Hispanic-Americans make up a large ethnic group in the United States. Many Americans believe Hispanics are much the same and group them together (panethnicity) but, in fact, the groups are very diverse. Hispanics come from a variety of different cultures and include Mexican-Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, and Central Americans. Each of these groups vary in their customs, religious beliefs, political views, family views, and other conventions that make them similar in some ways, and very different in others (Franklin, 2009). This paper will discuss the various cultures of Mexican-Americans, Puerto Rican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, and Venezuelan-Americans in America.
As a result of the Mexican-American war, about 80,000 Mexicans resided in the United States due to the accumulation of New Mexico and California. Even though many returned to Mexico, the majority stayed in the United States and gained their citizenship after two years (Englekirk and Martin, 2009). Since then, Mexican immigration to the United States has grown significantly and for various reasons. Today, Mexican-Americans make up about two thirds of the Hispanic population in the United States (Schaefer, 2006).
[...] These values have changed somewhat for Puerto Ricans living on the mainland. Puerto Rican-Americans are the most economically challenged Hispanic group in the United States. Many live in high crime areas where drug use is a problem, unemployment is high, educational opportunities are low, and families break down as a result. Puerto Ricans speak Castilian Spanish, originally a derivative from Latin. Pronunciation variances between Spanish spoken in Spain versus Puerto Rico mark the largest difference in the language. Puerto Ricans tend to drop the ‘s' from words in casual conversation, unlike other Hispanic groups. [...]
[...] Unlike other Hispanic groups, Cuban-Americans have been able to afford the costs of higher education. Even in Cuba, education is extremely important and there remains an emphasis on science and math. Cuba has also produced many doctors. Puerto Rican- Americans Puerto Rico is an island located between the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands, on the north Caribbean Sea and south of the Atlantic Ocean. Indigenous people were Arawak Indians and were conquered by the Spaniards in 1509. Following the take-over from Spain, the Arawaks became extinct. [...]
[...] Cuban-Americans Cuba is an Island on the north Caribbean Sea south of Florida and north of Jamaica. The first inhabitants of Cuba were Indians such as the Ciboney and Arawaks who became extinct through disease, war, and slavery. Currently, Cubans are a mix of Spaniards and African slaves. African slaves were brought into Cuba to work in the sugar industry (Franklin, 2009). The fall of the Soviet Union caused Cuba to lose their strongest supporter and their economy suffers to this day. Cuba's economic status contributes the immigration of Cubans to the United States. [...]
[...] Venezuelan-Americans Venezuela is located in South America south of the Caribbean Sea. Native Venezuelans consisted of Indians such as the Arawaks, Chibcha, and Carib. Christopher Columbus arrived on Venezuela in 1498 and in the 1500's Spaniards started settlements on the coast. In 1821 Venezuela won its independence (Walker, 2009). Since then, Venezuelans are a mixture of indigenous Indians and people from Spain, Italy, Africa, and Portugal. Venezuela's economic status was inconsistent after independence from Spain but when oil was discovered in the early 1920's, Venezuela became the world's largest exporter of oil. [...]
[...] Non-Catholic beliefs vary and much depends on familial origin and current assimilation status in the United States. Each group places a high value on education but the level of education differs based on social and economic status in the homeland as well as in the United States. Economic stability remains an issue for most groups but is most challenging for Puerto Rican-Americans. Buffington, Sean. (2009). Countries and Their Cultures, Cuban Americans. Advameg, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Bu-Dr/Cuban- Americans.html Englekirk, Alan and Martin, Marguerite. (2009). [...]
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