Research Paper: Introduction

Immigration Boom: Assimilation for Americanization

            A flood of people came to America with one thing in their mind to get a better life opportunity, however what they least expected was yet to become a lived reality. During the early and late 1900’s people from all over the world come to the United States. According to Bodnar, “ After the second decade of the nineteenth century and prior to World War Two over forty million of these individuals  left home lands in Asia, North America, Europe, and else were to find a place in the new economic order of capitalism”( Bodnar xv). The people’s ethnic backgrounds were Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Italians and people all over Europe. The immigrant’s response to such a dramatic change to their native environment and culture was to get costumed to American culture, and life style, weather it meant speaking English, or eating American food. Clark states, “The process of adaptation was painful, and ethnic resilience in the face of pressure to conform to U.S. was a way of protecting the group and its members” (Clark 141). I comprehend that assimilation was a slow process that took the second and third generation to of immigrants to get accustom to. In the book “The Transplanted” by Bodnar illustrates a photo of an immigrant family taken at Ellis Island New York. The only thing they had was the clothes they were wearing and carried luggage of personal belongings. The expression on their faces reads a sense of misplaced and meager. The immigrants made a major impact in America because of their culture and their role in the U.S economy; which suggest the fact that immigrants come to the U.S for work. Handlin in his novel quotes, “ Why shall I forever beat my head against this unyielding wall there will be no end to my toil and my labor gains me nothing for what a life do I work “ ( Handlin 140). Understanding the immigration experience is based their adaptation and assimilation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process in assimilation of immigrants with different ethnic backgrounds and the outcomes.

Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

Wollenberg, Charles. Ethnic Conflict in California History. Los Angeles: Tinnon-Brown, 1970. 144. Print.

The novel “Ethnic Conflict in California History” by Charles Wollenberg explains the struggles people from different ethnic backgrounds faced during the post war. However the ethnic group who faced the most difficulties was the Mexicans Americans. According to Wollenberg, “The depression of the 1930’s caused a drastic decline in agricultural prices in the vegetable and berry fields near Los Angeles were recessing as little as migrants, the Okies and Arkies” (Wollenberg 144). Mexican Americans were strongly affected by the U.S. Great Depression; thus explains why conflicts arouse between the Mexican workers and California’s agriculture market. The Novel gives me a strong resource of information regarding immigration during the post war of 1865 and the Great Depression.

 

Clark, W. A. V. The California Cauldron: Immigration and the Fortunes of Local Communities. New York: Guilford, 1998.139-40. Print.

The novel “The California Cauldron by William A.V. Clark introduces the process of immigration into California, and the different ethnicities who contributed to the growth of California’s economy, also the overall outcome of assimilation. According to Clark “ The metaphor of the melting pot, in which new immigrants eventually are Americanized Ideally the work of the melting pot, the process of cultural assimilation took place over time” (Clark 139-140). I acknowledge the fact that the new generations would have to adapt in order for them to be accepted in a large society.    

Music and Culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmF5jrzjSH0

 Juan Cortina

Response to Culture Research Paper

The research paper "From Zoot Suits to Hip Hop" by Luis Alvarez introduces and explains Chicano/a culture through historical events of the zoot suit era  of the 1940's. What I found most interesting about Chicano/a culture is their own unique identity. According to Alvarez "Among  the most available strategies for thousands of young Mexican Americans to claim dignity was to mobilize their physical bodies as the vehicle for a style that was all their own" ( Alvarez 5). The zoot suit style was very popular with in Mexican American teens. For the young Mexican Americans being rejected by the white dominant culture allowed them to create their own social environment. Alvarez states " Youth were drawn to the extensive social world that included zoot suits, jazz music and dancing, duck tails conk, and pompadour style hair cuts, and a unique speech patterns, a mix of English and Spanish known as calo Among Mexican Americans"    (Alvarez 6). The identity of young Mexican Americans was well notice by their calo language that developed due to assimilation between the Mexican and American languages. In the end the Chicano/a culture was the result of combining both Mexican and American cultures through new generation of Chicanos.

