Hispanic ContributionsHispanics play a big role in the success of the United States. Americans seem to overlook all the contributions Hispanics have made to the American culture. Every single day Hispanic contributions are rising, because Spanish is the second most common language spoken and over half of America’s population is Hispanic.
Hispanics have contributed to America by serving in the army, providing medicine, providing architecture styles, improving economic life, and by providing food.Hispanics have served proudly in each war and conflict entered by this nation. In the War of 1812 many Hispanics served under the authority of General Andrew Jackson, and defeated the British at the battle of New Orleans. Also many Hispanics served in the Mexican-American War.
“In World War II over four hundred thousand Hispanics served in the U.S. armed forces, twelve were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor”(www. hispaniccontributions.
org). Thousands of Hispanics served in the Korean War. “Nine Hispanics were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, and Colonel Manuel Fernandez of Florida became an ACE for shooting down many MIG fighter planes” (www.hispaniccontributions.
org). In the Vietnam War thousands of Hispanics served too, and about twenty-five thousand Hispanics served in the Gulf War. Hispanics served a vital part in America winning Wars.Hispanics have provided many medicines that we use in America today.
“In 1959 Dr. Severo Ochoa won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for his discovery of RNA (ribonucleic acid), one of the chemical building blocks of life”( www.ma.iup.
edu). Ribonucleic Acid is used for photosynthesis, without this discovery we would lose our primary sources of food and global warming would increase tremendously. Also there are origins of Hispanic Folk Medicine. The theory of this medicine is that diseases are caused by an imbalance of hot and cold principles.
This is dates way back to the fifth teen hundreds, where they used cold remedies to treat hot diseases and hot remedies to treat cold diseases. “Pregnancy and diabetes were known as hot diseases and menstrual cramps and pneumonia were known as cold diseases” (www.rice.edu).
Last but not least herbal medicines were revolutionized by Hispanics. Gordolobo is a plant and herb used as a Cough suppressant, Eucalipto is a plant and herb used for bronchitis and tuberculosis, and Ajo is a plant and herb used for hypertension. “In America Gordolobo is known as Mullein, Eucalipto is known as Vicks Vapor Rub, and Ajo is known as garlic” (www.rice.
edu). Thanks to the Hispanic culture we now have medicines in America to cure illnesses and diseases.Hispanics have made Mediterranean and Spanish-style architecture popular in America. Many houses in America are designed from this type of architecture.
The latest advances in earthquake design have come to us from Mexico City. Spanish architecture includes patio which Americans use as an inner courtyard. Reja is from the Spanish, which is when Americans have an iron gating on their windows. Balcon came from the Spanish which is a balcony.
Last but not least tejas came from the Spanish which are tiles. “A contemporary sculptor is Marisol, a U.S. citizen of Venezuelan descent, whose works are on display in many of the world’s great museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Clearly influenced by the art of the Aztecs, Maya and other Indians of Central and South America, her sculptures are a cross between popular and folk art” (www.hispaniccontributions.org). Marisol has made it possible for Americans to view unique styles of art.
Luis Eligio Tapia is a well known Hispanic artist. “His best-known pieces are his carvings of Dona Sebastiana, a popular death figure, which is part skeleton and part woman” (biography.jrank.org).
Due to his efforts and achievements in art, In 1987 Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts and the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. organized a traveling art exhibit called Hispanic Art in the United States.Hispanics have improved the economy, by taking more jobs and creating more jobs and opening businesses.
They have also improved economic life because the Spaniards bought the first cows, horses, goats, pigs, and sheep to the New World. “From the Spanish cowboy, the American cowboy copied his dress equipment, vocabulary and ranching techniques” (www.davis.k12.
ut.us). Spaniards developed the first gold and silver mines in the New World. Their methods influenced the mining industry in America.
Our economic life is much better and more up to date because of Hispanics and our economy is improving, because Hispanics are taking more jobs that Americans do not want.Hispanics have contributed to many popular foods in America including tortillas, tamal, chile con carne, enchiladas, and tacos. They have greatly influenced our market place because they tend to buy more food, for their larger families. We also have many more Mexican restaurants in America.
Many foods we now eat were introduced to us by the Hispanic culture.Hispanics are many times over looked of how they have impacted America. They have made many great contributions dating back to the beginning of the New World. They helped America to survive by serving in the army; they created medicine for common illness; they created some of our housing design; they made economic life easier; and they provided us with many delicious foods.
America would not be the great county that it is today, if it had not been for the Hispanic culture.
