Takaki Chpater 12

1. The Mexican immigrants came to America across the Northern border into the states above them. The Mexican immigrants came to the United States in hopes of a better life, a better life with better jobs with better wages, also they wanted to get away from the problems that were occurring in Mexico at the time.
2. The title of the chapter is significant because “el Norte, The Borderland of Chicano America” was important to the Mexican immigrants. El Norte was the north, which to them meant freedom and better opportunities. The borderland of Chicano America meant that the only thing keeping the Chicanos from coming to America and becoming part of our culture was the border.
3. The biggest mechanism of social construction that was discussed in the chapter had to have been better, higher wages for workers. The economy in Mexico was terrible, so immigrants wanted to come here to have a better chance to have a life. Also, safety was important to them and sometimes safety was not easy to come by for the families in Mexico.