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1、Chapter Nine The People and Their Culture,Learning objectives: After completing this chapter, students should obtain detailed information about the American people, their languages, religion, traditions and customs, social welfare, education, sports, and media.,The United States is the third most po
2、pulous nation in the world, behind China and India. The total population is about 308.7 million (as of July, 2010). White people constitute about 72.4% Hispanics 16.3% Blacks 12.6% Asians 4.8 % American Indians and Alaska Natives 0.9% Native Hawaii and other Pacific Islanders 0.2%. (US Census Bureau
3、, 2010),1.1 Total Population,The American population almost quadrupled during the 20th century, from about 76 million in 1900 to 281.4 million in 2000. It reached the 200 million mark in 1967, and the 300 million mark in October 17, 2006. The United States Census Bureau shows that population growth
4、rate is positive at 1% in 2010. The United States is the only industrialized nation in which a large population increase is projected (expected to reach 400 million mark in 2039).,From 2000 to 2010, regional growth was much faster for the South and West than for the Midwest and Northeast. Overall, t
5、he South and West accounted for 84.4% of the population increase. The South grew by 14.3 million over the decade to 114.6 million people, while the West increased by 8.7 million to reach 71.9 million peoplesurpassing the population of the Midwest. The Midwest gained 2.5 million, increasing that regi
6、ons population to 66.9 million, and the Northeasts gain of 1.7 million brought that regions population to 55.3 million.,1.2 Population Distribution,The United States is an increasingly urban nation, and, as of 2011, about 250 million Americans live in or around urban areas. The most densely populate
7、d region is the northeastern part of the country, including parts of New England, the Mid Atlantic and Midwest. The region takes up about one-quarter of the total land area of the country, but about a half of US total population is living here. This region has many great cities. New York City with m
8、ore than 8 million people in its core city; Chicago has a population of over 2 million.,US population density,California and Texas are the most populous states, which means the center of American population has shifted westward and southward. As of 2008, there are fifty-two metropolitan statistical
9、areas (MSA, the main US definition of metro region.) with population greater than 1 million, of which forty-seven are in the West or South. The metropolitan areas of Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix all grew by more than one million people between 2000 and 2008.(updated?),Note the data differenc
10、es between most populous MSA and metropolitan areas (core cities).,Top five states in population and most populous cities,The Great Plains region is very large, but its population density is low. The exception to this description is Texas, which is the largest state in this region and the second mos
11、t populous state in America. As of 2010, the state had an estimated population of 25 million. The northern part of the Great Plains is rather empty and featureless. In the combined area of North and South Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas, an area as great as France and Italy put together, there are only
12、 6.2 million inhabitants in 2010.,The South used to be a thinly-populated agricultural area. But now many Americans are moving to the South, known as the sun belt ; it leads in numerical increase in population. There are also some big cities in the South. Atlanta has a population of 420,000 people (
13、living in core city) in 2010, and Miami, of over 399,450 people.,The Rocky Mountains are thinly populated because of the high altitude and harsh living conditions. But towards the Pacific Coast the population grows dense again. California, for example, has a population of more than 37 million (as of
14、 2010), which remains the most populous of all the 50 states. At present, the West has about 20% of the nations population but is expected to grow faster than any other region in America.,The Rust Belt refers to an economic region of the United States concentrated in the formerly dominant industrial
15、 states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. By the 1980s, the Rust Belt became a symbolic name for a devastating economic change and outflow of population. The term was believed to be first used by the 1984 Democratic presidential candidate, Walter Mondale. During the campaign, M
16、ondale accused the incumbent Republican president, Ronald Regan for turning our great industrial Midwest and the industrial base of this country into a rust bowl.,Questions to explore: 1. What are the Rust Belt and the Sun Belt?,The phrase stuck as a good description of the declining industrial hear
17、tland, especially the steel-and automobile-producing regions in the Northeast and Midwest. The phrase became synonymous with industrial decline in the once-dominant U.S. heavy manufacturing and steel industries. With a declining economy and shrinking economic opportunities, the region, once an indus
