Chapter 31 Section 1 Study Guide

What did Latinos campaign for?

1. Improved working conditions and better treatment for farm workers:
How did some Latino groups go about getting what they wanted?: The National Farm Workers Association merged with a Filipino agricultural union to form the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee. The union demanded to be recognized by fruit and veg companies in return for workers being employed by them. When a grape company refused these conditions,a nation wide boycott of the company's grapes was started. Farm workers were sent to supermarkets to convince them and shoppers not to buy California grapes.
What federal laws (if any) were passed to address these problems?:
The leader of the organization, Caesar Chavez met with Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and in 1970 the grape company and the union came to an agreement: union workers would be given higher wages and other benefits that they had been denied for years.

2. Education programs for Spanish-speaking students:
How did some Latino groups go about getting what they wanted?:
The Puerto Rican population of New York started demanding that there be classes for Spanish-speaking children in their own language along with programs about their culture.
The Brown Berets was a group that organized walk outs in Los Angeles schools. About 15,000 students left the schools and demanded that there be more Mexican American teachers and administrators, smaller classes and programs that would help the high drop out rate in Latinos. Another Latino group won the establishment of "Chicano" (Mexican) study programs at colleges and universities.
What federal laws (if any) were passed to address these problems?:
The Bilingual Education Act was enacted by Congress in 1968, which provided funds for schools to develop bilingual and cultural programs for children that didn't speak English.
3. More political power:
How did some Latino groups go about getting what they wanted?:
The Mexican American Political Association helped to get L.A. politician Edward Roybal elected to the House of Representatives. With the help of Latino political organization in the 1960s, 8 Latin Americans served in the House of Representatives, and one was elected as a senator. La Raza Unida is another political party established in the 1970s. It ran Latino candidates in 5 states and helped Latinos become mayors, parts of schools boards and city councils. Reis Tijerina lead a raid on the Rio Arriba County Courthouse in New Mexico, land that had been taken from Mexican landholders during the 1800s. The aim was to force people to recognize the plight of New Mexican farm workers, but they were later arrested.
What federal laws (if any) were passed to address these problems?:
No laws were passed.

What did Native American groups campaign for?

4. Healthier, more secure lives of their own choosing:
How did some Native American groups go about getting what they wanted?:
The Declaration of Indian Purpose was signed by representatives of 61 Native American groups. it called for the end of the "termination program" which was in effect to attempt to fix some of the problems facing native Americans, but in fact hadn't helped the Native Americans at all and was just causing problems. it was in favor of policies that created economic opportunities for Native Americans and stressed the importance of the N.A.'s to "find their own way of life".

What federal laws (if any) were passed to address these problems?:
Lyndon Johnson established the National Council on Indian opportunity in 1968 to "ensure that programs reflect the needs and desires of the Indian people".

5. Restoration of Indian lands, burial grounds, fishing and timber rights:
How did some Native American groups go about getting what they wanted?:
Native Americans, in order to get their land back, brought copies of old land treaties that had been broken by the U.S. to court and were able to get some of their land back. The Tao tribe of New Mexico, for example, regained possession of their sacred Blue Lake and some surrounding land. All throughout the 70s and 80s Native Americans went to court and regained their land as well as getting compensation for their losses.

What federal laws (if any) were passed to address these problems?:
Land claims by Alaskans caused the Alaska Natives Claims Settlement Act of 1971, which gave more than 40 million acres of land and paid more than $962 in cash.