Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 to promote the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic-Americans.
Several Latin American independence days are celebrated during this time, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile. However, the celebration originated in September 1968, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order for the creation of Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, the observance was extended to a month by President Ronald Reagan.
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The drink was a favorite of the Aztec emperor Montezuma, who served chocolatl to Spanish explorers in 1519. Of chocolate, Montezuma said, "A cup of this precious drink [cocoa] permits a man to walk...
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Chocolate is one of the best-loved sweets in the world. It is made from the fruit of the cacao tree, a species native to Central and South America. The Aztec Indians of Mexico used the cacao beans to...
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Although the plantain did not originate in a Latin American country, they grow best in tropical climates. Countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica are now major producers and...
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A plantain looks like a large banana. It is a popular food in Central America and the Caribbean. Plantains can be eaten either green or ripe, but either way, they have to be cooked. When they are...
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In Spain, potatoes are often served in "tapas" (tah-pas), or small snacks. People in the Andes Mountains often eat "chuno," a potato that has been dried out so that it does not go bad. Chuno is one of...
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The Incas, a Native American culture living in the Andes, developed wild potatoes into the kind of potato we eat today. The Spanish explorers brought these potatoes back with them to Spain in the...
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Though many people think the potato is from Ireland, it is actually from South America. Wild potatoes can be found in the Andes Mountains. The Andes are in the Hispanic countries of Peru, Ecuador and...
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In Mexico, the tortilla is served with most meals. It is a flat bread that is made of corn and eaten by itself or combined with other ingredients. In this painting by Mexican artist Diego Rivera, two...
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Corn is the descendant of a wild grass called teosinte. Native Americans used special growing techniques to change teosinte into larger ears of corn. In 1492, Christopher Columbus brought corn back to...
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Corn, or maize, is an important part of the Hispanic diet. In fact, the corn we eat today was developed by Indians living in Southern Mexico over 7,000 years ago.
