Chapter 15 Black Americans
Chapter 16 Asian Americans
Throughout the last few chapters of our readings we have seen an insensitivity to the culture and values of Native American, Blacks, and Asian populations. Discuss what socio-cultural and economic forces came into play during this time to create this atmosphere. Where are we today with regards to recognizing and embracing cultural diversity in the classroom and home?
My answer is comment one.
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Historically, after contact with the colonists and the Industrial Revolution, many diverse groups suffered due to the need for cheap labor. The Native American culture despite the ratification of the 14th Amendment (1868), lost many of its cultural values (especially the loss of the native tongue) when Indian children were separated from family and home and sent to boarding schools to learn the ways of the White Man.
However, in 1819 the Federal Government stepped in with the “civilization fund” to allot monies to teach adults agriculture, trades (they already knew this by the way) and to teach the Indian children reading and writing. Missionaries played a significant role in the education of Indian and Mexican children’s education. As settlers moved in, the Indians were moved out and put on reservations to live. Despite what might appear as a difficult situation, this did preserve many family values and beliefs. The Indian populations unwilling to move from their lands were met harshly with the government in one of the worst chapters of U.S. history.
The Civil War also brought with it difficult times for Indians, until the formation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1824.
The Black family was treated just as insensitively as the Indian populations and the driving force the loss of culture was the need for cheap labor. Black children and mothers were often separated during the day and cared for by grandmothers or older women to weak to work in the cotton fields. Once the cotton mill was invented the need for cheap labor went down.
Education was seen as not being compatible with slavery, because once educated the Blacks might begin to revolt. Religion played a major role in both Native American and Black education as it was thought by the colonists these groups were uncivilized and needed to be Christianized.
So we see that economics for cheap labor and religion played key roles in how these two groups were treated. Today, there is widespread awareness of culturally diversity. However, today the attitudes of racism, and insensitivity to other culturally beliefs are still widespread due in larger part to misunderstandings of cultures.
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