Hispanic American Diversity Essay

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Hispanic American Diversity

Erica Skelton
Axia College of University of Phoenix
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The United States has a wide variety of ethnic groups and heritages. The largest ethnic group is Hispanic or Latino American. One might assume this group is descendant of one area; however this is not the case. Members of Hispanic groups come from many different places. The four groups we discuss are Mexican Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, Cuban Americans, and Central Americans. When one speaks of Latino Americans, one must take into account the differences politically, socially, economically, religiously, and in the familial convention.
An article, We the People: Hispanics in the United States by Roberto Ramirez (2004) states, people of Mexican origin were largest in the United States in 2000; representing 59% of the countries total Hispanic population. As a group, Mexican immigrants are younger than either other immigrant or the United States born population (Fact Sheet, 2009). According to Mexican Immigrants in the United States 2008 Fact Sheet (2009), a higher percentage of Mexican Americans are male and are more likely married. The Fact Sheet (2009) goes on the say of all the Hispanic origins; Latinos from Mexico are more likely unauthorized. The Fact Sheet (2009) also states, Mexican Americans have a lower-level of education, lower incomes, larger households, and a higher poverty rate than other Hispanic groups. Hispanics from Mexico primarily live in California and Texas (Contreras, Kerns, and Neal-Barnett, 2000). There is truth to the cliché that Mexicans did not immigrate to the United States, rather California and Texas migrated to them; during the United States takeover of this territory following the Guadalupe Hidalgo treaty, the U.S. turned Mexicans into citizens; however it also took the land of these early Mexicans and made them part of a colonial labor force (Contreras,
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