18、trial heartland and contained densely populated areas, began to experience many families move to the Sun Belt and the West for better jobs and living conditions.,The Rust Belt, once Americas heartland of heavy industries and contained some most-densely populated areas The word “rust” very well descr
19、ibe the economic plight of the industrial zone and population outflow.,The Sun Belt contains about the southern third part of the U.S. where sunshine is abundant. This region witnesses economic boom and population gain in the past decades. The word “sun” seems to be able to highlight the contrast ag
20、ainst the “rust belt” in economic prosperity and growth.,The Sun Belt comprises the southern tier of the United States and is usually considered to extend from the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida west to California, occupying a southern third of the nation. Author and political analyst Ke
21、vin Phillips claims to have coined the term to describe the oil, military, aerospace and retirement country stretching from Florida to California in 1969. As the previously economically and politically important northeast and Midwest began to decline economically and go through population outflow, t
22、he South and the West began to gain population rapidly because of warmer climate, and a boom in the agriculture industry and new industries such as defense, oil, aerospace and tourism.,In more recent decades high tech and new economy industries have been major drivers of growth in California, Florid
23、a and other parts of the Sun Belt. Texas and California rank among the top five states in the nation with the most number of Fortune 500 companies, with New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five. The Sun Belt has come to symbolize what the Rust Belt was, economic and political i
24、mportance as well as population growth ( big gain?). The Sun Belt not only experiences influx of the young, but also the old because of the mild winter and long hours of sunshine. Many retirees move into retirement communities in the region, especially in Florida and Arizona.,2. Ethnic Groups,The Un
25、ited States is known as a “melting pot”, meaning that it is composed of immigrants from different nations all over the world. In the last four centuries, about 55 million people have immigrated to this country, representing the largest movement of human beings to any place in the history of mankind.
26、 Mexico has been the leading source of new residents for over two decades; since 1998, many immigrants have also come from China, India, and the Philippines.,The US population was characterized by variety in terms of composition. Although the population remains predominantly white, the US is a natio
27、n of over 100 ethnic groups, and 31 ancestry groups having more than a million members. Major minorities include African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans (American Indians), Asians, and Pacific Islanders, etc.,2.1 Whites (European/Caucasian),The people of the US are predominantly whites. Among
28、 the whites, the most powerful and influential group is White Anglo-Saxon Protestants (WASPs). They are the mainstream American whites, the descendents of early English and Western European settlers, and they make up about 45% of American population and control most of the national wealth and politi
29、cal power. The other white Americans are immigrants or descendents of immigrants from other European nations.,Overall, the highest concentration of those whites is found in the Midwest, New England, the Rocky Mountain states, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The lowest concentration of whites is in the
30、southern and Mid-Atlantic States. While over ten million white people can trace part of their ancestry back to the Pilgrim Fathers, over 50 million whites have at least one ancestor who passed through the Ellis Island(link) immigration station in New York City.,2.2 African Americans,African American
31、s (Blacks) are the nations largest racial minority and third largest ancestry group (about 38.9 million in 2010). The first group of blacks was brought into Virginia colony as slaves in 1619, and from then on the slave system developed rapidly, because of the urgent demand for cheap slave laborers i
32、n the southern plantations and farms, until in 1808 importing slaves to America became a crime.,The slave system was eliminated during the Civil War, but emancipated blacks still suffer racial discrimination today. In many states, prior to the 1960s, a system of racial segregation arose and blacks h
33、ad to separate from whites in many public places. After the WWII, blacks formed the (African-American) Civil Rights movement to end discrimination and fought for equal civil rights. Finally, laws were passed to protect their rights and guaranteed their equal employment opportunities.,Racial segregat
