Chapter 1: A Portrait of Americans

Social Science

The American Workforce The portrait of American life is measured by

using demography, or the study of the size, growth, and distribution of human populations

Earlier in American History, Americans settled on farms and small towns in the East Once more Americans came, they moved all

over the country

Now, 4 out of 5 Americans live in urban areas, where more jobs are available

The American workforce is made of 60 million women and 70 million men in 30,000 different careers Most hold service jobs, or jobs that provide a

particular service for other people

Ages and Backgrounds

The average age of Americans changes over time Now, the majority is between the ages of 20-59

There are more older Americans today due to improvements in medical care and the baby boom, or the dramatic rise in the number of births that occurred between 1946-1964

Nowadays, those baby boomers are having fewer children May be bad for social security, medical services,

and the workforce in the future

Americans are a people known for their diversity, or difference Reflective in different jobs, home towns, ages, and

cultural backgrounds

America: the Mosaic America has been known for its

immigrants, or people who move from one country to make their homes in another Brought their cultures and traditions

with them

America has been referred to as a “melting pot” People from all over the world come

here and “melt” into American society

However, nowadays, it is more like a “mosaic” Immigrants continue to speak their

language and practice in their traditions

European Americans

Among the first Americans to settle were Europeans seeking religious and political freedoms and opportunities Most came from England, Scotland, and Ireland,

while others came from Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia

Between 1830 and 1920, Central and Eastern European peoples began coming to the United States Added crop failures to their reasons for coming

Despite coming from the same continent, the cultures of many Europeans were different, and because of this, many settled together in different parts of the United States

Hispanic AmericansHispanic Americans share common

customs and a common language from different Spanish-speaking countries

First became Americans when Spanish territories, such as the southern states, were added to the United States

Latino immigrants now come from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean

Many Hispanic traditions have been infused with American cultures Spanish is the most spoken minority

language, and Spanish foods have been added to American cuisine

African Americans

Unlike other peoples, African Americans did not come here by choice Were slaves in early colonial times until 1865 Many have suffered discrimination, or the

unfair treatment of a group of people compared to another group

Until the 1960’s, African Americans were exposed to racism, or the belief that members of one’s own race are superior to those of other races

Because of the Civil Rights Movement, many African Americans are now presented with many opportunities for success Many still live in poverty, but many are also

working towards success

Asian AmericansMany Asian Americans came over

during the Gold Rush in 1849 in order to make money and send it back home to their families Found success in building railroads,

fishing, and farming

Because of resentment of their success, the United States passed exclusion laws, in 1882 and 1907, prohibiting any further immigration from China and Japan Repealed in 1952 Many in Southeast Asia began coming to

the United States after 1972, due to war and revolutions in their country

Native AmericansNative Americans have been living in

North American for thousands of years Some relied on farming, while other

relied on hunting and fishing

As Europeans came and settled in the United States, they began pushing the Natives farther west, into poor regions

Today, many are using their lands to create tourist businesses, mineral resources, and others are pressing the government for reparations for taking their land

The CensusA census is a population survey

that is taken every ten years In 2000, the census showed that the

population was becoming more diverse Number increased 25%, and for the

first time, Hispanic Americans became the largest minority in the country

The United States is diverse because many of our ancestors came from all different parts of the world, and many are still coming to the United States for better opportunities

The American DreamAll Americans, despite their

cultural differences, are held together by common values, or our standards of behavior and beliefs, or certain ideas that we trust are true Our common belief is that

everyone, despite their differences, has worth and importance, and that all people have equal rights and should be treated with equal respect Supported by three basic

values: equality, freedom, and justice

Equality, Opportunity, Freedom, and Justice

Equality, or the condition of permitting everyone the same rights and opportunities, is based upon the notion that if everyone has equal rights, everyone can contribute to society

Opportunities may depend on one’s abilities, energy, and interests, but our race, sex, religion, background, and opinions can not be used against one’s opportunities

Freedom, or the ability to make choices, are given to everyone, but can not be used to interfere with another person’s freedoms

Justice, or fairness and being treated fairly, comes from equal respect, but does not require that everyone be treated the same

The American Ideal

American society is held together by the shared beliefs we just discussed, and we judge our society by how well we live up to these beliefs

We do not always achieve our ideal, however, because we sometimes do not give respect to newcomers or those who are different from us We sometimes distrust those who don’t look

like us or believe in things we don’t believe in

Because of these attitudes towards those who are different, work still needs to be done in order to achieve our American Ideal