55 pages 1 hour read

Juan Gonzalez

Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2000

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Themes

Dueling Narratives: The American Dream and the American Nightmare

Why did the English colonies achieve great success while the Spanish colonies fragmented and eventually dissipated? Many point to the Protestant work ethic as the cause of such success. The premise of the American Dream is that as long as you work hard, you can achieve anything, no matter where you come from or what status you were born into. And thus, the often-told story of America is one of how the various colonists came to this country ready to work hard and build a life for themselves without any barriers. The accomplishments of the United States can be pointed to as evidence of the American Dream.

However, Gonzalez points out that much of this narrative is mythologized and missing the reality of what actually happened. The fruits of labor were not the only cause underlying the great success of America. The author’s thesis in Harvest of Empire emphasizes that much of America’s success is part of a much darker narrative, one of annexation and exploitation. Throughout the early years of the United States and up until 1898, many settlers acquired their land by stealing, cheating and ultimately going to war in order to gain Florida, Texas, California, and other lands from Mexico.