, and 51 percent are Spanish dominant” (Schaefer, 2006, p. 241). It indicates that Mexicans in America...
Words: 1706 - Pages: 7
...Hispanic American Diversity Puerto Rican Americans, Mexican Americans, Dominicans, and Cubans, all have separate identities within their own cultures. Many Latin American cultures have a strong family; however, all are grouped together as Hispanic, or Hispanic Americans, and all share, with some dialect differences, the same language, Spanish. The Cuban-American community has been able to become assimilated into the United States culture. Sean Buffington believes there is a long dispute between the Black and Cuban communities because Cubans are able to blend into the American culture more easily. Cubans have, according to Buffington, have also participated into American Politics and have become involved in the economy in the South Florida, Dade County area. The Cuban American culture is very large in the South Florida area that they have become an important economic and political power in the area. The American government also provides Cubans with an easier means to gain United States citizenship with the Wet Foot Dry Foot federal policy, allowing many Cubans the right to stay in the United States if they can make it to American soil by almost any means possible. This policy only applies to the Cuban immigrants, which seems to unfairly protect the Cuban society over any other, especially the Mexican society that is always vilified in the American media when the topic of immigration reform is discusses, along with illegal immigration from Mexico to the United States...
Words: 714 - Pages: 3
...Ashley Jones William Conway University of Phoenix Ethnic Diversity/125 June 23, 2012 “Hispanic Americans”, many may ask who am I speaking of? This ethnic group does not have one population or philosophy though Hispanics are as much of a diversity group as any other. This historical culture has an ancestral background of Spanish and Latin American. What so great about this cultural is because they can be descendants of Europeans, Indians, and Africans, or a mixture of the three. Hispanic Americans or Latinos have ethnic relations to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and of course Spain. When culture comes to mind people take in what they see visually and interact within the environment and region or a group of people who are distinctly different from the rest of the people in the world. “Prophetically, over a hundred years ago, the great American poet, Walt Whitman, said, "I have an idea that there is much of importance about the Latin contributions to American nationality that will never be put with sympathetic understanding and tact on the record." Whitman was correct.” Hispanics have many distinctive characteristics that separate their culture from any other. Their culture can have a complexity, but its nature can be expressed beautifully. Hispanic Americans contribute to the commonwealth of the United States; they have mutual citizenship, legal tender and security within the United States of America. Their population is a total of 3.8 million with...
Words: 1099 - Pages: 5
...Hispanic American Diversity ETH/125 November 20, 2011 Hispanic American Diversity Introduction The purpose of this discussion is to identify the differences and similarities among four different Hispanic American subcultures. When most people think of Latino or Hispanic Americans, they tend to believe that they are all part of the same native background because they speak the Spanish language. Despite their similarities, there is much diversity in each group’s social, economic, educational, political, and religious interests. The Spanish culture has grown immensely in the United States over the years and they live in many regions of the country. The Hispanics introduce new customs and traditions to the American Society. By exploring their ethnic background Americans can heighten their understanding of the Hispanic culture. Mexican Americans Language Mexican Americans also called “Chicanos” make up nearly two-thirds of the Hispanic Americans in the United States (Schaefer, 2006). Bilingual speaking is common among Mexican Americans as they tend to speak both English and Spanish within their household. Mexican Americans seem to be using English more dominantly than their native language because they are constantly trying to advance far above the other Hispanic groups in the American society (Alba, 2006). Education Very few Mexican Americans are pursuing a higher education. A survey conducted during the late 1980s displays that roughly 10 percent of Mexican Americans...
Words: 2019 - Pages: 9
...The Latino or Hispanic is a term generally used to group the Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Central or South Americans. Though all of these individual ethnicities have very similar attributes and values, there are some various differences in where they come from, religious beliefs and social standings in the United States. The Mexican American was typically viewed as the person who came from Mexico to work, then return to Mexico to support his family. (Franklin, 2006) According to Franklin, the core of the Mexican American is the immediate and extended family. Many Mexican Americans tend to be very spiritual and deep into religion predominately the Catholic faith. Economically, the Mexican Americans income is steadily increasing but still remains lower than the Anglo Americans. (Hispanic Americans, 2006) The Mexican American population is growing in this country and they are not following the typical stereotype of coming to America to work the fields and return to Mexico. Many are staying and looking for permanent work in cities and education in our schools. They continue to practice their beliefs and hold the same religious and moral values as their Mexican ancestors. Puerto Ricans sometimes get grouped in with Mexicans because of the common Latin background. There is an obvious difference which is Puerto Ricans being from Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens since they are a territory of the U.S. One difference between Mexican and Puerto Rican households...
Words: 1104 - Pages: 5
...Hispanic Americans for centuries have a significant role of contribution to society in the United States bringing diversity to the customs and cultures of Americans. Hispanic Americans impacted areas such as politics, public service, scientific, cultural foods and entertainment. Most historians have no knowledge or will acknowledged these impacts Hispanic Americans made on United States history therefore has entrenched anti-Hispanic racism in America. Mexican Americans have the largest population title of Hispanic groups here in the United States and for more than four centuries they have been a major part of history. In the past 30 years the population of Hispanic Americans grew dramatically within the United States. Hispanic Americans include 11% of the U.S. population of which 3.6 million reside in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Dioceses 2012). Many may say that there is racism towards Hispanics but truth is Hispanic is actually not a race but an ethnic classification. Hispanics are individuals that have been in the United States for a long time dating back when settlers where taking over the land of native Indians. Hispanic Americans have different features of their heritage there are distinct differences of Hispanic cultures depending from the country of origin. There are unique immigration waves from each part of the countries of origin that Mexican Americans have the most unique pattern of them all. In the mid 1800s the result of the Mexican War in 1846 to 1848 this...
