America: A Cultural Mosaic America is a nation of immigrants. Since the beginning of our nation’s history, people from all over the world have come here seeking a better life: for economic opportunity, for political or religious freedom, or to join family members who came before them. For years, many textbooks referred to America as a “melting pot.” However, your textbook argues instead that America should be referred to as a mosaic. Why is it inaccurate to say that America is a melting pot? Why is it more like a mosaic? America was originally settled by European immigrants, who came from England, Ireland, and Scotland during the 17th and 18th centuries in order to seek freedom and opportunity. Because these were the original settlers, their language (English) and traditions of government have continued to influence American society ever since. In later years, other European immigrants arrived, bringing their own languages, religions, and cultures. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, many European Catholics and Jews arrived here. Although all these immigrants came from Europe, their differences helped contribute to the diversity of American society today. Hispanic Americans, or Latinos, share a common culture and language from Spanish-­‐
speaking countries of Central and South America. They have a long history in the United States. As the US expanded west in the 1800s, it added territories in the South and West that had originally been settled by Spain and Mexico. The Latino inhabitants of these areas became US citizens. Today, many American cities have large numbers of Spanish-­‐speaking inhabitants. Many Latino foods have become mainstream parts of our American diet, and Latino music has become very popular among non-­‐Spanish speaking Americans as well as with Latinos. What are some other examples of Hispanic culture in the United States today? Unlike most other immigrants, who came to the United States by choice, seeking greater opportunity and freedom, most African Americans are descendants of slaves, who were brought here from Africa by force during the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries. Although slavery ended in 1865, African Americans continued to face discrimination for the next century or more. Legal segregation existed in many communities and states until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. This discrimination was the result of racism (the belief that members of one’s own race are superior to members of other races). Since the Civil Rights Movement, African Americans have gained greatly expanded opportunities in education, jobs, and housing. Perhaps nothing symbolizes the gains made by African Americans more than the fact that today we have a black president, Barack Obama. However, racism and discrimination still exist, and some African Americans still live in poverty due to lack of opportunities and poor quality education in many inner-­‐city communities. Education seems to be the key to economic opportunity for members of every racial/ethnic group in America today. Asian Americans began coming to the United States in the 1800s, joining the Gold Rush to California in 1849 and then helping to build the Transcontinental Railroad. However, they faced prejudice and discrimination as other ethnic groups resented them for taking away jobs. Congress passed two exclusion laws, in 1882 and in 1907 to prevent immigration from China and Japan. Those laws were repealed in 1952 and today significant numbers of Asian immigrants arrive in the US each year, including large numbers from Southeast Asia (countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia). A census (official population survey) is taken by the government every ten years. The census reveals that the American population is growing more diverse. The most rapidly growing group is Hispanic Americans, who surpassed African Americans as the largest minority group in America in the 2000 census. We know that by 2040 white Americans are projected to be less than 50% of the overall population.