Question 1

According to the chapter text, Puerto Ricans and Cubans are clustered along the West Coast, particularly in Los Angeles and San Diego.

Accepted Answer

Puerto Ricans and Cubans are more commonly clustered in the East Coast of the United States, particularly in areas like Miami for Cubans and New York City for Puerto Ricans, rather than the West Coast.

Question 2

A 2002 survey found that most Latinos who predominantly spoke English were members of the second generation of Latino immigrants.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A 2002 survey found that most Latinos...

Question 3

Hispanic Americans are the second largest minority group in the United States and will probably be the largest group early in the next century.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hispanic Americans are the second largest minority...

Question 4

Today, most social analysts see Mexican Americans in terms of the social theory of the culture of poverty and claim that their low social status is a result of an unhealthy value system.

Accepted Answer

Most social analysts today recognize the complexity of factors affecting the social status of Mexican Americans, including systemic inequalities, discrimination, and historical context, rather than attributing it solely to a "culture of poverty" or an unhealthy value system.

Question 5

If we look at patterns of immigration dating back to the 1900s, it can be argued that Mexicans have served as a reserve labor pool for the benefit of U.S. businesses, agricultural interests, and other groups.

Accepted Answer

Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, Mexican immigrants have often been sought after by U.S. businesses, agricultural sectors, and other industries for their labor, especially during times of economic growth or labor shortages, effectively serving as a reserve labor pool. This pattern is evident in various historical moments, such as the Bracero Program from 1942 to 1964, which allowed millions of Mexican men to work temporarily on U.S. farms and railroads.

Question 6

During the repatriation campaign, many legal immigrants and native-born Mexican Americans were forced to move to Mexico.

Accepted Answer

During the repatriation campaign of the 1930s, many legal immigrants and native-born Mexican Americans were indeed forced or pressured to move to Mexico, often due to economic hardship, racial discrimination, and government policies.

Question 7

The Bracero Program, which continued for several decades, did not significantly affect agricultural labor.

Accepted Answer

The Bracero Program, which operated from 1942 to 1964, significantly affected agricultural labor by bringing millions of Mexican guest workers to the United States to fill labor shortages, especially in agriculture.

Question 8

During Operation Wetback, raids on homes and places of business often resulted in the violation of civil and legal rights of U.S. citizens of Mexican descent.

Accepted Answer

Operation Wetback, conducted in the mid-1950s, led to numerous instances where U.S. citizens of Mexican descent were wrongfully detained or deported due to aggressive and indiscriminate enforcement practices, violating their civil and legal rights.

Question 9

Mexican immigrants, both undocumented and legal, exist at the same level of poverty they would have experienced if they lived in Mexico.

Accepted Answer

Many Mexican immigrants, both undocumented and legal, migrate to the United States in search of better economic opportunities and often experience an improvement in their living standards compared to what they would have faced in Mexico, due to higher wages and more job opportunities in the U.S.

Question 10

Mexican Americans often played important leadership roles in the labor movement, particularly in agriculture and mining.

Accepted Answer

Mexican Americans have historically been involved in labor movements within the United States, especially in sectors like agriculture and mining, where they have taken on significant leadership roles to advocate for workers' rights and better working conditions.

Question 11

The term Chicano was originally used by the dominant culture in a derogatory manner.

Accepted Answer

The term Chicano was initially used in a derogatory manner to describe Mexican Americans, but it was later reclaimed by Mexican American civil rights activists in the 1960s and 1970s as a symbol of pride and cultural identity.

Question 12

Puerto Rican migration was unlike Mexican migration because Puerto Ricans had already been established as U.S. citizens in 1917.

Accepted Answer

Puerto Rican migration was unlike Mexican migration because Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917 through the Jones-Shafroth Act, allowing them to move freely between the island and the mainland without immigration restrictions, unlike Mexican citizens who faced immigration controls.

Question 13

In Puerto Rico, distinctions of race are much more important than distinctions of class.

Accepted Answer

In Puerto Rico, race is a more salient social category than class, meaning that it is more likely to be used to categorize and differentiate people. This is due to the island's history of colonialism and slavery, which has left a lasting legacy of racial inequality.

Question 14

The marielitos were all undesirables, convicted criminals, and outcasts.

Accepted Answer

While the Mariel boatlift of 1980 did include some criminals and mental health patients among the approximately 125,000 Cubans who emigrated to the United States, the majority were ordinary Cubans seeking better economic opportunities and freedom from political repression.

Question 15

Ethnic enclaves can develop only when businesses, financial expertise, and capital are combined with a disciplined labor force.

Accepted Answer

Ethnic enclaves can develop when businesses, financial expertise, and capital are combined with a disciplined labor force. These factors create a supportive environment for entrepreneurship and economic growth within the enclave.

Question 16

The poverty rate for Cubans is much lower than the rate for Mexicans and Puerto Ricans.

Accepted Answer

Cubans in the United States tend to have a lower poverty rate compared to Mexicans and Puerto Ricans, largely due to historical migration patterns, political status differences, and socioeconomic factors influencing each group's integration and economic opportunities.

Question 17

According to the chapter text, colonized minority groups such as Chicanos and Puerto Ricans have not been encouraged to assimilate because they are valued primarily for their cheap labor and are considered less valuable in other respects.

Accepted Answer

Colonized minority groups like Chicanos and Puerto Ricans have historically been marginalized and exploited for cheap labor, with systemic barriers in place that discourage assimilation and perpetuate their lower socioeconomic status, reflecting a valuation of their labor over their broader societal integration or well-being.

Question 18

Hispanics are much more likely to register and vote in national elections than non-Hispanics.

Accepted Answer

Hispanics have historically shown lower voter registration and turnout rates in national elections compared to non-Hispanics in the United States.

Question 19

Among Hispanics, a split labor market exists where women are among the lowest paid and are exploited the most in the labor market.

Accepted Answer

Hispanic women often face significant wage gaps and exploitation in the labor market, experiencing lower wages and harsher working conditions compared to their male counterparts and women from other ethnic groups, indicating a split labor market.

Question 20

Mexican Americans remain a colonized minority group and have been systematically excluded from opportunities for upward mobility by institutional discrimination and segregation.

Accepted Answer

Mexican Americans have historically faced systemic barriers to upward mobility, including institutional discrimination and segregation, which have contributed to their status as a marginalized group. These barriers have impacted their access to education, employment, housing, and political representation, among other areas, contributing to ongoing challenges in achieving equity and inclusion.

Quiz 7: Hispanic Americans: Colonization, Immigration, and Ethnic Enclaves