Study of Minority Groups

Mexican American and Puerto Rican Religious Pratices Mexican Americans have a very interesting culture as a whole, and the way that it has evolved over the years is amazing. A big part of the Mexican American culture is their religious beliefs because they truly mean a lot to them. The main religions that are practiced throughout the culture are Catholicism and Protestantism. This was not always there main religion that was practiced among Mexican Americans. In the early 1500's they worshiped idols such as the feathered serpent which is the god of intelligence and self reflection and the smoking mirror which is the god of the nocturnal sky, ancestral memory, time, and the lord of the north. New religious beliefs were forced upon the indigenous population when conquistador Herman Cortes landed on the coast of Mexico in 1521. Upon his arrival he brought his Spanish clergy with him which he used to enforce his religious beliefs on acknowledging only one god. With the arrival of Herman Cortes and his clergy every other religion other than Catholicism became seen as acts of heresy. Because Mexican Americans have been isolated to one religion the population remains largely Catholic. The Puerto Rican culture is one that is very similar to the Mexican American culture as far as their religious believes. Catholicism is a religion that is widely practices among the population. In the early 16th century Spanish explorers founded San Juan. After the island was explored the Spanish made it a colony where the religion was mainly Catholic. In 1870 some of the Spanish policies such as granting freedom of religion in the colony became liberated which encouraged immigration from other parts of the world. After the Spanish American war in 1898 when America troops landed in Puerto Rico bringing over many protestant denomination religions. Some of the new religions that were introduced to the population were Pentecostals, Presbyterians,Methodist, Disciples or Christ, and