Ch.1.3

The Diversity of Americans

A Nation of Immigrants

On U.S. Currency, you will find the words “E Pluribus Unum”

Latin for “Out of Many, One”

A reminder of how diverse Americans actually are.

A Nation of Immigrants

All of today’s 300 million + Americans are descended from immigrants

Even Native Americans who scholars have said crossed the land bridge connecting Asia to North America

A Nation of Immigrants

The first Europeans settled permanently to North America from Spain and Portugal during the 1500’s (Gold, God, & Glory)

Settlements ranged from Florida, California, and the Southwest U.S.

A Nation of Immigrants

During the 1600’s the world belonged to France and England.

French settlers inhabited Canada and the regions of the U.S. around the Mississippi River

The English settled the East Coast, what we consider the 13 colonies

A Nation of Immigrants

After our country gained independence, the number of immigrants grew from 600,000 to more than 2 million people from the 1830’s to the 1850’s.

Most coming from countries such as Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

A Nation of Immigrants

Between 1890 and 1924 saw another boom in population to the U.S.

22 million immigrants came to the shores of America from Central European countries such as Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia. Why?

A Nation of Immigrants

Over the past 50 years we have seen a shift of immigration from European countries to Latin American countries.

Asian countries account for the second largest share of incoming foreigners

A Nation of Immigrants

We can not forget about the people who were brought over to the new world against their will, Western and Central Africans

Middle passage—between 1619 and 1808 500,000 enslaved people were brought over here via the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

Conditions were horrible, many more died during the trip

A Diverse Population

Americans are ethnically diverse.

1. White European 69%

2. Hispanic 14%

3. African American 12%

4. Asian American 4%

5. American Indian >1%

A Diverse Population

Religious diversity thrives in the U.S.

1. Christianity 79%

- Catholics 25%

- Baptists 17%

2. Non-believing, Athiests 15%

3. Jewish 2%

4. Muslim >1%

Transforming America

Between 1830 and 1930, the nations population boomed from 12 million people to 120 million people

Immigration helped but the overall increase of child bearing due to agricultural living is a reason as well.

A Growing and Changing Population

In the mid-1800s people began moving from the fields to the factory jobs that were springing up in the cities. Blue Collar Workers

What we have seen in the more recent decades has been a shift from the factories to the office setting. White Collar Workers

A Growing and Changing Population

We have seen the U.S. go from a agricultural based society to a Manufacturing economy to what we see today—a service based economy

Service jobs: law, medicine, retail, computers, teaching, advertising, etc.

A Growing and Changing Population Our population is changing due to migration—

mass movement of people.

After the Civil War and the end of slavery, we saw a massive population shift of African Americans leaving the South and following jobs to the Northern states.

Today the jobs are moving from the “rust belt” and returning to the South “sun belt” and to the West. Thus the amount of people in these areas of the country are increasing.

A Growing and Changing Population The average age of Americans is increasing as

well; Medical technology is making are population older; living longer

Education levels in this country are increasing to meet the changing economy; more marketable in the workforce

Fastest growing ethnic group: Hispanics

Unity Among Americans

We as Americans share a common civic and political heritage

All our common values can be found within the founding documents of this country

1. Declaration of Independence 17762. The U.S. Constitution 17873. The Bill of Rights 1791

Unity Among Americans

We as Americans can all find unity under a common language—English

It is the primary source of communication for education, government, and business

However, it is not our official language. It does however strengthen our nation.

Unity Among Americans

After September 11, 2001, we as Americans rallied together after the tragic terrorist attacks.

Patriotism—love for one’s country

American Institutions

Where do we develop our ideas of relationships and values; roles of citizens and how society functions?

1. Family

2. Religion

3. Education

4. Government

5. Social