BLOG POST #2: Immigration is The New Imperial Conquest

The mixing of various people groups creates an inevitable overlapping of culture. Just as the Roman Empire was heavily influenced by the Greek peoples it conquered, so too has Mexican Immigration left a prominent footprint on American society. In Roman literature, Virgil, author of The Aeneid, mimicked the Homeric style of epic poetry in order to tell Aeneas' story, utilizing the same writing structure as executed in both The Iliad and The Odyssey (Zissos, Lec 2). In Roman art, creativity evolved to be expresed through paintings and sculptures (Zissos).

Similarly, Mexican culture has inserted itself into everyday life in America. One way in which this is exemplified is in cuisine. Mexican food, whether it is faux (Chipotle) or authentic (small, family run establishments) has easily become one of the most popular categories of food in the nation. A second example can be found in the world of art. Whether it is through popular sugar skull designs or museums like MOLAA in Long Beach, California that showcase the creativity of prominent creators such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Americans have become increasingly exposed to Mexican artistic expression.

But the most important aspect that transformed both the Roman Empire and America is the emergence of a largely bilingual society. In Rome, wealthy citizens had Greek slaves who became so influential that their Roman masters adopted their language as a second to their own, the first time in history that a conquered people group had influenced their conqueror (Zissos). The same can be applied to the Mexican immigrants now living in the United States. The influx of Spanish speakers has revolutionized the nation, primarily Southwestern states. Business owners see bilingual individuals as more valuable potential employees. Spanish is taught widely in elementary, middle, and high school across the nation and there is even a proposition on the 2016 ballot, Prop 58, that, if passed, would make bilingual education mandatory in public schools. The Spanish language has practically become a necessity to learn. The influence of the Mexican immigrants in the United States is far reaching and will continue to revolutionize the country and how it operates for years and years to come.

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Sources:

Zissos, Andrew. Humanities Core Lecture 2. October 3, 2016.