Unit 2: ¿Cómo estudias? Culture

Question 1

In which two countries in North America is Spanish widely spoken?

Answer 1

In the United States and in Mexico

Question 2

Where does Spanish have more influence: in Mexico or in the USA?

Answer 2

Mexico

Question 3

How long is the border between the United States and Mexico?

Answer 3

About 2,000 miles

Question 4

Which U.S. States are north of the Mexican-American border?

Answer 4

California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

Question 5

Which Mexican States are south of the Mexican-American border (from west to east)?

Answer 5

Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua (longest stretch), Coahuila, Nuevo León (shortest stretch), and Tamaulipas

Question 6

How do age demographics differ in U.S. border counties (Mexican-American border) compared to other areas in the U.S.?

Answer 6

Compared to other areas in the U.S., the U.S. border counties have a larger share of residents under the age of 18 and a smaller share over the age of 64. The age breakdowns relate to the large number of younger adults who have been crossing the border, as well as the fact that Hispanics, both immigrants and U.S. citizens, have a higher birth rate than other populations in the U.S.

Question 7

What are the reasons that support the U.S. building of a wall on the Mexican-American border?

Answer 7

U.S. supporters of the wall note the expense for both the border states and the country in regards to costs in education, health care, high birth rates of Hispanics, and uninsured motorists. Supporters of the wall also view it as a way of upholding U.S. immigration laws.

Question 8

What are the reasons that oppose the U.S. building of a wall on the Mexican-American border?

Answer 8

Opponents note that the wall divides the tribal lands of three Native American nations and endangers some species and fragile ecosystems along the Río Grande. Specifically, environmentalists expressed concern about butterfly migration corridors and the future of two species of local wildcats.

Question 9

What does ESL stand for?

Answer 9

English as a Second Language

Question 10

How do Spanish-speaking students learn English through ESL?

Answer 10

Children who are in grades K–12 have ESL (English as a Second Language) where they learn English. Often, these students will receive instruction spoken in Spanish and English while they are learning the English language.

Question 11

Why are businesses searching for Spanish-speaking employees?

Answer 11

So that the businesses can cater to the Spanish-speaking population.

Question 12

When did Texas win its independence from Mexico?

Answer 12

1836

Question 13

How long was the Mexican-American War?

Answer 13

1846 to 1848

Question 14

What was special about the Mexican-American war?

Answer 14

It was the first war that the U.S. fought mainly on foreign soil.

Question 15

What were the end results of the Mexican American war?

Answer 15

At the end of the war, Mexico lost about one-third of its territory, which included most of present-day California, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (named after the Mexican town where the treaty was signed), moved the border between the U.S. and Mexico from the Nueces River to the Río Grande. Also, under the treaty, Mexico agreed to accept the annexation of Texas by the U.S. The Treaty also required the U.S. to pay Mexico $15 million for California and other territory north of the Río Grande. In the end, in addition to Texas, the U.S. gained 525,000 square miles of territory.

Question 16

What makes up Southern California?

Answer 16

Southern California is roughly the bottom one-third of the state (of California) from Santa Barbara to the U.S.-Mexico border and the whole width of the state from the Pacific Ocean to the Nevada and Arizona borders.

Question 17

What are the eight major metropolitan areas in Southern California, from greatest to least?

Answer 17

Los Angeles, Inland Empire, San Diego, Bakersfield, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, then El Centro

Question 18

Is the coast of Southern California classified as primarily urban or primarily rural?

Answer 18

Aside from Los Angeles and San Diego, the stretch along the coast is more urban than rural with many beach towns benefitting from the beautiful beaches and sunny weather.

Question 19

How is the climate in Southern California?

Answer 19

Around San Diego and other parts of the far southwest, the area has a steppe climate, which is semi-arid since the winters are very dry. San Bernardino, which is about 70 miles inland, has a temperate climate with a low of 30ºF and a high in the summers of 109ºF. The areas that are even further inland have a hot, arid climate similar to the Sahara Desert. Death Valley, the hottest spot in the world, is on the east side of the state in the northern part of the Mojave Desert. In the summer, Death Valley temperatures commonly reach 120ºF.

Question 20

What is the main discussion concerning language in the schools of Southern California?

Answer 20

When learning a new language, one popular approach is to teach the language instruction bi-lingually, which means that students learn a secondary language through instruction that is given in their primary language. However, California has a law in place that allows for full-immersion education rather than bi-lingual education. This means that students learning the Spanish language in California would be able to take a class in which all of the instruction is given in Spanish, rather than in English. Supporters of full-immersion education in California believe that it is the best way to learn a language. Opponents believe that bi-lingual education would be more beneficial. They cite the Multilingual Education for a Twenty-First Century Economy Act and the need to recognize the invaluable skills needed to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives and cultures and an ability in our global society to communicate in different languages, not just in English. In other words, they suggest that bilingual education would be beneficial for both the students who speak only Spanish and for those who speak only English.

