Lesson 20: U.S. Intervention in Mexico and the Caribbean

April 10, 2018

Review:

• Central America and the Caribbean

Presentation:

• Intro to Harvest of Empire (03:00-4:10)
  • Premise: US interventions in Latin America have resulted in immigration
• Mexico
  • Timeline of US-Mexico Relations (Council on Foreign Relations)
  • Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

  • 

  • Over 350,000 Mexican Americans served in the military during WWII
  • Bracero Program
    • Started with the Mexican Farm Labor Act of 1942
    • Extended by Migrant Labor Act of 1951
    • Program terminated in 1964
    • 5 million employment contracts offered in 24 states over 22 years (1942-1964)
    • Migrant workers continue to work on farms in the US
      • The Harvest (La Cosecha)
      • Farm workers and immigration
      • ICE crackdown in California’s Central Valley (LA Times)
      • Migrant farm workers in Pueblo County (Centro de los Pobres – Avondale)
  • Mexicans recruited to work in factories in the Industrial Midwest (1950s-1960s)
    • Mexicans in Chicago
    • Chicago has the 2nd largest Mexican immigrant population

    • 

      

  • Recession in the US and devaluation of Mexican Peso in 1982
  • Mexico’s Drug War (Council on Foreign Relations)
    • US War on Drugs
    • Cartel Land (2015 Documentary)
  • North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
    • Mexican farmers can’t compete with govt subsidized US corn industry
    • Millions forced to find new livelihood
  • Approx 35 million Mexicans living in US today
• Puerto Rico (4:55-11:40)
  • Why Puerto Ricans are US Citizens even though Puerto Rico is not a State
  • US control after Spanish-American War
  • Held as territory to maintain profitable sugar production operations
  • Declared citizenship for Puerto Rico residents pre-WWI, drafted 20k
  • Recruited to the US industrial northeast during post WWII-era
  • Approx 5 million Puerto Ricans living in US today
• Cuba (38:30-47:40)
  • Brief history of US-Cuba relations (Vox)
  • US occupation of Cuba, supported Batista in 1930s, 40s, 50s.
  • Batista repression fueled dissent and inspired Castro-led revolution
  • Turmoil led to refugees leaving Cuba and migrating to Florida
  • Mariel Boatlift (1980)
  • Guantanamo Bay (CNN)
  • More than 2 million Cubans live in the US (70% in Florida)
• Dominican Republic (47:40-54:40)
  • 1916 occupation, installation of military rule
  • Rise of Rafael Trujillo – military dictator (30 year rule)
    • CIA-backed assassination
  • 1963 election of social democrat Juan Bosch
    • Military coup and chaos
    • US invasion in 1965
  • Large migration to New York City area
  • More than 1.5 million Dominicans live in the US

Assignment:

• Finish watching Harvest of Empire