1. Chapter 1: Americans, Citizenship, and Government
Lesson 1: Being an American

2. A Diverse Population Americans share many different traditions
Some are brought from the many different countries
Others have been developed in the United States
Immigrants: an individual who moves permanently to a new country
Bring many new traditions to the United States

3. A Diverse Population
About 98% of all the people now living in the United States are descended from families who once lived in another country
They came from many different countries over hundreds of years and for many different reasons.
They have all worked together to create an American Culture

4. A History of Immigrations
Most scholars believe that the very first people to live in what is now the United States came from Asia around 20,000 years ago.
These groups spread across North America and are known as Native Americans
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed for Spain and was the first “official” explorer to land in the Americas in the Bahamas

5. A History of Immigrations
1500s – Spanish settle in present day Florida and late settled in the southwest region of the United States, especially California and Texas
1600s-People from France, Netherlands, and England settled in American
Late 1600s and 1700s, people from Germany, Sweden, Ireland, and Scotland arrive
Creation of the 13 colonies

6. A History of Immigration
Some people who came to the Americas did not come willingly
Many people from western and central Africa were taken by force
1807, the United States Congress passed a law that stopped the practice of bringing enslaved people to the United States
500,000 Africans had already arrived

7. A History of Immigration
1830s and 1860s, from Ireland and Germany
Fleeing poverty and disease
The discovery of gold in California in 1848 led many people from China to journey to the United States in search of wealth.
1860s and 1890s, 10 million Europeans arrived from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden
1890s to 1924, 22 million immigrants arrived from Italy, Greece, Poland, and Russia
The later 1900s saw a large group of immigrants from Asia and Latin America

8. Ongoing Transformation
Between 1830 and 1930, the nation’s population grew from about 12 million people to nearly 120 million people
40 million were immigrants
In the mid-1800s, people began moving from rural areas to cities
America develops to new industries to keep up with the demand of the growing populations, The Industrial Revolution
Following the Civil War, African Americans who had been enslaved were freed
They left the south for northern cities
1920s, more than half of all Americans lived in cities and worked jobs, which became known as blue collard jobs
1950s, shift to the suburbs and a commuter way of life

9. American Diversity
The American population is very diverse with a variety of different racial and ethnic groups
Ethnic Groups: a group of people who share a common national, cultural, or racial background
Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans are said to be members of minority groups; however, by 2040s these minority groups will be the majority

10. American Diversity Americans also have diverse religious beliefs
Christianity – 173 million
Jewish
Islam
Buddhism

11. Values and Institutions
Values: the general principles or beliefs people use to make judgments and decisions
People’s values are important because they influence how people act
Shared values help unite all American and provide Americans with a shared identity
Freedom, Equality, Opportunity, Justice, Democracy, Unity, Respect for one another, and Tolerance
Many of these values are stated in the country’s founding documents
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

12. Social Institutions
Institutions: a key practice, relationship, or organization in a society
Example: Family, which is the center of social life, and teaches individuals values
Although the idea of family is evolving to meet the needs of a modern society
Example: Religious Institutions, such as churches, temples, and mosques, give a sense of meaning and belonging to the people who worship there
Example: Schools, which reflect society’s culture, history, and knowledge
They do more than teach students. They also help those students develop a shared sense of being American
Examples: clubs and volunteer groups

13. Government Institutions
American government institutions reflect how strongly Americans value freedom
Freedom is the right to make one’s own choices in life without arbitrary, or unrestrained, interference from the government
American government is based on the principle of popular sovereignty
Popular sovereignty: the idea that power lies with the people
The people choose the nation’s leaders
The Constitutions reflects another key principle, limited power
Three branches of government in which no one part can have more power than the other two
The Bill of Rights makes sure the government cannot abuse its power over the individual