Question 1

Initially, the white view of Chinese immigrants stressed their similarity to African Americans in inferior racial status, while over time the dimension of foreignness was given decreasing emphasis.

Accepted Answer

Initially, the white view of Chinese immigrants stressed their foreignness and racial difference, rather than their similarity to African Americans. Over time, the emphasis on their foreignness remained significant, influencing exclusionary policies and societal attitudes.

Question 2

James Phelan, who represented California in the U.S. Senate from 1915 to 1921, claimed that Chinese immigrants were a threat to the "future" of the white race, U.S. institutions, and Western civilization.

Accepted Answer

The answer of James Phelan, who represented California in the...

Question 3

The first Mexican residents of the U.S. did not immigrate, but were brought into the U.S. as a result of the Mexican-American War of the 1840s.

Accepted Answer

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) led to the U.S. acquiring territories that are now part of the southwestern United States. People living in these territories, who were originally Mexican citizens, became U.S. residents as a result of the war and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, without having to move or immigrate in the traditional sense.

Question 4

Whites who invaded northern Mexico in the early nineteenth century were typically not from the slaveholding South.

Accepted Answer

Many of the whites who invaded northern Mexico in the early nineteenth century were from the slaveholding South, seeking new lands for cotton cultivation and to expand slavery.

Question 5

Periodically, since the 1930s Great Depression, employers and their allies in government have sought Mexican workers to do low-wage agricultural and manufacturing jobs.

Accepted Answer

Since the 1930s Great Depression, there has been a pattern where employers, often with government support, have sought Mexican workers for low-wage labor in sectors like agriculture and manufacturing, especially during labor shortages or when seeking to reduce labor costs.

Question 6

For decades, Mexican American children were often punished for speaking Spanish in schools.

Accepted Answer

This practice was part of a broader effort to assimilate Mexican American students into Anglo-American culture, which included discouraging or outright banning the use of Spanish in educational settings.

Question 7

For decades, Mexican American children's names were often Anglicized by white controlled schools.

Accepted Answer

This practice was part of a broader effort to assimilate Mexican American students into American (Anglo) culture, often involving changing their names to more Anglo-sounding versions to make them fit in better with the dominant culture.

Question 8

Mexican immigrant workers have been lynched by white workers and white union organizers.

Accepted Answer

Throughout history, there have been instances where Mexican immigrant workers were targeted and lynched by white workers and white union organizers, particularly during periods of labor disputes and racial tension. This violence was part of broader patterns of racial discrimination and xenophobia.

Question 9

In the early decades of the Anglo-American settlement of the Southwest, a few lighter-skinned Mexican Americans in Texas, New Mexico, and California, mainly those with land and money, were treated as "honorary whites."

Accepted Answer

During the early periods of Anglo-American settlement in the Southwest, some lighter-skinned Mexican Americans who possessed land and wealth were indeed treated as "honorary whites," allowing them a higher social status and more rights than other Mexican Americans and people of color. This was part of a broader pattern of racial classification and discrimination based on skin color and economic status.

Question 10

After World War II, Japanese Americans, including some who had been in U.S. concentration ("detention") camps, were less likely to be hired than African Americans in better-paying job categories in California.

Accepted Answer

The answer of After World War II, Japanese Americans, including...

Question 11

Strong white endorsement of the model minority myth is frequently linked to more positive views of Asian Americans.

Accepted Answer

The model minority myth can lead to positive stereotypes, but it often masks underlying racial biases and perpetuates harmful stereotypes, leading to complex and not necessarily positive views of Asian Americans.

Question 12

Recent national opinion polls show a majority of all Americans view immigrants negatively.

Accepted Answer

Recent national opinion polls generally show that a majority of Americans have positive views towards immigrants, recognizing their contributions to society and the economy.

Question 13

After studying anti-immigrant legislation passed by certain state legislatures, researchers concluded that ideological framing is the most consistently important factor determining legislative responses to newcomers.

Accepted Answer

Research on anti-immigrant legislation often finds that ideological framing, which includes how issues are presented and perceived in terms of values and beliefs, plays a crucial role in shaping legislative responses to immigration. This encompasses how political actors and institutions view the cultural, economic, and security implications of immigration, often leading to varied legislative outcomes based on ideological leanings.

Question 14

Recent research shows that many whites who remain in areas now becoming more racially diverse seek out interracial interactions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recent research shows that many whites who...

Question 15

Interracial marriages are increasing in number and are no longer a modest proportion of all marriages.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Interracial marriages are increasing in number and...

Question 16

Recent surveys indicate that a minority of whites view Latinos as racially inferior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Recent surveys indicate that a minority of...

Question 17

Being categorized as nearer the white than the black end of the old white-racist continuum does not mean that a group, or member of a group, is viewed as being truly "white" by most native-born whites.

Accepted Answer

This statement reflects the concept of racial hierarchy as historically constructed in many societies, where being closer to "white" on the racial continuum does not equate to being accepted or considered as truly white by the dominant white group. This is due to systemic and social perceptions of race that differentiate groups based on ancestry, appearance, and cultural background, maintaining distinctions and privileges for those considered "truly white."

Question 18

Surveys have found that the majority of Latino Americans typically see themselves as white when they are allowed to choose from an array of options.

Accepted Answer

Most Latino Americans do not typically identify as white when given a range of options. Surveys, including those by the Pew Research Center, have shown that Latino or Hispanic Americans have diverse views on race, with many identifying as some other race, a mix of races, or using their country of origin as their racial identity.

Question 19

Recent interviews with Mexican Americans by sociologist Julie Dowling revealed that, however they may identify on Census-type forms, most know that in everyday life they are not viewed or treated as white by most Anglo-American whites.

Accepted Answer

Julie Dowling's research indeed found that Mexican Americans, regardless of how they might identify on census forms, are aware that in their daily interactions and experiences, they are not perceived or treated as white by the majority of Anglo-American whites. This highlights the complex nature of racial and ethnic identity in the United States, particularly in how it is experienced versus how it is officially categorized.

Question 20

Field interview research on Asian Americans suggests that most do not see themselves as white.

Accepted Answer

Research on racial identity among Asian Americans often reveals that they do not typically identify as white, reflecting the complex dynamics of racial categorization and identity in the United States. This is due to a variety of factors including cultural differences, historical immigration patterns, and the racialization of Asian Americans as a distinct group separate from white Americans.

Quiz 8: Systemic Racism: Other Americans of Color