Hispanic American diversity

Hispanic American Diversity By Evonia Hogan Axia College at University of Phoenix

Hispanic American diversity

Introduction......................................................................................................................................2 Hispanic Americans Ethnic Group- Definition............................................................................4 History of Hispanic Americans...................................................................................................4 Hispanic American: Ethnic Subgroups.....................................................................................4 Cuban Americans.....................................................................................................................4 Puerto Rican Americans..........................................................................................................5 Dominican Americans.............................................................................................................5 Mexican Americans.................................................................................................................6 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7 References........................................................................................................................................8

Introduction

Hispanic American diversity

The Hispanic American ethnic group has been in America since the early 1500s. There are more than 45 million strong in this country. Yet, they are still fighting for their rightful place in this countrys infrastructure. The United States of America will not truly be united until all of its citizens are treated equally in the eyes of the world.

Hispanic American diversity

Hispanic Americans Ethnic Group- Definition

This ethnic group consists of Spanish speaking people. There are several sub-groups that consist of Cubans; Puerto Ricans; Dominicans; and Mexicans, to name a few.

History of Hispanic Americans

People of Hispanic or Latino heritage have lived continuously in the territory of the present-day United States since the 1565 founding of St. Augustine, Florida by the Spanish, the longest among European Americans ethnic groups and second-longest of all United States ethinic groups, after Native Americans. (Staff of Wikipedia, 2008) They have been present in American since 1513, when Ponce De Leon landed in Florida.

Hispanic American: Ethnic Subgroups

Cuban Americans This ethnic group arrived in America as early as 1565 from the small country of Cuba. Some of the people from Cuba are descendents of African slaves that reproduced with Spanish mates. They have mostly settled in the South and Eastern regions of America. They speak American English, Spanish and some of their words have African and French roots. They are predominately Roman Catholic, with some practicing Santeria. Santeria is a religion that combines African religions with Catholicism. Some believe it is also tied to Voodoo. Many of the Cubans also attend Episcopalian and Pentecostal churches. They come from a background where communism is imposed on them by the government. Because of this, many of them have been registered up as Republicans in America. The Republican Party is against communism, so it was one choice that they felt was in harmony with their political beliefs. Many of them have come here fleeing the oppression of communism as defectors seeking asylum from our government. Those who are first generation Cuban Americans have come here fleeing poverty and crimes against humanity. The census taken in 2000 reported that there were 1,241,685 Cuban Americans, both native and foreign born and represented 3.5% of all Hispanics in the US. More that 85% recorded that they were White, mostly

Hispanic American diversity

Spanish. The median household income for Cuban Americans is $36,671, a figure higher than other Hispanic groups. They have come here and made a big difference in their financial, political and social futures. Many of them hope to live long enough to see Cuba become a country of democracy. Some Cubans feel that they are only here in America, but their family, heart and love of country are still in Cuba. Puerto Rican Americans They arrived and settled permanently in America in the late 1800s. This migration came because of the end of the Spanish-American War. They have settled mostly on the South and Eastern regions of the country. They speak American English and Spanish. Some of the Spanish words have different meanings or pronunciations that those of other Hispanic groups. Some of my Spanish friends have told me that they speak

Spanglish. This is the use of English words and Spanish words in the same sentence. This is done because it is easier to say the English version of a word than it is to explain the Spanish version. There presence in America has exceeded that of those in Puerto Rico. These people of Spanish descent are residents of Puerto Rico and stateside. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States . The census taken in 2003 reported that there were 3,987,947 Puerto Ricans stateside. In 2002, the average individual income for Stateside Puerto Ricans was $33,927. (Wikipedia, 2008) The Puerto Rican community has usually been characterized as being poor. They also been a high rate of poverty among households headed by single females. They are very involved in political, community and cultural activities in America. There is a strong debate in the government regarding the statehood status of Puerto Rico. They are mostly Christian, with some practicing Santeria. Others are practicing Catholics, Episcopalians and Pentecostals. Even though there are many Puerto Ricans who fall below the poverty line, many who do not. The Puerto Rican people have contributed to the American economy and spirit of success. Dominican Americans This is any person who has ancestry from the Dominican Republic that has settled in the United States .