Question 21

What is the history of the missions in Southern California?

Answer 21

Prior to the mid eighteenth century, Spain had established presidios (military bases) and missions in California to protect the area from the Russians and the English. However, by the mid eighteenth century, Spain realized that stronger defenses were needed. To provide increased protection along with much needed resources, Spain supported the building of 21 Franciscan missions in California between 1769 and 1823. Since one of Spain’s main focuses was to find overland routes from Arizona to California and then to establish missions and settlements there, many missions were built in Southern California. Father Junípero Serra (1713-1784), a Franciscan friar, founded the first of nine Franciscan missions in present-day San Diego in 1769.Father Serra founded Misión San Gabriel on the Pacific coast in 1771, which came to be used frequently as a stopping off point for Spanish soldiers and settlers on their way to other locations. Under Father Junípero Serra’s direction, the Franciscans provided religious instruction and taught European agricultural techniques to the local Native Americans. Native tribes often celebrated religious worship and special occasions particular to their culture. European clergy frequently did not understand the Native American rituals. The clergy saw the rituals as demonic and banned the Native Americans from mission life. This conflict presented difficulties for Native Americans who came to the missions for food but did not want to give up their culture. At the time of Father Junipero’s death in 1784, about 6,000 Native Americans had converted to Christianity and joined the missions. The missions later became the basis for a lasting agricultural economy on the Pacific Coast.

Question 22

What is “El Camino Real”, which translates to “The Royal Road”?

Answer 22

El Camino Real (the Royal Road), which is also known as the King’s Highway, refers to the historic 600-mile California Mission Trail. The road connects California’s 21 Franciscan missions and sub-missions, four fortified (military) bases known as presidios, and three native American communities, which the Spanish called pueblos, all stretching from Mission San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego in the south to Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma in the north. This road offers a historic trip for both Californians and visitors from other states and countries.

Question 23

How is the climate in Southern Texas (or “El sur de Tejas”)?

Answer 23

Southern Texas is a large area that includes the Gulf of Mexico on one side, so it is not surprising that the region has a varied climate. The eastern part of south Texas is warm and humid most of the year. The eastern part of the area experiences much more rain than the rest of the area. The San Antonio area is semi-arid with little humidity. The area west of San Antonio is dry and almost desert-like. Winters in all of south Texas are mild with freezing rain and snowfall being rarities. Although tornadoes do occur, they are not typical. Instead, the most-dangerous storms in south Texas are a result of hurricanes. The coastal area is often hit by hurricanes, which bring strong winds and heavy rains. These storms often carry over to the non-coastal areas of south Texas, but the winds and rains become less severe as they move further inland. The San Antonio area, which is about 150 miles from the coast, often experiences enough rains to cause road and street flooding. Still, the amount of rain in this area is usually small in comparison to what the coast experiences.

Question 24

What are the six countries Texas has been a part of?

Answer 24

Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States

Question 25

Who is Antonio Ramiro Romo (better known as Tony Romo)?

Answer 25

Antonio Ramiro Romo is one of the most well-known quarterbacks in the National Football League: Tony Romo, who plays for the Dallas Cowboys. He has hispanic origins.

Question 26

Who is Michael Vela González?

Answer 26

Michael Vela González was born in Robstown, Texas, which is close to Corpus Christi. He played baseball at Harvest Christian Academy in Pasadena, Texas, and at San Jacinto Junior College in San Jacinto, Texas. In 1997, at age 19, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ professional baseball team and played his first major league game in 2003. Over his ten year career, he has had good success pitching against left-handed hitters.

Question 27

Who are Kristy Aguirre, Felicia Delgado, Laura Rodriguez, and Shannon Solis?

Answer 27

Kristy Aguirre, Felicia Delgado, Laura Rodriguez, and Shannon Solis are four Hispanic women who attended high school together in San Antonio, Texas, where they played softball, volleyball, and soccer. Since many families discourage their daughters from participating in “unfeminine” activities such as sports, it is unusual that these four played in high school and then continued to play at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas.

Question 28

Who is Emanuel David Ginobili (better known as Manu Ginobili)?

Answer 28

Emanuel David Ginobili was born in Argentina into a basketball family. His father was a manager for a basketball team, and Emanuel’s two older brothers, Leandro and Sebastián, were two of the best players on the team. Although Emanuel wanted to play basketball, he was short and skinny and didn’t get to play much. Even though he was little, Emanuel continued to work to improve his basketball skills both by practicing and by watching videos of his hero, Michael Jordan. Emanuel grew 10 whole inches in two years so that, when he reached 18, he was 6’3”. He was still thin, but he was tall enough to do better at his favorite game. He grew another three inches the next year so that, at age 19, he was 6’6” and had become so good at basketball that he signed with a team in Italy to play professional ball. While he played in the European league, the San Antonio Spurs recruiters noticed him. Soon he moved to San Antonio, Texas, and became part of the NBA, where he is known as Manu Ginobili, one of the great NBA players.