34、ion in the U.S.,Today, although there remain isolated cases of racial violence and differences of opinion, African Americans enjoy equal rights and opportunities in every aspect. No area of human activity in America can be legally closed to blacks, and they can be found in all professions. In 2008,
35、Barack Obama was elected as the first African-origin President in American history.,2.3 Hispanics,The Hispanics are Spanish-speaking people from Latin America. It is estimated that there are about 52 million Hispanics in 2012, making them the largest minority in the U.S. Over half of Hispanic Americ
36、ans are of Mexican descent, and the overwhelming majority of Mexican Americans are concentrated in the Southwest and West. The second largest group is of Puerto Rican origin, and they mainly live in the Northeast, concentrated in New York, New Jersey, etc. Cuban American, Columbia American and Domin
37、ican American, etc, are examples of other Hispanic sub-groups.,Of the nations total Hispanic population, about half lives in California or Texas. Not counting Puerto Rico (a US Territory), New Mexico is the state with the highest ratio of Hispanics, where 44.7% is of Hispanic origin. Today, Hispanic
38、s are one of the fastest growing minorities in America due to immigration (legal and illegal) and higher birth rates. Hispanics are becoming an influential force in American politics. The U.S. is predicted to be the country with most Spanish speakers in 2050 .,2.4 American Indians,In the 2010 census
39、, there were about 2.9 million American Indians living in America. American Indians were the original inhabitants in the North and South American continents. They developed great civilizations (Olmec, Toltec, Mayan, Aztec civilizations) before the Europeans came. When North America was “discovered,”
40、 and settled by Europeans, Indians were driven westward to live in barren desert places, the so-called “Indian Reservations”.,In these isolated places, they were allowed to keep a part of their own culture and customs. But the Reservations lacked basic public facilities and life-sustaining opportuni
41、ties. The situation is somewhat better today, but there continues to be problems with joblessness, poor educational facilities, and a general sense of cultural loss. There are several exceptions to the general levels of poverty and these are located on reservations which have decided to build gambli
42、ng casinos.,The National Museum of the American Indian is the first national museum dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of the life, languages, and customs of Indians. It is located near the other national museums on the Mall in Washington DC. The National Museum of American Indians
43、 is native by design. Many of the projects designers and architects are American Indians. It opened to welcome its first visitors on September 21, 2004.,Kaleidoscope,The National Museum of American Indians,Main Entrance Sheltered by a roof that recalls a limestone overhang in a Southwest U.S. canyon
44、. The museum is dedicated to the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of native peoples of North, Central, and South America.,Main Lobby- Potomac Limestone wall treatments and granite paving stones connect this indoor space to the outdoors, as does the sunlight that streams in from the 120
45、-foot-high skylight.,Western Faade: The museums low white dome rises in the background, with the much taller dome of the U.S. Capitol Building at upper left.,Northern Faade: Inspired by rock formationsas well as the stone and masonry work of Chaco Canyon, Machu Picchu, and other Indian sitesthe five
46、-story building is wrapped in rippling bands of rough limestone.,Recognizing native peoples connection to the land, museum planners surrounded the building (shown here in white) with four distinct landscapes: forest, wetlands, meadow, and croplands. The forest (top) forms the northern border of the
47、site and is adjacent to the wetlands area (upper right). Traditional food crops and medicinal plants (middle, shown shades of brown, orange, and green) will be harvested just south of the museum rotunda. The meadow (lower right) is shown here as a thin swath of dark green along the buildings southwe
48、st edge. Other outdoor areas include a thin, curving, boulder-filled pool (in blue at top), which at its eastern end wraps around the circular outdoor theater (in rust color). The large, circular Welcome Plaza is shown in beige.,Aleut Hunting Hat: Made with sea lion whiskers, ivory, and glass beads,
49、 this hat dates back to about 1850.From the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, Aleut men honored the sea-mammal spirits with highly decorated hunting costumes. Sea lion whiskers indicate the hunting prowess of the owner.,Inuit Spirit Drummer: Carved from whalebone, this circa 1972 Inuit Eskimo spirit drummer comes from Nanavut, Canada.,Eskimo Mask: This mask represents the spirit Amekak, which is said to live in the ground.,2.5 Asian Americans,Asian Americans represent the countrys second largest racial minority; the two largest Asian American ethnic groups are Chinese