Identity

The role that language plays in the community and identity are important to me because  language and communication in my culture are my identity. Identity means who a person really is or what’s its personality. I believe if the person is bilingual she or he has two identities because they can relate to two different cultures. To be bilingual is a gift because in the job world there are higher possibilities that the person will be employed. Especially here in California where there is higher population of Hispanics.

In my culture the women are the ones that are more involved in the community because they interact with their children’s school activities and any other event that relates to keeping their children safe, and maintaining the home organized to put everything in good shape. But in order for that to be possible the women must be sociable with other parents and that’s when language becomes the key role. In the same way the women in the Mexican community are the ones that do the communicating with other people and withhold the family as one unit. Language is what holds the individual the same; meaning he or she cannot totally erase their native language they can only customize it so it can fit with societies norms. Gloria Anzaldula in her short story “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” states that language is very important to some ones identity.  I identify with Spanish language and English because I speak both, and to me that is one of my key values. According to Anzaldua “ A language that which they can connect their identity to, one capable of communicating the realities and values true to themselves a language with terms that are neither espanol ni ingles, but both”( Anzaldua 105). The need to communicate gets me closer to my family and culture. Also I tend to make up new words both in Spanish and English in the same time also known as Spanglish. Spanglish is when an English word is added at the end of a Spanish word or the other way around. For example “Donde estan  las keys” or were you left the keys. According to Anzaldua “ We know how to survive when other races have given up their tongue, we’ve kept ours”(Anzaldua 113). My language adapted to keep its survival thru the mix of Mexican and American cultures.

In conclusion in my observations, I observed that language plays a variety of roles in the community and identity. Especially in the Mexican culture were families are united with the use of communication, and how women carry on the duty of exchanging ideas and thoughts to people or members of the family too maintain the peace. Also how the Mexican culture use words to keep its identity intact while living in the US were the Americanized ideas correspond with its society. I am both Mexican and American; thus I’m able to communicate with both languages.

Traditional Gender Roles

Coming from a traditional Mexican family gender roles are given to me instinctively. For example I know what is expected from me at home, work and school. I do my part to keep my home well organize and clean as it is expected from a young lady in the family. Other than being an employee and doing really well in my studies, I understand that acting like a young lady is very important in my family traditions because depending on her actions and values a young lady is well respected in the family.

 However, out side my home I get I hole new idea of gender roles. For instance I see women in magazines and billboards selling cosmetic products looking weak and fragile. Which in society it is considered beautiful, unlike men in magazines and media they look aggressive and have dominate features like strength and power. On the contrary, in my culture are viewed as dominate based on education, morals, and contribution to the well being of the family.

My identity is shaped by family values and gender roles especially women in the house hold. Also women's role in today's society. I understand that women's roles have change during the past years, due to their approach  towards equality and contributions to advanced technologies.

Reflection Report of Reconstruction

 My understanding of  the Reconstrution era was given to me by the concets and events that occured after the war. For example the tenth percent act provided any person of any state to vote and make an oath of loyalty to the govenment. I belive that was the first step to reconstruct the United States as one union.

 However, congress role during the reconstruction era  was to povide citizen rights and give eguality to all US citizens. The Radical rebublicans were very active in the legislative branch; therefor, succeeded in freeing African American slaves by passing the 13th amendment, yet even though the were free by law there were still issues regarding segregation. Some African Americans were segrigated to  the point that when accused of a crime they were sentence to death, According to the Colored People of Massachusetts, " Negroes guilty of no crime except the color of there skin and a disire to exercise the rights of their american Citizenship were buchered like dogs"(47). the Recustruction era did not solve hate crimes, and racist crimes againts the African American citizens.

Thus, the three branches of government the exicutive branch, judicial branch, and the leguslative branch had to compromise in order to estaplish a new form of peace in the souther states and the intire nation due too the consequences of the civil war.

Open Letter (revision)

In the Open Letter to President McKinley the author brings into attention many issues regarding African American suffrage in the US. The purpose of the letter is to bring about African American struggles. Based on the narration they want congress to recognize them and grant them their rights of US citizens. The main issues the letter speaks of revolve around religion, living conditions of the African American.

