Immigration There has been a steady stream of immigration across the U.S.-Mexican border ever since the border was established. Although in the early years settlement was concentrated in California and the American Southwest, today Mexican-American families live throughout the United States. Laws and policies governing immigration from Mexico and Latin America continue to be at the forefront of American politics and discourse, and the issues bear important consequences for all involved. You may invite your students to share what they know about immigration, their own and what these issues mean to them. families’ roots, Mexican-Americans Today Today, some people of as an alternative to Mexican descent prefer “Chicano” The term has its origins in the movement during the 1960s and 1970s to “Chicano” promote ethnic pride among Mexican-Americans. As social worker Lydia Aguierre eloquently explains, means that in the finding of identity—that is, a right to be not as he is, “Chicano power simply Mexican, not Spanish, not either English or a but a as he is, speaking “pure” “pure” Spanish, product of the Spanish-Mexican-Indian heritage and an Anglo-Saxon (American…) influence.”3 Not all descendants of Mexican ancestors appreciated the term in this way. Some disapproved of the negative connotations of the word (the meaning of which has roughly equated with “thief,” among other pejorative terms). Currently, many people prefer the term although this Latino, term refers more broadly to people of Latin American descent. Whatever the name by which they choose to identify themselves, people of Mexican ancestry have made their mark on all facets of American public life. You may encourage your students to research famous Mexican Americans, and share their findings with their classmates. (Examples: Henry Cisneros, Federico Peña, Richard Rodriguez, Lee Treviño). 3Quoted in Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler (eds.) The Mexican-American Family Album.
Immigration There has been a steady stream of immigration across the U.S.-Mexican border ever since the border was established. Although in the early years settlement was concentrated in California and the American Southwest, today Mexican-American families live throughout the United States. Laws and policies governing immigration from Mexico and Latin America continue to be at the forefront of American politics and discourse, and the issues bear important consequences for all involved. You may invite your students to share what they know about immigration, their own families’ roots, and what these issues mean to them. Mexican-Americans Today Today, some people of Mexican descent prefer “Chicano” as an alternative to The term “Chicano” has its origins in the movement during the 1960s and 1970s to promote ethnic pride among Mexican-Americans. As social worker Lydia Aguierre eloquently explains, “Chicano power simply means that in the finding of identity—that is, a right to be as he is, not Mexican, not Spanish, not either speaking “pure” English or a “pure” Spanish, but as he is, a product of the Spanish-Mexican-Indian heritage and an Anglo-Saxon (American…) influence.”3 Not all descendants of Mexican ancestors appreciated the term in this way. Some disapproved of the negative connotations of the word (the meaning of which has roughly equated with “thief,” among other pejorative terms). Currently, many people prefer the term Latino, although this term refers more broadly to people of Latin American descent. Whatever the name by which they choose to identify themselves, people of Mexican ancestry have made their mark on all facets of American public life. You may encourage your students to research famous Mexican Americans, and share their findings with their classmates. (Examples: Henry Cisneros, Federico Peña, Richard Rodriguez, Lee Treviño). 3Quoted in The Mexican-American Family Album. Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler (eds.)
Taking-Sides-Guide-Final-Version-CCSS.docx