The Health Status of Puerto Ricans in Florida Centro Journal, Vol

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Health Status of Puerto Ricans in Florida Centro Journal, Vol Centro Journal ISSN: 1538-6279 [email protected] The City University of New York Estados Unidos Rivera, Fernando I.; Burgos, Giovani The Health Status of Puerto Ricans in Florida Centro Journal, vol. XXII, núm. 1, 2010, pp. 199-217 The City University of New York New York, Estados Unidos Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=37721077009 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative CENTRO Journal Volume7 xx11 Number 1 s p r i n g 2010 The healTh STaTuS of PuerTo ricanS in florida Fe r n a n d o I. rI v e r a a n d GI o v a n I Bu r G o s * a b s t r a c t During the past two decades, Puerto Ricans have been moving to central Florida in large numbers in search of better opportunities. While there is some evidence that Puerto Ricans in central Florida enjoy higher levels of education than Puerto Ricans living in traditional settlement hubs, it remains unclear if these population shifts have also translated into health benefits. The first goal of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the literature on the health of Puerto Ricans in the United States. The literature shows that Puerto Ricans continue to experience worse health outcomes than other groups. The second goal is to establish a recent profile of Puerto Rican health in the U.S. and Florida. By using recently released data from the 2007 American Community Survey, we compared disability rates of Puerto Ricans across 72 counties with large Puerto Rican populations. Our results indicate that Puerto Ricans in Florida have a health advantage over many Puerto Ricans living elsewhere in the U.S. We conclude by discussing some of the social scientific implications of this study and by making some recommendations for future research in this highly understudied area of Puerto Rican disability. [Keywords: Puerto Rican, health, mental health, disability, Florida] * Both authors contributed equally and are listed in reverse alphabetical order. [ 199 ] on august 13, 2008, the headlines of the Miami Herald read: “Puerto Ricans: Recession Drives Educated Puerto Ricans to South Florida” (Robles 2008). Headlines like this suggest a specific type of Puerto Rican migration – one based on higher education. Indeed, a recent report on Puerto Ricans in Central Florida indicates that the educational level of Central Florida Puerto Ricans is higher than elsewhere in the United States and Puerto Rico (Duany and Matos-Rodríguez 2006). These patterns of higher education and incursion into professional occupations are particularly important to the health of Puerto Ricans in Florida. Previous studies suggest that socioeconomic indicators, such as education and social class, have been associated with better physical and mental health outcomes among all ethnic/racial groups (Aneshensel 1992; James, Van Hoewyk, Belli, Strogatz, Williams, and Raghunathan 2006; Robert 1999; Williams 2005), including Puerto Ricans (Rivera, Guarnaccia, Mulvaney-Day, Lin, Torres, and Alegría 2008). The goal of this paper is not to examine the relationship between SES and health among Puerto Ricans in Central Florida, but rather to determine whether Puerto Ricans living in Central Florida enjoy better health, as measured by six types of disability variables, than Puerto Ricans living in other U.S. counties with large Puerto Rican populations. Although the migration of Puerto Ricans to Central Florida dates back even before 1980 (Duany and Matos-Rodríguez 2006), this region continues to attract large numbers of Puerto Ricans from Puerto Rico and other states—particularly from the northeast region. For example, from 1990 to 2000 there was a 95.1 percent change in the Puerto Rican population in the state Florida with Orlando experiencing a 142 percent change and Tampa a 78 percent change (Falcón 2004). More recent estimates show that six out of the ten counties that experienced the largest growth in the Puerto Rican population between 2000 and 2006 were located in Central Florida (see Vélez and Burgos 2010). At this point, however, a dearth of empirical studies makes it difficult to assess whether this mass exodus of Puerto Ricans, one driven in part by the search for a better life, translates into better health for Central Florida Puerto Ricans. The sociological and epidemiological literature on health, however, suggests two conflicting possibilities. On the one hand, Puerto Ricans living in segregated neighborhoods are expected to have poor health (Lee and Ferraro 2007). Given their increasingly large numbers and concentration in Central Florida counties, it is possible that the health of the Puerto Rican population in Central Florida is not among the best in the U.S. On the other hand, increased education [ 200 ] levels should provide for better health outcomes (Muntaner, Borrell, Chung, Avison, McLeod, and Pescosolido 2007). Given that the levels of education for Puerto Ricans in central Florida are relatively high, the average health of the Puerto Rican population in central Florida should be among the best in the nation. We engage this paradox by comparing disability rates, as indicators of physical and mental health status, of Puerto Ricans in Florida counties to the disability rates of Puerto Ricans living in other U.S. counties. our focus is on studies that look specifically at puerto rican health, and those that compare puerto ricans to other groups, including latinos from other ethnic backgrounds. We begin by first providing a brief overview of the physical and mental health status of Puerto Ricans in the U.S., noting in particular the need to add to the existing but limited literature in this area. Our focus is on studies that look specifically at Puerto Rican health, and those that compare Puerto Ricans to other groups, including Latinos from other ethnic backgrounds. Second, we discuss studies on the health status of Puerto Ricans in Florida. Third, we empirically compare disability rates (as a health indicator) utilizing data from the 2007 American Community Survey on regions with significant numbers of Puerto Ricans (mainly in the Northeast and Midwest regions) to Puerto Ricans in Florida. We then conclude by suggesting new avenues for future research in this understudied area of Puerto Rican health. HealtH trends in tHe United states and Florida Until fairly recently, there have been few nationally representative data that would allow researchers to document and explain Latino ethnic differences (e.g., Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban) in physical and mental health (Heeringa, Wagner, Torres, Duan, Adams, and Berglund 2004). As a result, many researchers have had little choice but to lump Latinos into one monolithic group (i.e., “Latino” or “Hispanic”) and little recourse but to make broad generalizations on the health status of this population. Key problems associated with this lack of information is that researchers and policymakers continue to have a very difficult time documenting which ethnic groups are at high risk of developing health problems, explaining sub-group differences in health, and developing culturally sensitive interventions (Institute of Medicine 2004; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2001). These problems are compounded if we consider that the Latino population is expected to grow in the next few decades, that they are dispersing rapidly throughout the U.S., and that place [ 201 ] shapes the onset and trajectory of disease, wellness, and illness (Ahmed, Mohammed, and Williams 2007; Cisneros 2009; Curtis and Jones 1998; Fitzpatrick and LaGory 2003; Williams and Mohammed 2009). Although place matters and the Latino population continues to grow in both geographical scope and in sheer numbers, little is known about the health of Puerto Ricans in different parts of the country. At the very least, this is a very serious issue in light of the fact that the Puerto Rican population, in particular, is on the move and that both the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization have made it a priority to monitor emerging diseases associated with migration patterns (Brownstein, Freifeld, and Madoff 2009; Madoff and Woodall 2005). Because we have little or no information on many health indicators of Puerto Ricans in different parts of the U.S., we hope that this article will stimulate more research in this area and further the collection of health data that is linked to place—not just for Puerto Ricans but also for Latinos of different backgrounds. although place matters and the latino population continues to grow in both geographical scope and in sheer numbers, little is known about the health of puerto ricans in different parts of the country. Fortunately, there are a few data sets that allow researchers to gauge the health status of some Latino ethnic groups, such as Puerto Ricans. In this section we briefly review findings on Puerto Rican health at the U.S. national level, paying particular attention to common and disabling chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and cancer) that are known to have a disparate impact on the Puerto Rican community. In addition, we briefly document some of the common risk factors (e.g. obesity, smoking and physical activity) associated with these chronic conditions. Physical Health in the United states The Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Study (H-HANES) has allowed researchers to analyze Latino sub-group differentials in health and is still one of the most commonly used national surveys with regard to Latino health (National Center for Health Statistics 1985). Findings from these data reveal the disparities in health experienced by the U.S. mainland Puerto Rican community in comparison to other Latino ethnic groups.
