Chapter 8 Ethnic and Racial Chapter 8 Ethnic and Racial Diversity in the United StatesDiversity in the United States

Melting Pot or Salad BowlMelting Pot or Salad Bowl The population of the United States The population of the United States

includes a large variety of ethnic groups includes a large variety of ethnic groups coming from many races, nationalities, coming from many races, nationalities, and religions.and religions.

assimilationassimilation ““melting pot”melting pot” ““salad bowl”salad bowl”

The truth probably lies somewhere The truth probably lies somewhere between these two viewsbetween these two views..

Generally speaking, over the years Generally speaking, over the years whiteswhites from different national and religious from different national and religious backgrounds have been gradually backgrounds have been gradually assimilated into the largest American assimilated into the largest American culture, with some exceptions.culture, with some exceptions.

American JewsAmerican Jews

The Establishment of the Dominant The Establishment of the Dominant CultureCulture

The first census in 1790The first census in 1790: 4 million people, : 4 million people, most of whom were white.most of whom were white.

The majority defined what the dominant The majority defined what the dominant culture would be.culture would be.

WASPs: white Anglo-Saxon protestantsWASPs: white Anglo-Saxon protestants In the late 1700s this assimilation In the late 1700s this assimilation

occurred without great difficulty.occurred without great difficulty.

The The dominant American culturedominant American culture that that grew out of the nation’s early history, grew out of the nation’s early history, then, was then, was English-speaking, western English-speaking, western European, Protestant, and middle-class in European, Protestant, and middle-class in charactercharacter..

The Assimilation of Non-Protestant and The Assimilation of Non-Protestant and Non-Western EuropeansNon-Western Europeans

Those with significantly different Those with significantly different characteristics tended to be viewed as a characteristics tended to be viewed as a threat to traditional American values and threat to traditional American values and way of life.way of life.

Americans tried to meet what they saw as Americans tried to meet what they saw as a threat to their values by offering a threat to their values by offering English instruction for the new English instruction for the new immigrants and citizenship classes to immigrants and citizenship classes to teach them basic American beliefs.teach them basic American beliefs.

““political bosses”political bosses” Many Americans strongly disapproved of Many Americans strongly disapproved of

the political bosses.the political bosses. Many scholars believe that the political Many scholars believe that the political

bosses performed an important function bosses performed an important function in the late 19in the late 19thth and early 20 and early 20thth centuries. centuries.

The African-American ExperienceThe African-American Experience The process of assimilation in the United The process of assimilation in the United

States has been much more successful for States has been much more successful for white ethnic groups than for nonwhite white ethnic groups than for nonwhite ethnic groups.ethnic groups.

The enslavement of African Americans in The enslavement of African Americans in the United States was a complete the United States was a complete contradiction of such traditional basic contradiction of such traditional basic American values as freedom and equality American values as freedom and equality of opportunity.of opportunity.

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s

and and 1960sand and 1960s The United States Supreme Court The United States Supreme Court

declared in declared in 19541954 that racially segregated that racially segregated public schools did not provide equal public schools did not provide equal educational opportunities for black educational opportunities for black Americans and were therefore illegal.Americans and were therefore illegal.

Martin Luther King Jr.Martin Luther King Jr. King’s goal was to bring about greater King’s goal was to bring about greater

assimilation of black people into the assimilation of black people into the larger American culture.larger American culture.

Malcolm XMalcolm X He urged a rejection of basic American He urged a rejection of basic American

values and complete separation of blacks values and complete separation of blacks from the white culture. from the white culture.

As a result of King’s activities, As a result of King’s activities, two major two major civil rights lawscivil rights laws were passed during the were passed during the 1960s.1960s.

One law made it illegal to segregate public One law made it illegal to segregate public facilities;facilities;

The other law made it illegal to deny The other law made it illegal to deny black people the right to vote in elections.black people the right to vote in elections.

A federal program called A federal program called affirmative affirmative actionaction required employers to actively seek required employers to actively seek black workers and universities to recruit black workers and universities to recruit black students.black students.

An American paradoxAn American paradox One the one hand, most young Americans One the one hand, most young Americans

say they would have no problem being say they would have no problem being friends with or even marrying someone of friends with or even marrying someone of a different race or ethnic background;a different race or ethnic background;

On the other hand, races and ethnic On the other hand, races and ethnic groups still tend to live in segregated groups still tend to live in segregated communities.communities.

Segregation and discrimination are Segregation and discrimination are against the law, but against the law, but residential patternsresidential patterns create largely segregated neighborhood create largely segregated neighborhood schools, particularly in many urban schools, particularly in many urban areas.areas.

Americans continue to believe strongly in Americans continue to believe strongly in the ideal of equality of opportunity and to the ideal of equality of opportunity and to search for ways to give everyone an equal search for ways to give everyone an equal chance at success.chance at success.

A Universal NationA Universal Nation It is important to remember that the It is important to remember that the

dominant culture and its value system dominant culture and its value system established by the early settlers had its established by the early settlers had its roots in white, Protestant, western roots in white, Protestant, western Europe.Europe.

In the late 1800s and early 1900sIn the late 1800s and early 1900s By the 1920sBy the 1920s In 1965In 1965

Perhaps the United States will be Perhaps the United States will be described not as a “melting pot” or a described not as a “melting pot” or a “salad bowl,” but as a “mosaic”“salad bowl,” but as a “mosaic” －－ a a picture made up of many tiny pieces of picture made up of many tiny pieces of different colors.different colors.