Comparative Practice 2009 Racial Ideologies in the Americas C3

In chapter one Conquerors and Victims: The Image of America Forms (1500-1800) Gonzalez talks about the impact upon the arrival of the Europeans to America. This arrival was categorized as “the greatest and most important event in the history of human kind”. Spain and England were two countries that had a big impact on our modern world and transplanted their cultures around the territories they took over. Both countries created their empires in which they established on their identities and viewpoint of their language and social customs. Upon their arrival the native population was outnumbered, many of which live around Mexico’s Valley and others populate the Central Andes region and Rio Grande.

The book has as its principal thesis the consideration of race as “a folk classification, a product of popular beliefs about human differences that evolved from 16th to 19th centuries” (Smedley, 2007, pag.24). The book also specifies three characteristics that distinguish the racial ideology in America: the absence of a category for biracial people, the homogenization of the black or African American Americans, and the impossibility to change a person’s race. (Smedley, 2007, pag.7)

Classical Athens and Han China share major similarities yet they have distinct differences. Their form of government was different because Han China had an emperor and Classical Athens ran a democracy. When it came to the children both Classical Athens and Han China the murder of a child was justified. Also women in both Empires played a similar role in society. When you have two great empires they always seem to share common components that in their own way seems to be different.

Empires on their outside may seem very different and unique. However, when you get down to their fundamentals, you begin to truly realize how similar they are. Just as the imposing pine tree and humble tomato plant may seem vastly different, their start from a lowly seed and craving for water and sunlight to survive unifies them. Such is also true with the Han and Roman empires. While key differences may be present, their social structures, influencing religions, and causes of collapse unify them.

In what ways did these empires differ from one another? What accounts for those differences?

Omi and Winant provided an excellent historical context of racial formation, from the being the United States’ social, cultural, political, and economic

The differences between Classical Athens and Han China were major and distinctive. The background information, government, values of the individual, and art of each society show how differently each empire developed.

To understand Chicanos, it is necessary to comprehend their Mexican roots. The Spanish interrupted the evolution of indigenous lifestyles and fashioned a colonial empire that remade the land, people, and culture. Spanish architecture, religion, language, and other institutions and practices were glorified as Indian culture was degraded, but many changes led to a new Mexican culture. New foods, religious beliefs and practices, social customs and cultural traditions arose and evolved. It also left a socio-psychological heritage in which skin color became associated with feelings of inferiority and superiority, with those who have whiter skin being privileged. Whether a person appears to be white or dark, still is significant among Mexicans as well as Chicanos. Could this possibly

17.  What kinds of changes were transforming the societies of the West African Igbo and the North American Iroquois as the fifteenth century unfolded?

This tolerant attitude led to a wide range of “race classification.” According to how much “white” a slave had, their value in the eyes of society increased. Slaves could be black, octaroon or mulatto to name a few. Thus this led to a classification based on one’s degree of white blood. In the United States no such classes existed. If a slave was born to a black mother, that slave was black. In essence, Latin America judged based upon the degree of “blackness” while the South saw only two races, black or white. Outward appearance, the color of the father or anything else deviated the classification in the United States. It has been said, half-facetiously, that Southerners are color blind, in the sense that individuals, despite their racial composition, are considered to be either white or black, while Latin Americans recognized degrees of blackness and whiteness.

As briefly mentioned in Theme 1, Ethnic and racial identities were developed over time with increase interaction with the rest of the world via economics and commerce with other ethnic and racial groups. In Chapter 13, Module 12, you see the particular race relations of the Americas with the ‘civilized’ western world. The fall of the Aztec and Incan Empires were largely due to the introduction of Spanish conquistadors from this ‘civilized’ western world (Levack 13.2.3). While the Aztecs followed their own religious and cultural ideals, to the new ethnic group their culture was an affront to their religious and own cultural ideals. Hernán Cortés was a large supporter of westernizing the natives by whatever means necessary so, as a result, much

Our society is unique in the no and proportion of its people who have acquired 4 yrs of higher educ 100000000's of students have graduated from grammar-school high school and college. Pubic educ in the us is basically free and serves all ethnic-groups-and races, that is Mex., Negroes, Ind., and puerto ric. For more info. On this topic, read Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Bulletin, Thirty five, Chapter

• During a period beginning in the late 15th century, continuing all the way until the late 17th century the Americas experienced what may arguably be the most diverse and influential inhabitations of a continent. The changes and accomplishments were drastic and led to a feeling of a “new world.” There were many variables that affected the events in this period which can undeniably be tied to the future of the world. These variables are complex and difficult to understand, therefore, must by analyzed and compared to one another. To analyze and comprehend these similarities and differences appropriately, we must discuss three main topics associated with the four main groups attempting to inhabit the “New World”.

In 1492 Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue. Everyone knows the story of Christopher Columbus; they are taught it in grade school if not before then. When he landed in America by accident, he had no idea that he would be creating the world's largest Melting Pot. This "melting pot" provided means for a new country, made from a mixture of many cultures and beliefs, thus creating a new country with a new and ever-changing culture. One complication with a Melting Pot is that you cannot put people of different race and ethnicity together without conflict.

Racial injustices are what have made America the powerful nation it is today. America was founded on the genocide of Native Americans and built on the backs of African slaves. In modern day America, strides have been made to provide all Americans equal opportunities to ensure assimilation and success in society however there is still significant work to be to ensure equality. In this paper I have researched the anthropological perspectives on race and ethnicity globally. I have also compared and contrasted varying researcher’s works to ensure I have a thorough understanding of this topic