Recommended publications
  • Los Veteranos—Latinos in WWII
    Los Veteranos—Latinos in WWII Over 500,000 Latinos (including 350,000 Mexican Americans and 53,000 Puerto Ricans) served in WWII. Exact numbers are difficult because, with the exception of the 65th Infantry Regiment from Puerto Rico, Latinos were not segregated into separate units, as African Americans were. When war was declared on December 8, 1941, thousands of Latinos were among those that rushed to enlist. Latinos served with distinction throughout Europe, in the Pacific Theater, North Africa, the Aleutians and the Mediterranean. Among other honors earned, thirteen Medals of Honor were awarded to Latinos for service during WWII. In the Pacific Theater, the 158th Regimental Combat Team, of which a large percentage was Latino and Native American, fought in New Guinea and the Philippines. They so impressed General MacArthur that he called them “the greatest fighting combat team ever deployed in battle.” Latino soldiers were of particular aid in the defense of the Philippines. Their fluency in Spanish was invaluable when serving with Spanish speaking Filipinos. These same soldiers were part of the infamous “Bataan Death March.” On Saipan, Marine PFC Guy Gabaldon, a Mexican-American from East Los Angeles who had learned Japanese in his ethnically diverse neighborhood, captured 1,500 Japanese soldiers, earning him the nickname, the “Pied Piper of Saipan.” In the European Theater, Latino soldiers from the 36th Infantry Division from Texas were among the first soldiers to land on Italian soil and suffered heavy casualties crossing the Rapido River at Cassino. The 88th Infantry Division (with draftees from Southwestern states) was ranked in the top 10 for combat effectiveness.
    [Show full text]
  • Immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean: a Socioeconomic Profile
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 413 157 RC 021 297 AUTHOR Rumbaut, Ruben G. TITLE Immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean: A Socioeconomic Profile. PUB DATE 1996-03-00 NOTE 11p.; In: Immigration and Ethnic Communities: A Focus on Latinos; see RC 021 296. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) Numerical/Quantitative Data (110) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Acculturation; Demography; Educational Attainment; Employment Level; *Geographic Distribution; Higher Education; *Hispanic Americans; *Immigrants; Income; Latin Americans; *Limited English Speaking; Population Distribution; Poverty; *Socioeconomic Status; Tables (Data) IDENTIFIERS *Caribbean Americans; Latinos ABSTRACT This paper seeks to make sense of the new diversity in the United States, with a focus on immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean. Some key facts and figures about contemporary immigrants are presented, looking at their patterns of settlement and comparing their distinctive social and economic characteristics to major U.S. racial-ethnic groups. The discussion is centered on information conveyed in four detailed tables, drawn from 1990 census data. The tables address:(1) states and counties of principal Hispanic settlement for the total Hispanic population and for Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and other subgroups;(2) population size, nativity, educational attainment, occupational level, poverty, welfare recipients, income, and percent female-headed households for Hispanic subgroups and non-Hispanic racial-ethnic groups;(3) decade of immigration, U.S. citizenship, and settlement patterns by world region and selected Latin American and Caribbean countries of birth; and (4) English proficiency, percentage of college graduates, percent in labor force, occupational level, poverty, and older adults for immigrant groups by world region and selected Latin American and Caribbean countries of birth.
