Latin Americans in the U.S.

Section 3 on the Final Exam

What regions make up Latin America?

Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

What kind of cultural heritage is found in Latin America?

Indigenous, African, European, and Asian influences.

What is the majority racial/ethnic group in Mexico?

Mestizo.

Which country has the largest Black population outside Africa?

Brazil.

Why is Argentina mostly European-descended?

Large European immigration during the 1800s–1900s.

Where did Cumbia originate?

Colombia—an Afro-Indigenous musical and dance tradition.

Where is Cumbia popular today?

Across Latin America (Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, etc.).

What is neo-colonialism?

The control of less developed countries.

What was Operación Condor (1975–1980s)?

A coordinated effort by South American dictatorships to repress and assassinate dissidents, backed by the U.S.

Who were the desaparecidos?

People kidnapped, tortured, and killed by military dictatorships.

About how many people disappeared in Chile and Argentina?

Chile: ~3,000; Argentina: up to 30,000.

Who was Salvador Allende?

Chile’s democratically elected socialist president (1970–1973).

What happened to Allende in 1973?

He was overthrown in a U.S.-backed military coup, leading to Pinochet’s dictatorship.

What was the “Pink Tide”

A wave of left-leaning governments across Latin America (Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, etc.).

What were the Central American Civil Wars (1970s–1990s)?

U.S.-funded conflicts in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

What major effect did these civil wars have?

Large-scale migration to the United States.

Who are Boricuas?

Puerto Ricans, whether living on the island or the mainland U.S.

Since when have Puerto Ricans been U.S. citizens?

Since 1917 (Jones Act).