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The US Population

	Human Rights Issues In the 60s of the last century the blacks were allowed to sit only in the back seats on the bus. Since then the USA has changed a lot. But the other day I encountered the article, "La. Bus Driver Investigated Over Charges She Forced Black Students to Back of Bus", that says the old things can still be alive. Barack Obama (D-Il) is the first African American President. Here in this article - 'Is The US Ready For a Black President?' - you can read about reservations some Caucasian Americans had concerning him during the election campaign. The links below deal with the Tuskegee Tragedy. Many African Americans were denied treatment for syphilis from 1932 to 1972 in Tuskegee, Alabama. To find out more, open the links below:   - Internet Resources on the Tuskeegee Study.   - The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment.   - Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male. HIV/AIDS among African Americans is perceived as a possible conspiracy. - Fact Sheet: HIV/AIDS among African Americans. - The article deals with HIV/AIDS epidemic among African Americans. In 2001 it was the number one cause of death for African American women aged 25 - 34 years. - HIV/AIDS among African Americans and US women: minority and young women. - "The HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to be a major health crisis facing the African American community. Although African Americans make up only about twelve percent of the U.S. population, they accounted for half of the new HIV infections reported in the United States in 2001." - Some blacks believe in AIDS conspiracy. - A short article about a theory that the U.S. government created the AIDS virus to kill African-Americans. - Conspiracy Beliefs May Be Hindering HIV Prevention Among African Americans. - The article written by Charles Dervarics says even people with Ph.Ds believe conspiracy theories about AIDS. Disparity in Russia? Have a look at the ads below found in some local Russia's newspaper. Translations of the ads: Office manager, under 25, Caucasian, experienced, practical knowledge of 1C, cashier, wanted. Ph.: ##-##-##, Office manager, woman, under 35, Caucasian, sociable, attractive look, computer literate, salary 6,000 rub, wanted. Ph.: ##-##-##, Lenin Street, ##, Office #. In the ads above there are three cases of disparity at least: age, race and sex. To be fair in the same newspaper it is possible to find a different ad that runs "An Asian woman, ..., wanted".

The Treasure Hunt on Immigration

Introduction

n the past the USA would be called "the melting pot." It meant that any immigrant was supposed to "melt" and become an American. Perhaps from the geopolitical point of view it was a wise idea. Otherwise there could be possibilities that certain ethnic groups would proclaim their territorial independence and put the country's integrity at risk.

Nowadays, when no one doubts the US unity, the country has a different name - "salad bowl" or some people address it as a "pizza." Both names mean that the peoples living in the country are encouraged to preserve their cultures like the ingredients of the dishes mentioned. Each ethnic group has its own "taste" and along with other ethnic groups they form the diverse nation.

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the United States adds one person to its population every 10 seconds. Immigration is one of the reasons for this growth.

Question

Russia is a very multinational country. It has about 160 ethnic groups and indigenous peoples and no one consider the country as a nation of immigrants.

The USA is a multinational country too but known as a nation of immigrants. Here is the Question to answer:

• Why is the United States of America referred to as a nation of immigrants?

To answer this Question the group will have step-by-step assignments to complete. Read carefully the Process and Resources below.

Process and Resources

Please, feel free to use one of the online dictionaries or one at hand.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to use when looking into your task.

1. COLONIZATION¹. You have already taken the colonization period in the US history and you remember that the British started settlements in North America in early 1600s. Later, nearly in two centuries, the colonists declared their independence and won the war against Britain to become the United States of America.
   You are to take the colonization period again as it gives a wider picture of the people who have been shaping the land since early 17th century.
   Answer the question:
   • What was the colonization pattern like?
     (Who? When? Where? Why?)
     To answer the question you are advised to read or listen to the articles below and sift the relevant pieces of information from them.
     • Read [or listen] "VOA American History Series: A Difficult Life for English Settlers," October 17, 2007.
       
     • Read [or listen] "VOA American History Series: How a Desire for Religious Freedom or Land, or Both, Led to Colonies," November 07, 2007.
       
     • Read [or listen] "VOA American History Series: Slavery Arrives as Colonial Expansion Heads South," November 14, 2007.
       
     • Read [or listen] "American History Series: By 1750, Almost One in Four People in the Colonies Were Slaves," November 21, 2007.
       


2. IMMIGRATION² IN THE PAST. The whole group should read and/or listen to the articles below and answer the questions:
   • What were the reasons for immigration in late 18 hundreds of the 19 century?
   • Why did Congress put limits on immigration in 1882?
     • Read or listen to "Immigrants: America's Industrial Growth Depended on Them," October 19, 2005.
     • Read or listen to "American Lawmakers React to Flood of Immigrants in Late 1800s," October 26, 2005.