    [Show full text]
  • Emerging Paradigms in Critical Mixed Race Studies G
    Emerging Paradigms in Critical Mixed Race Studies G. Reginald Daniel, Laura Kina, Wei Ming Dariotis, and Camilla Fojas Mixed Race Studies1 In the early 1980s, several important unpublished doctoral dissertations were written on the topic of multiraciality and mixed-race experiences in the United States. Numerous scholarly works were published in the late 1980s and early 1990s. By 2004, master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, books, book chapters, and journal articles on the subject reached a critical mass. They composed part of the emerging field of mixed race studies although that scholarship did not yet encompass a formally defined area of inquiry. What has changed is that there is now recognition of an entire field devoted to the study of multiracial identities and mixed-race experiences. Rather than indicating an abrupt shift or change in the study of these topics, mixed race studies is now being formally defined at a time that beckons scholars to be more critical. That is, the current moment calls upon scholars to assess the merit of arguments made over the last twenty years and their relevance for future research. This essay seeks to map out the critical turn in mixed race studies. It discusses whether and to what extent the field that is now being called critical mixed race studies (CMRS) diverges from previous explorations of the topic, thereby leading to formations of new intellectual terrain. In the United States, the public interest in the topic of mixed race intensified during the 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama, an African American whose biracial background and global experience figured prominently in his campaign for and election to the nation’s highest office.
    [Show full text]
  • De-Conflating Latinos/As' Race and Ethnicity
    UCLA Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review Title Los Confundidos: De-Conflating Latinos/As' Race and Ethnicity Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9nx2r4pj Journal Chicana/o Latina/o Law Review, 19(1) ISSN 1061-8899 Author Sandrino-Glasser, Gloria Publication Date 1998 DOI 10.5070/C7191021085 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California LOS CONFUNDIDOS: DE-CONFLATING LATINOS/AS' RACE AND ETHNICITY GLORIA SANDRmNO-GLASSERt INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................71 I. LATINOS: A DEMOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT ..............................................75 A. Latinos: Dispelling the Legacy of Homogenization ....................75 B. Los Confundidos: Who are We? (Qui6n Somos?) ...................77 1. Mexican-Americans: The Native Sons and D aughters .......................................................................77 2. Mainland Puerto Ricans: The Undecided ..............................81 3. Cuban-Americans: Last to Come, Most to Gain .....................85 II. THE CONFLATION: AN OVERVIEW ..................................................90 A. The Conflation in Context ........................................................95 1. The Conflation: Parts of the W hole ..........................................102 2. The Conflation Institutionalized: The Sums of All Parts ...........103 B. The Conflation: Concepts and Definitions ...................................104 1. N ationality ..............................................................................104
    [Show full text]
  • Puerto Ricans, Liminal Citizenship, and Politics in Florida
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles I Am Not Your Immigrant: Puerto Ricans, Liminal Citizenship, and Politics in Florida A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology by Ariana Jeanette Valle 2019 © Copyright by Ariana Jeanette Valle 2019 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION I am Not Your Immigrant: Puerto Ricans, Liminal Citizenship, and Politics in Florida by Ariana Jeanette Valle Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology University of California, Los Angeles, 2019 Professor Vilma Ortiz, Chair This dissertation investigates how colonialism, citizenship, migration, and racialization intersect in a new destination and shape Puerto Ricans’ contemporary experiences. Puerto Ricans are a strategic case to examine through these frameworks because Puerto Ricans’ have been U.S. citizens for over a century due to an ongoing colonial relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. There have been various waves of Puerto Rican migration to the U.S. mainland throughout the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Moreover, Puerto Ricans are a phenotypically diverse group due to the historic intermixing between Indigenous, African, and European groups in Puerto Rico. And, Puerto Ricans are an original member of the institutionally created Hispanic ethnic group. Our current understanding of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. is largely based on their experiences in traditional destinations of migration located in the Northeast and Midwest. Scholars that have studied this experience have argued Puerto Ricans experienced a racialized mode of incorporation in traditional destinations, which explains their lower socioeconomic outcomes, marginalized experiences, and placement on the lower rungs of the social hierarchy in traditional destinations.