The purpose of having religion as key element in the letter is to alter the Anglos beliefs and take the African American in consideration. According to, The Colored People of Massachusetts, “The hands of a country professing to be Christian, but which is not Christian; from the hate and violence of people claiming to be Christian" (45). By contradicting Christian beliefs the Anglos actions were not based on Christian faith, by not seeing all humans as equals. I believe religion played an important role during the reconstruction is due to its strong influence in people's lives during that time.

The author makes a strong point but including the life of an African American; The Colored People of Massachusetts sates, “The struggle of the Negro torrest out of his ignorance, his poverty, and his social degradation" (46). The full extent of their suffrage brings the emotional aspect of the letter. In the end the legislative branch could have influence the president’s decision to pass the civil rights in congress; however it was up to congress to protect African American citizens rights against the states government.

The Radicals

What I know about Radical Republicans is that they were part of the Republican party and their beliefs was based on antislavery and pro black rights but they whanted to punish the south for their deeds.also they were grately opposed by Henry Wilson.The Radical Republicans also disagreed with Lincoln's ten percent plan wich allowed all southerners back in to the union by taking a loyalty oath because they believe it granted  president Lincoln with more power in congress based on the Union policy. The Radical Rebublicans tryed to pass the Wade Davis Bill that stated no slavery and for the new states that were once Confederate to pay for the war damages. However Lincoln pocket vetoed the bill. The Radicals also help with the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.

The Occurance at Owl Creek

The occurance at Owl Creek Brige by Ambrose Birce has powerful descriptive writting that makes the reader see the events the main character Payton Farquar describe before he dies from stragulation in the form of hanging, "As to his head he was conscious of nothing but a feeling of fulness of congrestion these sensations were unaccompanied by thought ... he was concious of emotion" (Bierce 34). The author's purpose was to bring remorse to the death scene by the use of details and strong emotions.

Furthermore, the scene that got my atenttion was the part that has Payton Farquad's diolog," To be hanged and drowed, "he thought that is not so bad; but i do not wish to be shot, no i will not be shot; that is not fair"(Bierce 35). He would rather be drowend and hanged because it gives him time to close his eyes and be concious about his last thoughts before his death ,rather than to be shot and die so suddenly. The purpose of the scene was to enphesisze that his wife was very important to him and to have a few moments to see her again.

In the end the author added farqua's diolog to add emphesis on the meaning of the story. With the use of strong emotion and descriptive writting.

The Amendments of the constitution

The 13th Amendment clearly states that slavery or any forms of servitued against your will is not allowed any were in the United States, unless the person has been convicted of a crime. According to the text book titeld American Past and Present "Neighter slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subjected to their jurishdiction" (Divine et al. A-12). Then in section two it clarifies that Congress has the right to enforce the article.

Also the 14th Amendment consist of five sections the first section defines what a citizen of the United States is. According to the text "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction therefore are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside" (Divine et al. A-12) therefore if a person is born in the US he or she is a citizen automatically. And if a person is dined the rights of a citizen with out any process of law like at a court hearing he or she would have their rights deprived, but amendment 14th would help him or her in court. Sections three and four explains what the rules are for the Representatives in Congress. For example Representatives are chosen by numbers by the state that they reside. In the end of section five it clearly states that Congress has the power to change article 14th.

 In Amendment 15th the right for a citizen to vote can not be taken away by the US or any state do to the individual's ethnicity or their social economic status.            



 

I am...

I am Rosa Alcaraz. I enjoy the out doors, I am a friendly person, I'm patient to everyone and everything, optimistic, a bit shy at first, but once we get acquinted I open up. I enjoy food all types, Im the green kind of person. I love environment, therefore, I care for it. I dislike being pressured and pushed, I dislike rude people, sorry I am human and I have my limits I get tired as well like everyone else. I enjoy school, I love reading and mathematics, and do not get me started in biology. I will definetily transfer to a UC probably UC Santa Cruz, so I can study Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology and master it. I'm really family orinted, i have a mother a father and a older sister and two kid brothers, I enjoy spending as much time as I can with them, since I have a job I do not get to be with them as often as I wish. In the end I would be glad to answer any questions.