ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE USAStandard Grade Modern StudiesSyllabus Area 3: Ideologies - USA

Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson I will be able to:

• Name the five ethnic groups in the USA.

• Explain what is meant by the terms ‘melting pot’, ‘salad bowl’ and ‘mosaic’.

What is an ethnic group?

An ethnic group is a group of people who share:

• Race or colour• National, religious or cultural origins.

The identity of an ethnic group may be shown through their customs, lifestyles, language, dress, food preferences and political beliefs.

1. WHITES

• Largest ethnic group in USA. 66 %.

• Migrated from Europe.

• Settled in all parts of the USA.

2. NATIVE AMERICANS

• Smallest ethnic group in USA. 1%.

• Descendents of the “Original Americans” who arrived from Asia thousands of years ago.

2. NATIVE AMERICANS continued

• White settlers destroyed many of these tribes.

• Over half live in special areas of land called Reservations.

3. BLACKS

• Descendents of the slaves brought from Africa to work on the plantations of the southern states of the USA, eg. Georgia and Louisiana, during the slave trade.

3. BLACKS continued

• Over half of blacks still live in Southern states.

• 13% US population Black.

4. ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS

• This ethnic group is made up of descendents from people who emigrated from countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and the Pacific Islands of Fiji and Hawaii.

4. API’s continued

• Some groups concentrate in ‘little Chinas’ (‘Chinatown’ = very famous area of NYC) or ‘little Koreas’ in the major cities where they add to the rich diversity of life by providing ethnic shops and restaurants.

• 5% of US population.

5. HISPANICS

• This ethnic group is made up of people who speak Spanish.

• Descendents of people who moved to the USA from Spanish speaking countries such as Mexico, Columbia, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

5. HISPANICS continued

• Largest ethnic minority group in USA.

• Make up 15% of the total US population.

What is an American?

There are different theories about what happens to immigrants once they settle in the USA.

1. MELTING POT

MELTING POT

• Think… a bowl of soup starts off with separate ingredients and then mixes well together to become the one thing – you can no longer pick out the carrots etc. No matter how the people of the USA start out – Vietnamese, Cuban, African American etc – once they have been in the USA a while they become ‘American’ and lose their individual identity.

2. SALAD BOWL

SALAD BOWL

• Think about a salad… you get lettuce tomatoes, cucumber etc and mix them together in a bowl. However, this time you can still pick out the different ingredients. The idea here is that the different ethnic groups mix together to create an American society, but retain their individual identities and cultures to enrich that society.

3. MOSAIC

MOSAIC

• A mosaic is a pattern of different colours. Some pieces are just one colour and some are a mixture of colours. The idea is that people in the USA would have a choice about whether they wanted to be an ‘American’ or to keep their own identity.

The USA

• Today I will learn some basic information about the USA

• I will learn about the differences between different states and different people in the USA

Tasks…

• Tasks…

• We will read through pages 4-5

• Then we will attempt questions on page 6

RECAP

Which ethnic groups do the following people represent? Make a spider

diagram.

Add the following information to your spider diagram

Ethnic groups in the USA (2009)

Black 12%Asian 4.6%

White: 79%

Native Americans 1%

Hispanic 15%

RECAP (2)Match the correct heads and tails

from the list below

White Americans are the largest group in the USA…

Native Americans are descendants of the original inhabitants of the USA…

Blacks are sometimes known as African Americans.

Hispanics are now the second biggest group in the USA.

Asian Americans come from many different areas.

…and today there are 2 million Native Americans.

…Many Black Americans can trace their ancestors back to the slave trade.

…They mainly originate from Europe and include many different cultures and religions.

…These include East Asia, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands.

…They are made up of three sub-groups: Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans

•What is an American?

•Why do people go the USA?

•Push and Pull Factors

What am I learning today?

There are a number of different views about what happens to immigrants when hey settle

in the USA.

The Salad Bowl

The Mosaic

The Melting pot

Using p.8 of the text book, take each view and explain in your own words what they mean. The first one has been started for you.

THEORY: The Melting Pot

VIEW: This view believes that…

Why go to the USA?

The USA – ‘A land of

immigrants’

Between 1820 and 1985 over 50 million people moved to the USA.

WHY?

Activities

1. Copy and complete the table below.

Pgs.6+7

Push Factors Pull Factors

Push factors are why people leave a country.

Pull factors are reasons why people are attracted to a country.

