Mexicanos: A History of Mexicans in the United States (Lecture Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards highlighting key terms and concepts from the Preface and Introduction of Mexicanos: A History of Mexicans in the United States (Third Edition).

Latina/o studies

Interdisciplinary field focused on the history, status, and culture of Latinos in the United States; the history of Mexicanos is a core part of the field and it has grown on college campuses since the turn of the century.

Chicana/o studies

Interdisciplinary field that originated in the late 1960s–early 1970s from the Chicano Movement, aiming to recover and analyze the Mexican American past across disciplines; initially met with skepticism but expanded over time.

Chicanismo

Tenets and self-identity associated with the Chicano Movement; led Mexican Americans to call themselves Chicanos and embrace a non-Anglo self-image.

Occupied America

Rudy Acuña’s influential history textbook; described as the “Bible of Chicano Studies” for shaping the field.

NACCS Scholar of the Year

Annual honor given by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies to outstanding scholars; early honorees included Carey McWilliams and Américo Paredes.

Mexicano

Self-referent term used by people of Mexican origin; surveys (LNPS) show a strong preference for this term among both native-born and immigrant Mexicans; used by Gonzales to refer to Mexicans broadly.

Chicano/Chicana terminology

Terms used to designate members of the Mexican American community; “Chicanos/Chicanas” often refer to movement-era identity; the author discusses preferred usage and gender forms.

Tejanos, Californios, Hispanos

Terms for native-born Spanish-speaking inhabitants of Texas (Tejanos), California (Californios), and New Mexico (Hispanos), respectively.

Homeland Security State

A new chapter added in Mexicanos (2008–Present) examining immigration debates and the security-state framework affecting Mexicanos in the United States.

World-systems analysis

A theoretical framework used by some Chicano historians to analyze global economic relations and the position of Latinos within the world system.

Internal colonialism

A theoretical perspective that treats Mexican Americans as an internally subordinated group within the United States, emphasizing exploitation and peripheral status.

Historical materialism

Marxist theoretical approach emphasizing material conditions and class relations; Gonzales cites it as his preferred model for analyzing Mexicanos’ history.

Mujeres

Women; a key area of expansion in Chicana/o historiography, led by Chicanas, expanding coverage beyond male-dominated narratives.

Latino National Political Survey (LNPS)

Nationwide survey showing how Latinos self-identify; notably, 62% of people of Mexican heritage born in the U.S. prefer “Mexicano,” and 86% of immigrants prefer the same term.

Gatekeepers

Mainstream academics who were skeptical or resistant to ethnic studies in its early years, shaping initial criticism of the field.