The history of Hispanic Americans is inextricably linked to the colonization and territorial expansion of contemporary America. In the 19th century, Texas, New Mexico, and much of California-all geographic regions with significant Spanish and Hispanic populations-ceded or were annexed as part of what was to become the United States. Immigrants from Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic have also contributed to the Hispanic-American community and have thereby complicated as well as enriched any single definition of that ethnic group.
The Multicultural America series offers students and general readers a fascinating glimpse into the history of different ethnic groups in the United States. The focus of the set is on the social history, customs, and traditions of immigrants across American history. Each volume examines a specific ethnic group and presents a remarkable array of valuable information, covering everything from food, dress, entertainment, work, education, popular pastimes, political activity, and contributions and conflicts in American society. In an engaging, informative manner, each volume describes what members of a group found when they first arrived in the United States up to their current status in American society.
Preface vii
1 The Colonial Era: Beginnings to 1776 1
2 The American Revolution: 1775 to 1783 19
3 The Early National Period and Expansion: 1783 to 1859 39
4 The Civil War to the Gilded Age: 1859 to 1900 59
5 The Progressive Era and World War I: 1900 to 1920 83
6 The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression: 1920 to 1939 99
7 World War II and the Forties: 1939 to 1949 121
8 The Civil Rights Era: 1950 to 1969 139
9 A Changing Community: 1970 to 1989 159
10 Hispanic America Today: 1990 to the Present 181
Glossary 201
Index 205
Overview
The history of Hispanic Americans is inextricably linked to the colonization and territorial expansion of contemporary America. In the 19th century, Texas, New Mexico, and much of California-all geographic regions with significant Spanish and Hispanic populations-ceded or were annexed as part of what was to become the United States. Immigrants from Mexico, Central America, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic have also contributed to the Hispanic-American community and have thereby complicated as well as...