    [Show full text]
  • Conspicuous Consumption Among Hispanics: Evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Scholarworks@UTRGV Univ. of Texas RioGrande Valley University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ScholarWorks @ UTRGV Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations College of Liberal Arts 6-2016 Conspicuous consumption among Hispanics: Evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey Igor Ryabov The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/soc_fac Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Ryabov, Igor, "Conspicuous consumption among Hispanics: Evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey" (2016). Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations. 11. https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/soc_fac/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Liberal Arts at ScholarWorks @ UTRGV. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ UTRGV. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Conspicuous Consumption among Hispanics: Evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey Abstract Ethnic disparities in consumption patterns (clothing, jewelry, cars, etc.) have been a focus of social research for decades, yet little attention has been paid to conspicuous consumption and the relative importance of ethnicity and social class as its determinants. In an attempt to fill in this gap and to deconstruct the monolithic category of Hispanic consumers, the present study used nationally-representative data from the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey (CE) to investigate the expenditure patterns of Hispanic consumer households, with a special focus on conspicuous consumption. On the theoretical plane, this study evaluated two alternative explanations of the propensity to consume conspicuous items among ethnic minority households – conspicuous consumption and compensatory consumption theories.
    [Show full text]
  • Proposed Language to Use When Talking About Race: What You Wanted to Know but Didn’T Want to Ask
    PROPOSED LANGUAGE TO USE WHEN TALKING ABOUT RACE: WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW BUT DIDN’T WANT TO ASK VANESSA GONLIN, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SAMUEL DEWITT PROCTOR INSTITUTE for Leadership, Equity, & Justice PROPOSED LANGUAGE TO USE WHEN TALKING ABOUT RACE: WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW BUT DIDN’T WANT TO ASK PROPOSED LANGUAGE TO USE WHEN TALKING ABOUT RACE: WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW BUT DIDN’T WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE AUTHOR VANESSA GONLIN Vanessa Gonlin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Georgia. Her research and teaching areas explore racial discrimination, colorism, racial identity(ies), interracial relationships, and social demography. Race is the elephant in the room on our campuses across the United States. As necessary conversations take place in the wake of the #BlackLivesMatter movement and the insurrection at the Capitol building by White supremacists, we, as educators, must nurture learning about race – including how and why to use certain words when talking about race. On the second day of my Race and Ethnicity in America course, I teach undergraduates the rationale behind and significance of language choices we make when referring to various racial groups. Following the class, I often receive an outpouring of emails from students expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to learn something that so many feel they are expected to know and are therefore too afraid to ask about. This document features what I shared with them. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES There are numerous tribal communities and bands of people across the continent that may fall under the category of Indigenous peoples, including Native Americans or American Indians & Alaska Natives (AIAN), Pacific Islanders, Native Hawaiians, First Nations peoples, and/or Natives.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cuban Americans: Ethnic Exiles. PUB DATE 96 NOTE 20P
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 392 006 CG 026 845 AUTHOR Granello, Paul F. TITLE The Cuban Americans: Ethnic Exiles. PUB DATE 96 NOTE 20p. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) EMS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Cubans; Cultural Background; Cultural Context; Demography; Economic Factors; *Ethnic Groups; Ethnicity; Ethnic Origins; *Hispanic Americans; Immigrants; Political Influences ABSTRACT Cuban Americans as a demographic group have violated many of the normally observed patterns concerning immigrant groups to the United States. Although included under the term "Hispanic," Cuban Americans have had a unique demographic, political, economic, and social history in the United States which has differentiated them from other Hispanic groups. Examination of some of the differentiating factors are presented in this paper so as to better understand this ethnic group's cuitural identity. Cuban Americans have been economically successful in comparison to other Hispanic and African American minority groups. Much of this success is built on the traditions of family and community. Significantly, however, Cuban Americans received superior treatment to other immigrant groups and also demographically represented a biased population of educated, older, and experienced people. Cuban Americans had a substantial pre-revolution history in the United States and have had the advantage of close geogl'aphical proximity to the Latin world to assist in preservation o17 their culture. Second generation Cuban Americans are view. ,g the family differently than their parents, what effects this will have on the Cuban American community which has built so much of its economic success on family intradependence is not yet known. Contains 18 references. (JBJ) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings
    Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings Jeffre INTRODUCTION tricks for success in doing African studies research3. One of the challenges of studying ethnic Several sections of the article touch on subject head- groups is the abundant and changing terminology as- ings related to African studies. sociated with these groups and their study. This arti- Sanford Berman authored at least two works cle explains the Library of Congress subject headings about Library of Congress subject headings for ethnic (LCSH) that relate to ethnic groups, ethnology, and groups. His contentious 1991 article Things are ethnic diversity and how they are used in libraries. A seldom what they seem: Finding multicultural materi- database that uses a controlled vocabulary, such as als in library catalogs4 describes what he viewed as LCSH, can be invaluable when doing research on LCSH shortcomings at that time that related to ethnic ethnic groups, because it can help searchers conduct groups and to other aspects of multiculturalism. searches that are precise and comprehensive. Interestingly, this article notes an inequity in the use Keyword searching is an ineffective way of of the term God in subject headings. When referring conducting ethnic studies research because so many to the Christian God, there was no qualification by individual ethnic groups are known by so many differ- religion after the term. but for other religions there ent names. Take the Mohawk lndians for example. was. For example the heading God-History of They are also known as the Canienga Indians, the doctrines is a heading for Christian works, and God Caughnawaga Indians, the Kaniakehaka Indians, (Judaism)-History of doctrines for works on Juda- the Mohaqu Indians, the Saint Regis Indians, and ism.
    [Show full text]
  • The English-Speaking Caribbean Diaspora in Revolutionary Cuba
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2007 A Dream Derailed?: The English-speaking Caribbean Diaspora in Revolutionary Cuba Andrea Queeley The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3887 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] A Dream Derailed?: the English-speaking Caribbean Diaspora in Revolutionary Cuba by Andrea Queeley A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The City University of New York 2007 UMI Number: 3288748 Copyright 2007 by Queeley, Andrea All rights reserved. UMI Microform 3288748 Copyright 2008 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 ii © 2007 Andrea Jean Queeley All Rights Reserved iii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in anthropology in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. __________ Dr. Leith Mullings Date _________________________ Chair of Examining Committee Dr. Louise Lennihan ___________ _________________________ Date Executive Officer Dr. Don Robotham Dr. Marc Edelman Dr. Constance Sutton Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iv Abstract A Dream Derailed?: The English-Speaking Caribbean Diaspora in Revolutionary Cuba by Andrea Queeley Adviser: Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mexican American War and Its Effects
    1 The Mexican-American War and its Effects Justin GaVette History 499 Senior Thesis Primary Reader: Professor Rector Secondary Reader: Professor Jensen May 16, 2005 2 During the 19th century the United States acquired a huge portion of land through the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). President James Polk wished to acquire California by peaceful means, so he sent American envoy John Slidell to Mexico in 1845 to negotiate the sale of Texas, New Mexico, and California for no more than $25 million. This mission failed, so Polk sent General Zachary Taylor across the Rio Grande.1 Mexico saw the crossing of the Nueces River by Taylor’s troops as an act of war so Mexican troops were ordered to cross the Rio Grande. President Polk saw this as aggression towards the US and he declared war on Mexico on May 13, 1846 with the vote of 173-14 in Congress and 42-2 in the Senate both in favor of the war,2 thus starting the Mexican-American War.3 The war was waged for two years and the Americans did not cease hostilities until Mexico ratified the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo under US terms. The treaty was signed on February 2, 1848 and the US Senate amended then ratified it 4 by a vote of 38-14. 1 Jesse S. Reeves, “The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo,” The American Historical Review 10, no. 2 (1905): 311. 2 Maria del Rosario Rodríguez Díaz, Mexicos Vision of Manifest Destiny During the 1847 War,” Journal of Popular Culture 35, no. 2 (Fall 2001): 44.
    [Show full text]
  • Information to Users
    INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand corner and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each original is also photographed in one exposure and is included in reduced form at the back of the book. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 9211240 “Successful minorities”: A critical reexamination of the Cuban-American case Vidal de Haymes, Maria del Rosario, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1991 Copyright ©1991 by Vidal de Haymes, Maria del Rosario.
    [Show full text]