minority groups in american society - hispanic americans (test 3)

hispanic

• refers to the language

• if you and/or your ancestors come from a country where spanish is spoken

• ex: colombia, spain, argentina

• primarily used along the eastern seaboard

latino

• refers to the geography

• specifically to latin america and people from the carribean

• ex: dominican republic, cuba, puerto rico

• primarily used west of the mississippi river

life expectancy at birth (hispanic americans)

80 years

hispanic american median personal income

• males: $51,740

• females: $46,380

hispanic american median household income

• $70,950

hispanic american median household wealth (2022)

• $62,120

the in-between status of hispanics

1. mexicans were voluntary immigrants but also conquered people

2. puerto ricans granted citizenship in 1917

3. many cubans are political refugees

4. hispanics were not stripped of their native cultures upon entering the society and have retained many ethnic traits, especially language

assimilation model (1)

• american society is a “melting pot” of diverse groups

• entrance is on an individual and voluntary basis

• new arrivals are initially at an economic, social, and political disadvantage, but they ultimately assimilate and integrate

internal colony model (1)

• the society is characterized by some groups benefitting from the subordination of other groups

• the entrance of certain racial and ethnic minorities was forced, involuntary, and en masse

immigration act, 1917 (1)

• sets limits on immigration from europe and established a literacy test and a head tax for immigration

• these restrictions were waived in the case of mexican workers

quota act, 1921 (1)

• limited european immigrants to 3% of each nationality in the US in 1910

• argibusiness was successful in lobbying congress to exclude mexicans

quota act, 1924 (1)

• limited european immigrants to 2% of each nationality in the US in 1890

• mexicans were once again excluded from the qutoa

undesirable aliens act, 1929 (1)

• because the agricultural industry relied on cheap mexican labor, mexicans were not subject to the quotas other groups faced

bracero program, 1942-1964 (1)

• grew out of pressure from american agribusiness for mexican labor

immigration reform & control act, 1986 (1)

• allows undocumented immigrants who can prove continued presence in the country since 1982 to apply for legalization

• 2.7 million do so

• the IRCA also imposes employed sanctions, requiring employers to verify immigration status of workers hired

US foreign-born population, 2024 mexico

• 11,177,000 (22.2%)

unauthorized mexican immigration population, 1990-2022

• % in change 2007-22: -41.7

1898 (2)

• puerto rico became a us “territory” —> residents not granted citizenship, but as “nationals” they could enter the continental US

1917 (2)

• puerto ricans granted citizenship

1920 (2)

• jones act —> required all goods shipped to puerto rico to be transported by us vessels (and operated primarily by americans)

cuban revolution (3)

• cuban immigrants allowed to enter US as refugees

cuban adjustment crisis, 1966 (3)

• the law allowed any cuban citizen the legal right to become a permanent US resident (get a green card) after being in the US for at least 2 years

mariel boatlift, 1980 (3)

• the castro regime announced that all cubans wishing to emigrate to the US were free to board boats at the port of mariel west of havana, launching the mariel boatlift

• in 7 months 125,000 cubans filed to the US in 1700 boats

US foreign-born population, 2024 (3)

• cuba —> 1,689,000 (3.4%)