Hispanic Americans Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key terminology and definitions related to Hispanic Americans as discussed in the lecture.

Hispanic Americans

The nation’s largest minority group, comprising 18.4% of the population.

Acculturation

The process of cultural change and adaptation that occurs when individuals from one culture come into contact with another.

Mexican Americans

The largest Latinx group in the US, making up 11% of the total US population.

Machismo

A cultural value system emphasizing men's dominance, honor, virility, and violence.

NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement; affected labor markets and economy in Mexico.

Chain Migration

A process whereby immigrants sponsor family members to come to the US.

Bracero Program

A program allowing Mexican laborers to work in the US temporarily under contract.

Cultural Retention

The ability of a group to maintain its cultural identity despite outside influences.

El Movimiento

The civil rights movement of the 1960s for Mexican Americans, focused on social justice and empowerment.

Chicanismo

An ideology promoting cultural pride and political empowerment among Mexican Americans.

LULAC

League of United Latin American Citizens, founded to promote Americanization and educational opportunities.

Alianza Federal De Mercedes

Founded in 1963, this group fought against the dispossession of Mexican land.

Civil Rights

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

Racial Segregation

The enforced separation of different racial groups, affecting schools and communities.

Cuban Enclave

A specific area predominantly inhabited by Cuban Americans, allowing for cultural and economic self-sufficiency.

Secondary Structural Assimilation

The integration of Hispanic Americans into social institutions and systems, yet often at varying levels of equality.

Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)

A 1986 US law that provided a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants who met certain criteria.

Prejudice

Preconceived opinion about someone or something; often based on unfounded or irrational grounds.

UFW

United Farm Workers, a labor union for farm workers that achieved significant worker rights advancements.

Puerto Rican Migration

The movement of Puerto Ricans to the mainland US, especially during labor shortages in the 1940s.

Tri-Racial Order

A proposed societal structure where racial categories shift to include more complexity beyond just Black and white.

Browning Thesis

The concept that increasing Latino and Asian American populations will challenge the traditional white dominance.

Structural Discrimination

Systematic policies and practices that disadvantage certain racial or ethnic groups.

Intergroup Competition

Tension between different racial or ethnic groups, often stemming from economic or social disparities.

Cultural Heritage

The legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society.

Educational Disparities

Differences in educational attainment and access among various racial and ethnic groups.

Colonized Minority Group

A minority group that has been marginalized and exploited historically due to colonization.