The American People

The United States has the third-largest population in the world (in 1990 - 250
millions). The most characteristic for US is its people who come from different
parts of the world and have influenced its history and culture.
The Native Americans
The first people how had inhabited America come from Asia (across Bering Strait
from Siberia to Alaska). They migrated about 40,000 years ago across North
America and south through Central and South America. In fifteenth century
Columbus discover America and people who had been living there called ęIndiansł
(by a mistake because he believed he had reached the East Indies). In North
America were about 10 million people with different kinds of societies. Since
that time the amount of Native Americans have decreased till 1,5 million
Indians, one
third of them live on reservations (lands that was set aside for
them), others in cities. The main problems of reservations are poverty &
unemployment.
The British
Since 1600 the British settled the eastern part of North America. So the
culture of that colonist was thoroughly British
with an American ętwistł and
also was a foundation on which America was built.
African
Americans
From 1620 to 1820 about 8 millions of West Africans were brought to work as a
slaves, especially on the American plantations, or large farms, of the South.
The Civil War, in the 1860s, ended slavery and establishment equal rights for
black Americans. But many states like South passed laws segregating and
discriminating against black Americans. The civil rights movement, in the 1950s
and 1960s, helped get rid of these laws. Despite the fact of changes, black
Americans are still much more likely than white Americans to be poor and to
suffer the bad effects that poverty brings. Today about 12% of Americans is
black.
Immigrants from Northern and Western Europe
The problems in Europe such as poverty, war or discrimination influence on
rapidly increase of the number of immigrants coming to US. First immigrants
were from northwestern Europe precisely Germany. (For example in the late 1840s
widespread hunger resulting from the failure of the potato crop led many Irish
people to emigrate to the US.) Many of them became farmers in the Midwest. To
this day, German and Scandinavian influence is obvious in Midwestern foods and
festivals.
Immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe
From the 1870s to the 1930s 9 million people came from the countries of
southern and eastern Europe
for example Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia

to escape poverty and discriminations. During this period, the US was changing
from a mainly agricultural to a mainly industrial country. The new immigrants
helped make this chance possible. Most of them settled in the cities and worked
in factories. In the 1920s laws of America limited immigrations.
Hispanic
Americans
Hispanics are people of Spanish or Spanish
American origin. Some Hispanics
lived in areas that later became part of the US (California, New Mexico). In
recent years Hispanic immigration has increased greatly. Within 25 years, they
will be the largest minority group.
Asian
Americans
In the nineteenth century, laws limited Asian immigration. Asians also met with
widespread discrimination. Since the mid
1960s they have been a major
immigrant group. Many of them have settled in California, Hawaii, New York, and
Texas.
Melting Pots and Mosaics
People from all over the world come and adopt the American culture as their
own, its why United States are called a ęmelting potł or compare to a mosaic.
Americałs strength lies in its diversity and in the contributions made by
people of many different cultures. Diversity of US is needed for people to make
sure that everyone has equal opportunity to succeed.


People emigrate because of:
Discrimination;
Find better job and life;
Conflicts, politics matter;
Religion matter;
Find land available for farming ;
Agriculture;
Cheap workforce brought to work as slaves.