3. IMMIGRATION AT THE PRESENT TIME. The whole group should read and/or listen to the articles about the US immigration pattern nowadays and answer the questions below:
   • Which states have the highest number of minorities?
   • What are the reasons for the influx of immigrants in the states?
   • When did Hispanic and Asian immigrants outnumber European ones?
   • What was the race composition like according to the US Census Bureau for the year 2007?
   • What do the terms "Hispanics" and "Latino" mean?
   • How well do the Hispanics integrate into the USA?
   • How many illegal immigrants are there in the USA? Why does illegal immigration raise concerns?
   • How can someone legally move to the United States?
   • What is a temporary worker program?
   • What are the reasons for modern immigration?
     • Read "U.S. Minority Population Continues to Grow," May 14, 2008.
     • Read "Census shows U.S. Asian, Hispanic population growth slowing," May 14, 2009.
     • Read "Hispanics in America," February 24, 2003.
     • Read or listen to "A Nation of Immigrants, Divided Over the Subject of Immigration," March 02, 2008.
     • Read or listen to "With All the Talk About Illegal Immigration, a Look at the Legal Kind," March 09, 2008.
     • Read "Bush Proposes Temporary Worker Program," January 09, 2004.
     • Read "New U.S. Citizens Dream of Business Success, Raising Families," July 24, 2007


4. IMMIGRATION IN THE FUTURE. The whole group should read and/or listen to the articles about the immigration pattern in the future and answer the question below:
   • What will the US immigration pattern be like in the future?
     • Read "U.S. Minorities Will Be the Majority by 2042, Census Bureau Says," August 15, 2008.
     • Read or listen to "Immigrants, Births Put US on Way to 400 Million by 2043," October 20, 2006.
     • Read "U.S. Population Projections: 2005-2050," November 02, 2008.

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     • To read/watch predictions about the future population changes in Russia and some other countries, access the links below:
       • Read or watch "Russia Faces Population Crisis," March 08, 2006.
       • Read "World Population by 2050," August 29, 2004.

Big Question

Having studied the influx of people into the USA from its past, through the present time and to the future projections, you are expected to come up with your answer to the Big Question:

• Why do you think the presidential candidates 2008, John McCain and Barack Obama, were really cautious about the immigration issue during the campaign?

Conclusion

he United States of America is one of the exceptions among the industrialized nations. It is still growing in terms of population. In fact there is one more person every 10 seconds in the country (The U.S. population clock). It means there are 360 new people an hour!

Immigration is a significant reason for this population boost. Economic, religious and forced immigrants have made up the country. And the future of the nation is also in their hands.

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¹Colonization - taking control of an area or a country that is not your own, especially using force, and sending people from your own country to live there. By Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

²Immigration - the process of coming to live permanently in a country that is not your own. By Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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News Feeds

Here are the news feeds provided by some of the US mass media. You can use these resources for a five minute news warm-up at the beginning of our class. Click the headline to open the whole article in a new window.

Hot Links

Population General

1. United States Releases Results of 2010 Population Count.
2. The U.S. population clock. --- The U.S. Bureau of the Census' data on the current population number in the United States.
3. The Population Profile of the United States: 2000 (Internet Release). --- A PDF data that includes information (5 Parts) from surveys conducted in 2000 and earlier on the US population.
4. Changing America: the United States population in transition. --- PDF articles written by different authors on the US population.
5. Immigration patterns and ethnic composition. --- The page tells about the first immigrants and later ones.
6. Dynamic diversity: Projected changes in U.S. Race and ethnic composition 1995 to 2050. --- It is a comprehensive (PDF) research with tables, graphs, and maps on 58 pages.
7. Age distribution. United States Population Pyramid. --- The pyramids give age and sex distribution from 1950 through 2050.
8. America's melting pot: Census 2000. --- The article traces the changes that took place between 1990 and 2000. The chapters are "An older Country", "Looking Different", "American Family Portait".
9. Immigration Issues Shape the Experience of U.S. Latinos. (VOA Special English)
10. Muslims in America. (VOA Special English)
11. Immigration Remains Important Campaign Issue in United States. (www.america.gov)
12. Chinese Immigration to the United States. (www.rs6.loc.gov)
13. New Civics Questions for US Citizenship Test. (VOA Special English)
14. In Choice of Immigration Terms, Some Say Focus on the Act, Not the Actor. (VOA Special English)
15. Punish Illegal Immigrants? Welcome Them as Future Citizens? Congress Debates Immigration. (VOA Special English)

*PDF -- You need Adobe® Reader® installed to view a PDF document. It is available for free from the Adobe web site. A different program, smaller in size (about 2MB), is here.

Population Maps

1. Population Change and Historical Development. --- The maps give population densities at certain times in history.
2. Assorted Political Demography Maps. --- Various maps including percentage and regional distribution of U.S. Hispanic and Black population.

Population Issues

1. The Environmentalist's Guide to a Sensible Immigration Policy. --- A five chapter text on the effects of the growing population on the environment.
2. Climate Change Impacts on the United States. The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change. --- Socioeconomic conditions are important drivers of climate change.
3. Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Key Findings from the National Survey of America's Families. --- An analysis of well-being by race and ethnicity by Sarah Staveteig and Alyssa Wigton.