Hispanic American diversity

Immigration records indicate the migration of Dominicans to American started in the early 1800s. They have largely settled in the North and South Eastern regions of America. They speak American English and Dominican Spanish. Dominican Spanish is a combination of Spanish,

French and some African words. It is very similar to Creole, which is spoken by some Haitians. Dominicans are also descendants of African slaves that settled on Hispaniola, an island in the Caribbean. The 2006 Census recorded that there were 1,217,225 Dominicans in the United States. In the 1980s, some 29.2% of Dominican Americans responded that they were white, while 30% considered themselves black. (Wikipedia, 2008) The Dominican Americans do not yet, have a strong presence in the political office arena. More than 90% of Dominican Americans are practicing Roman Catholics. Some still practice Santeria or have become Christians. They have a strong sense of family and have incorporated their culture into their communities. Though many Dominican Americans have come from humble beginnings, they have progressed by leaps and bounds in America. They are many notable individuals in the sports and enterainment industry that are from the Dominican Republic. There music, foods and celebration of their culture can be seen and heard throughout the country. They are very hard working people who seek out and excel in education. Mexican Americans They are people who have come settled in the United States and come from Mexican ancestry. They have had a presence in American since the late 1700s. They have settled mostly in the southwest, Midwest and Northwest regions of America. They speak American English, Mexican Spanish, and many other languages combined with Spanish. There are 62 indigenous languages of Mexico. Some of them speak a combination of the Native American and Spanish. (Wikipedia, 2008) They practice Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Some of Mexican Americans believe in the Aztec teachings, but on a more civilized scale. It was believed that Aztecs practiced human sacrifice.

Hispanic American diversity

There are more than 28,339,354 Mexican Americans in the United States. Even though they have a population that is more than 9% of the American people, they do not seem to be progressing as quickly as other Hispanic groups. They are struggling with poverty, unequal education or access to medical health and insurance. Many of them are illegal immigrants who hold lower wage earning jobs. They are fighting a never-ending battle for rights that they are denied because of their citizenship status. They are faced with discrimination based on race, ethnicity, culture and language. They also are facing challenges from being stereotyped as lazy, stupid and alcoholics. Mexican Americans have a greater presence in the political arena. They may not hold as many positions office as other Hispanic Americans, but they are just as vocal. Mexican Americans come from great people, who have been on this earth for thousands of years. They have created temples that still stand. They have been known for their agricultural genius, engineering skills and strong will.

Conclusion
The Hispanic Americans have few things in common other than the fact that they came to America from some place else. They all speak some form of Spanish and American English. They come from diverse backgrounds and seem to all be struggling with some form of social handicapping. Many have settled in the Southeastern region of America or along coastal states. Too many of them are suffering from poverty with no obvious way out. There is one thing I have found from personal experience, is that you dare not mistakenly call one by the race of the other. They have many prejudiced feelings about other Hispanic Americans that are not from their ethnic group. The stereotyping that is associated with each group has become the main source for those prejudices. They are all trying to make a change in legislation to better the Hispanic American people.

Hispanic American diversity

References
Cuban American. (2008, July 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22:07, July 5, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuban_American&oldid=224064404. Dominican American. (2008, July 3). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:58, July 5, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominican_American&oldid=223390680. Hispanic and Latino Americans. (2008, n.d.). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21:28, July 5, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hispanic_and_Latino_Americans&oldid=223942984. Hispanic American. (n.d.). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved July 05, 2008, from Answers.com Web site: http://www.answers.com/topic/hispanic-american Mexican American. (2008, July 7). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 00:25, July 8, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mexican_American&oldid=224158180. Staff of Microsoft Encarta (n.d.) Mexican Americans Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008. Retrieved July 4, 2008 from http://encarta.msn.com 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved Puerto Ricans in the United States. (2008, n.d.). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:06, July 5, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=Puerto_Ricans_in_the_United_States&oldid=224203988.