Harvesting Hope Review

What genre is “Harvesting Hope?” “ Harvesting Hope” is a biography. It tells a story about why a real- life person is important. It tells the story based on actual things that have happened.

What turned Cesar’s life upside-down? A drought destroyed the crops on Cesar’s family’s ranch. Cesar and his family had to move and work for other landowners in horrible conditions.

Why did the landowners get away with mistreating their workers? The landowners were able to mis-treat their workers because they knew that the people were desperate for jobs. They took jobs without having contracts. The landowners paid them very little, and made them work very hard, and live in horrible conditions.

Why do the migrant workers feel powerless? The migrant workers felt powerless because if they complained about their conditions they risked being fired, beaten, or even murdered. They never made enough money to get out of working for the land- owners. They felt trapped, like slaves.

What were some problems Cesar encountered at school? Cesar attended 35 different schools because the family had to move from farm to farm. The students and teachers were not kind to him because he spoke Spanish. He had many conflicts at school. Although he was intelligent, he considered his 8 th grade graduation to be a miracle.

What was the first thing Cesar did to try to solve the problem of the workers? Cesar went to talk to the people at different farms, and held a meeting.

What event made people notice Cesar’s efforts? Cesar led a group of workers from a grape farm on a march to the capitol. The workers went on strike, and the grapes would go bad. Thousands more joined in on the way. People didn’t know how horrible the workers were treated. Many people, not just workers, joined the fight.

What is a strike? A strike is when a group of workers stop working to protest certain conditions.

How are the marchers treated at the beginning of the march? How are they treated at the end? In the beginning they are treated badly. Police even tried to block their path. Their efforts gained attention though, and the cause gained more supporters. People welcomed them, and some joined them.