Glossary

Alien - a noncitizen living in the United States

Broadside - a 19th century handbill, usually used for advertisements

Chicana/o - a person of Mexican or Mexican-American descent

Census - The 'enumeration' of individuals which lists their age, ethnic background, occupation, where and how they live. The first census to survey individuals (rather than whole families) took place in the United States in 1850.

Demographics - having to do with population statistics (for example, age, gender, religion, ethnic background, education level, profession)

Derivative citizenship - a policy through which family members (spouses, children) of a citizen (naturalized or born in this country) can also become citizens.

Diaspora - the movement, migration or scattering of people from their original homelands

Emigrate - to leave one's country of origin in order to settle in another country

Food Ways- in the study of Folklore, this is a focus on the cultural - as well as edible - aspects of food, including preparation, eating habits and culinary practices of a people, region, or historical period.

Genealogy - a history or account of one's ancestry, tracing back through generations of relatives

Heritage - cultural legacy or tradition passed on within a community from one generation to another

Hispanic - another term refering to people of Mexican descent; this term is more frequently used to identify themselves by people living in parts of Arizona and Texas.

Indigenous - the original peoples of North America (Native American nations)

Indios - an indigenous person from Mexico or Central and South America.

Immigrate - To enter a country for the purpose of settlement

Melting pot - a process of racial amalgamation and social and cultural blending among groups of people

Mestizo - this refers to the tri-ethnic heritage of Mexican peoples (African, European, and indigenous or Indios)

Mississippian - a Native American culture that began around 800 A.D. who built communities primarily in the southeastern United States from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean. People of this culture lived at the site now known as Angel Mounds from as early as 1100 A.D.

National Road - a route from Cumberland, Maryland through Illinois, one of the major thoroughfares for immigrants and manufactured goods during the first half of the 19th century. In addition to being called the Cumberland Road, this was also referred to as U.S. Route 40 and Washington Street.

Naturalization - the process of becoming a citizen of a country in which you were not born

Pluralism - a process of diversity in which communities maintain an autonomous participation in and development of their traditional culture or special interests

Pre-contact - prior to the arrival of European explorers and settlers

Pograms - organized massacres

Primary Documents - Original source materials (maps, visas, posters, letters, diaries, etc.)

Stereotype - a fixed and often negative impression of all members of an ethnic, religious or other group.