Harvest Of Empire Chapter Summary

In the book, Harvest of Empire by Juan Gonzalez, we are made aware that the book is indeed split up into different sections. The current section is section II which is entitled as Branches (Las Ramas) goes more in-depth about Gonzalez’s background and what made him the individual he is currently. In the chapter, Puerto Ricans: Citizens Yet Foreigners, the readers get a first-hand look on Gonzalez’s Puerto Rican background and about his family life. How his family migrated to the United States during the late 40’s which marked the beginning of Puerto Ricans migrating up North. Gonzalez proceeds to tell the tale of his family members such as his grandmother and grandfather, the hardships his grandmother as to ensue after her late husband perished, and the children that were left standing after their siblings perished due to diseases. The chapter also serves the purpose as it recalls the history of Puerto Rico that many of us hadn’t heard of, …show more content…
Throughout the 60’s and late 80’s there are more than 400,000 documented immigrants who migrated up North from the Dominican Republic to the U.S and up to 300,000 moved to New York City, making it that the Dominican migration be the biggest documented migrations in the country. Just like the Puerto Ricans when first arriving, not many took notice but as the years progressed, Dominicans became to be known as the second largest group throughout the Northeast region. Although similar to the Puerto Ricans and Mexicans, the main reason as to why Dominicans fled and migrated to the U.S. was of a different kind: exodus. The Dominican Republic faced a fascist dictator commonly known as Trujillo and many sought out to escape his power, like the Cubans with their dictator Fidel Castro. Once Dominicans adjusted to their lives in New York City, they sought out a new home in Washington Heights in Upper