The Blending of Ethnic

Groups in Latin America

and the Caribbean

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

Each ethnic group

reflects its history

They do this in their

customs, beliefs, and

foods

As a result of history

Latin America has a

diversity of races

Europeans, Africans, and

Native Americans

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

People of these different races and cultures

intermarried and blended races and cultures

together.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

At the end of the

sixteenth century the

native people of Latin

America were forced to

be slaves.

Many died from diseases

and brutality

Some were able to

preserve their culture by

moving to the remote

areas of the mountains.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

Because the Natives

would die or run away,

the Europeans brought

slaves over from Africa.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

Many of slaves had

children with the

Europeans and created

the Mulattoes ethnic

group

Mixture of African and

European

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

Another ethnic group is a mixture of Native

American and European called Mestizos.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

The main religion of Latin

America is Roman Catholic.

However, the religion of the

Native Americans and the

Africans have blended with

the roman Catholics

As a result there are a

variety of festivals that are a

mixture of Catholic, Native

American, and African.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

One example of the blending of ethnic groups

is the “Day of the Dead” which is a blend of

Roman catholic and Native American beliefs.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

Religions based on African Beliefs are also

present

One example is Santeria which is practiced in

much of Cuba.

The Blending of Ethnic Groups in

Latin America and the Caribbean

There are some

problems

Many times the people

with European ancestry

have the higher paying

jobs, more education and

health care.

More money

Native Americans,

Blacks, and Mestizos

have begun to demand

equality in their

countries.

Literacy in Latin America

A literate person is one who can read and write.

Literacy is a major factor in whether a person is able to

get a job and be successful in the workplace.

On average, 89 percent of the people in Latin America

and the Caribbean are literate.

The standard of living (the “economic level” achieved by

a person, family, or country) is often lower in countries

where the illiteracy rate is high.

Boys vs. Girls

In some cultures, it is believed to be more important for

boys to have an education than girls.

This fact is shown in the fact that 12 percent of girls are

illiterate in this region while only 9 percent of boys are

illiterate.

In some countries, the difference between boys’ and

girls’ literacy rates is very large.

Many governments, missionaries, and aid groups come

to the poorest of these countries to assist the people in

educating all their children.

Schools

One reason that many of the poor cannot learn

to read and write is because their communities

cannot afford to pay for teachers and schools.

Without the basic skills of reading and writing,

workers are stuck in the lowest-paying jobs.

Countries with large numbers of illiterate

workers cannot build and operate modern

industries.

Cycle of Poverty

A cycle of poverty can develop in which

people cannot get an education, so they can

only get low-paying jobs.

Because they can only get low-paying jobs,

they cannot get enough money to pay for

their children’s education.

The standard of living remains low for these

families because their education level

remains low.