•No jobs or opportunities •Work and opportunities

2. Explain the term ‘immigration’ and ‘immigrant’

Homework task

Explain, in detail, why many people choose to move to America (6)

RECAP

Write a definition to describe each of the two terms below:

PUSH FACTORS

PULL FACTORS

•About immigration and the USA

•The immigration debate

Immigration to the USA

THE BASICS

• Immigration is a key talking point in America.

• Over 11 million illegal immigrants.

• Vigilante groups appearing on the border. (Minutemen)

• 9/11 has increased the concerns.

• Many of the complaints are causing racial tensions.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

MEXICAN BORDER

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

There are many illegal immigrants in the USA, particularly in California and other border states. Many Mexicans cross the

border illegally to find work to feed themselves

and their families.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

There are many illegal immigrants in the USA, particularly in California and other border states. Many Mexicans cross the

border illegally to find work to feed themselves

and their families.

Many businessmen employ immigrants as they are a good source

of cheap labour.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

There are many illegal immigrants in the USA, particularly in California and other border states. Many Mexicans cross the

border illegally to find work to feed themselves

and their families.

Many businessmen employ immigrants as they are a good source

of cheap labour.

The illegal immigrants cross the long border either on their own or

by being smuggled over by organised gangs. Many are caught by

they just try again the next day.

RESPONSES IN THE LAW

Law Year Describe reform

Immigration Reform and Control Act

1986

Granted amnesty to about three million illegal immigrants, but it also introduced punishments for

businesses which employed illegal workers.

Welfare Reform Law

1996Stopped illegal immigrants from getting social security benefits until they have lived in the US

for 5 years and barred all illegal immigrants welfare payments.

THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE

ANTI-IMMIGRATION ARGUMENTS

Use the arguments on p.11 (Ideology and Emerging Nations) to complete the spider diagram.

Immigrants take jobs that could be done by Americans

Arguments FOR immigration

• America is a nation of immigrants

• The American economy relies on immigration as a source of cheap labour

• Immigrants often do the jobs that Americans don’t want

• Immigrants pay billions in taxes just like Americans

• Immigrants add to the cultural diversity of America

Describe the arguments for and against

CONTINUED immigration into the

USA (8)

Video Clips…

• Illegal immigration to USA from Mexicohttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/illegal-border-crossings-from-mexico-to-the-usa/412.html

• Minutemenhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-minute-men-at-the-us-mexican-border/413.html

• Hispanic experience of illegal immigrationhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/hispanic-immigrants-in-the-usa/411.html

WHY DO PEOPLE MIGRATE TO THE USA?

Standard Grade Modern StudiesSyllabus Area 3: Ideologies - USA

Lesson Starter

• Name the five ethnic groups in the USA.

• What is the biggest ethnic group in the USA?

• What is the biggest ethnic minority group in the USA?

Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson I will be able to:

• Explain the difference between ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors.

• Define the terms ‘American Dream’, ‘Capitalism’ and ‘Democracy’.

What is a PUSH FACTOR?

•Reasons as to why a person leaves the country that they come from.

What is a PULL FACTOR?

• Reasons as to why an individual is attracted to move to and establish a new life in another country.

Activity

• Construct a table in your jotter with two columns.

• In pairs, decide if each factor is a ‘push’ or ‘pull’ factor.

Push Factors Pull Factors

Push or Pull?

WealthPlenty of landPovertyHungerWarsGood educationReligious

freedom

No religious freedom

No landJobsNo free speechNo political

freedomPolitical

freedom

THE AMERICAN DREAM

All the PULL FACTORS

are often called the AMERICAN

DREAM.

THE AMERICAN DREAM

• Everyone is born equal

• If you work hard in life and make the best of the opportunities open to you

then you will be successful and have

a comfortable lifestyle

AMERICAN DREAMAMERICAN DREAM

FREEDOMSFREEDOMSRIGHTSRIGHTS

DEMOCRACY

EQUALITY RESPONSIBILITIES

CAPITALISMCAPITALISM

DEMOCRACY

• The USA is a democracy.• In a democracy, people elect

representatives to make decisions for them.

• In a democracy, people have many rights and freedoms. We will learn more about this later in the unit.

CAPITALISM

• The USA is a Capitalist country. Capitalism is an ideology which describes the way a country organises its economic activity.

• In a capitalist country individuals own businesses. These businesses compete with each other. Successful businesses make profits. It is individuals and not the government that owns businesses.

• Under capitalism, people can set up their own companies. They can invest their money, talents, abilities and their hard work and if they are successful they will achieve the American Dream.