Words: 705 - Pages: 3
...Hispanic Americans Pamela M. Nelams ETH/125 - CULTURAL DIVERSITY May 7, 2011 DENISE LANGDON In the United States there it is reported that, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos. The common language spoken among the Mexican Americans is Spanish as the first language and English as their secondary language. For most Mexican Americans especial those that or illegal find themselves living below the economic standards because they have to take low paying jobs and even those that are here legal also deal with low paying jobs and discrimination on the job. Most Mexican Americans have taken on blue-collar jobs such as gardeners, truck drives, and construction works and are making minimal pay. Most Mexican Americans have maintained their religious back ground of Catholic faith. Their family’s ties are based on a system of mutual dependence and respect for elders which created a close-knit family unit. Family honor and unity were of paramount significance. If problems arose for individual members, the immediate or extended family could be relied upon to resolve the issue. Important decisions were always made with first consideration given to the needs of the group rather than the individual. (Robert R. Alvarez, Jr., The Hispanic American Almanac, p. 171). According to the 2010 U.S. census 75 % of Puerto Ricans identify themselves...
Words: 1406 - Pages: 6
...Historical Report on Hispanic Americans ETH/125 November 18, 2012 Historical Report on Hispanic Americans Hispanic Americans have officially been the largest minority group in the United States since the 2000 Census; over taking African Americans. A 2011 census report stated that Hispanic Americans made up 16.7 percent of the United States population (Siek, 2012). Much of the Hispanic American culture is an inherited mixture of other cultures. The ancestry of largest three Hispanic American cultures can be traced back to origins in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba (International World History Project, n.d.). Most Hispanic Americans live in the Southwest areas of the United States; or other areas that were once occupied by Spain before the Spanish-American War. An area of concern for Hispanic Americans is the rise in poverty among members of their group. The rise in poverty among Hispanic Americans is due to a loss of both jobs and homes; because of the recent economic down turn. “’Hispanics have really been slammed with what’s been going on in the past three years,’ said Patricia Foxen, associate director of research for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group… ‘A lot of Latinos invested most of their wealth in buying homes. It’s the American dream. When people lost their homes, as lots of people in the Latino community did, they get wiped out. If both unemployment and foreclosure affect your family, clearly the chances you’re going to live in poverty...
Words: 868 - Pages: 4
...Diversity in Hispanic Americans Ethics 125 October 30, 2011 Kimberly Long Diversity in Hispanic Americans The first group that I researched was Cuban Americans. They rank third in the immigration of Hispanic Americans. An estimated 1.4 million strong today, they immigrated or were refuges from their native Cuba to escape Fidel Castro’s reign. They settled first in Florida and one of the largest manufactures of cigars, even to this day. They primarily speak Spanish, and most when they came here on the first wave of immigration were well educated. They were twice as likely to complete college and most held professional backgrounds. They consider themselves a generous group and full of hospitality and loath conflict, although most belonged to the communist party, here in the united states they prefer not to be a part of politics. They educated their children highly in agriculture and social economics. Unlike a lot of Hispanics, they prefer baseball to soccer. Their domestic units consist of multigenerational groups and are centered primarily on women and are of Catholic faith. They are one of the hardest groups to obtain diplomatic status due to the conflict in their home Cuba. The next group the Puerto Ricans, are of United States Territories. They also speak Spanish, but also very fluent in English. They are a Caribbean people with African, Indian and Spanish descents. Although they are a part of US territory, they cannot vote in the United States Presidential...
Words: 1086 - Pages: 5
...Each of the groups, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and South Americans are from different geographical regions, but are generally categorized as one in the same due to their comparable appearance and the similarities in their languages. The base of each language is Spanish at its root, but the differences in the meanings of certain words and the varying accents distinguish them. Two of the groups are from similar areas, Mexican Americans and South Americans, but they have different dialects. The primary language spoken by Cubans is Spanish, but just like the Puerto Ricans they speak English as well. According to the 1990 U.S. Census, there are nearly 860,000 persons of Cuban descent in the United States. Of these, 541,000, or almost 63 percent of the total, live in Florida. The majority of these Cuban Americans like in Sade County, the county in which Miami is located. Additionally, there are considerably sized communities in California, New York, New Jersey. These three states combined, account for 23 percent of the Cuban American population. Although there is a large population in the previous mentioned states, Florida and Miami hold steady as the center of the Cuban American community. The Cuban American communities have been well absorbed in the United States. Furthermore, because of the sheer size of the population, they have a significant political influence. In 1993, the Cuban American National Foundation petitioned against, and effectively prevented the...
Words: 1296 - Pages: 6
...Hispanic American Diversity The United States has always been a country that has many diverse racial and ethnic groups. The United States has the highest and fastest growing minority group, the Hispanics. The population of Hispanics continues to grow every year and they have become a big part of the United States. I believe Hispanics play a major role in the United States and they have a lot to offer. The Hispanic population helps to support the economy and the work force. Hispanic groups have always played an important part in the growth of the United States. The first Hispanic group that I will be talking about is the Puerto Rican group. The Jones Act of 1917 made Puerto Ricans living in the island of Puerto Rico and the mainland American citizens. Puerto Ricans are a Spanish speaking group that maintains a close relationship with their ethnicity. Puerto Ricans consider themselves to be Americans, but they are still proud of their culture and where they come from. Puerto Ricans are very nice people and they always make one feel at home. Puerto Ricans usually greet people with a hug and kiss on the cheeks (Schaefer, 2006). Family life and the amount of time they spend with their family are very important to the Puerto Rican society as well as other Hispanic groups. Puerto Ricans usually call themselves Boricuas. Puerto Ricans usually live close to family members and attend activities such as going to church, which is a very important part of...
Words: 1080 - Pages: 5