USA Definitions Homework

• What is the difference between ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors?

• In your words, explain what is meant by each of the following terms:American DreamDemocracyCapitalism

ACTIVITY

• In pairs, copy and complete the following table.

• Guess what product each company produces.

US based Multinational companies

COMPANY PRODUCT COMPANY PRODUCT

Microsoft Levi Strauss

Nike Boeing

Colgate-Palmolive

Kodak

Ben & Jerry’s

Heinz

Xerox Coca-Cola

Ford Motorola

MAC Gap

American Dream Group Task

• Your teacher will give you a sheet of flipchart paper and coloured pens.

• Brainstorming – think and write down as many examples as you can of people who have achieved the American Dream. For each person, state what ethnic group they belong to and why they are famous.

• You have 10 minutes to complete this task.

American Dream Homework

• Write a report (at least one page) explaining what the American Dream is and give detailed information on someone you know who has achieved the American Dream. (eg. Bill Gates, Justin Timberlake, George Clooney)

Why have many people started up their own business in

America?• People want to become rich by working hard

and making a success of their business. Many people want to achieve the American Dream. Inspired by people like Bill Gates.

• America is a capitalist country. Free to set up own business. Can make profits and in turn become wealthy.

• Taxes are low in America. People can keep most of the profit they make.

• The USA is one of the richest countries in the world. Many people have a good income that enables them to buy goods and services from a variety of businesses.

Timed Question

• Give two reasons why many American people have started up their own businesses. (4 marks)

Model Answer• One reason many people have set up their own

businesses in America is that America is a capitalist country. 1 mark This means that the people own businesses and not the government. People are free to make a profit from their business. 2 marks For example, Bill Gates is a successful entrepreneur who has made huge profits from his company Microsoft. 3 marks You can get up to 3 marks for a point by explaining it fully and giving an example – Remember to PEE!!!

Another reason is that taxes are low in America. 4 marks Tax is money paid to the government. People are encouraged to set up their business as they will get to keep a lot of the money they make. 5 marks

USA Homework

• Describe, in detail, the reasons why many people have migrated to the USA. (8 marks)

Think about:- Push Factors- Pull Factors- American Dream- Capitalism

Arguments for Immigration 1

• In some states, especially those of the South West and Texas, immigrants form the basis of the unskilled workforce. They are non-unionised and work in the service industries, eg. catering, on farms as fruit and vegetable pickers and as domestic servants. Local politicians and businesses do not want the federal authorities to interfere with this abundant supply of cheap labour (mostly provided by illegal immigrants). Many of these workers are industrious and reliable – they have no choice because they will not receive any benefits if they are unemployed.

• A substantial proportion of the highest achievers in the education system are the children of Asian-Americans. They are entering the universities of the Southern states and California in bigger numbers than white Americans. They will make a very valuable contribution to US society.

Arguments for Immigration 2

• There have always been ‘hyphenated – Americans’ – eg. Irish-Americans, Scottish Americans and Italian-Americans. Such groups still celebrate their cultural origins (there are more Highland Games in America in 1 year than there are in a decade in Scotland!). So – what is wrong with Mexican-American, for example, working hard at being American in their education and jobs, but celebrating their culture in their own homes? Many people see this as a wonderful, colourful patchwork quilt! It adds to the richness of American society. (Those who have visited America will also praise the wonderful variety of restaurants this creates!)

• It has also been argued that it is the ethnic makeup of the USA and the variety of cultures that exist, which has caused racial tensions in the country - not immigration.

• Furthermore, the social and economic problems experienced by ethnic minorities have also produced tensions – not immigration.

Arguments Against Immigration 1

• Since the 1970s, a large proportion of immigrants are less educated and unskilled. They are seen by many politicians (especially in the Republican Party) and by many people (especially white Americans) as a drain on the economy.

• Political refugees (eg. from Vietnam, China, Korea, Central and South America) arrive with very little money and few skills to offer. They are seen as a drain on the health, welfare and education systems.

• Illegal immigrants do not qualify for any kind of assistance – BUT their children born in America do. Again, this can be a financial burden.

• There is a build-up of tension and antagonism in areas with different ethnic groups. This tension can easily erupt into violence and even riot.

• There are fears that the “refusal” of immigrants to become wholly American will lead to the disintegration of the United States – whose motto is “e pluribus unum” – which means “out of many – one”. These new Americans retain their language and culture. They are not true Americans, say the critics.