A Changing America

The Population

When the first census was taken in 1790, much of the country had not even been explored, and much of it did not belong to the United States, but to France and Spain. The “western settlers” of that day were in the Appalachian Mountains.

By 1854, the United States had acquired the western part of the country by purchase and by treaty. This region had been unified politically, and there were about as many people living west of the Appalachians as east of them. At that time people seriously believed that the task of settling and developing the country would require at least 500 years. The speed with which it actually was settled is one of the most exciting stories in American history.

At first, the settlers pushed westward in thin lines along the rivers; then they began to fill the intervening spaces throughout the middle of the country. And there, dramatically, the movement of the population jumped to the Pacific.

As of the census taken in the year 2000 the population of the United States was 281, 421, 906. Just over three quarters of the people live in urban areas and the rest in rural areas. The peoples of the United States represent many cultures and ethnic groups from around the world. After a growth of 13 million since the 1990 census Hispanics primarily from Latin America) number about 35 million people, just about equal to the number of Afro-Americans, who had previously been the largest minority in the country. Native Americans comprise less than one half of one percent of the total population. Minorities of Asian descent include Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese, as well as people from India and Pakistan. More and more people are now claiming to belong to more than one of the government’s official ethnic and racial categories.

The United States is similar to most other countries in the world. Like other countries the United States changes quickly. Values and people are changing and many people are afraid of these changes.

The 1950s was the last decade of calm for this country. It was a problem free time when life was predictable. Since that time there have been many changes in the country. Americans are getting older and the number of senior citizens increases. People have fewer babies because of birth control, the high cost of raising children and because of the uncertainty about the future.

Americans are moving, too. They go to the warmer parts of the country, to some of the older cities, to some large suburban areas. They have to create new friends wherever they go. Sometimes, the office becomes the new neighborhood and people at the office become their friends and “neighbors”.

America is a wealthy country, but wealth is not evenly distributed. There are homeless people, hungry children, and crime in the country. Some foreigners have the idea that “the streets are paved with gold”. Hard work brings great results but unemployment is a problem in many parts of the country. For some Americans, the United States is not a land of opportunities.

American women work more now, but still do not have the same opportunities for equal salaries and career as men. They often find that they have two jobs now: taking care of the house and the children and working at the office. Since 1960s the number of single-parent families increased.

Americans bring up their children to be independent. It is a part of American culture. Small children learn to do things on their own. They learn to take care of themselves, clean their rooms, help with the dishes and the laundry, spend time away from their parents in day care, with a baby sitter or alone. Most teenagers try to find summer or after-school jobs, so that they can have their own money. Students usually work part-time and during summer vacations.

Young people get married later than they used to. Women usually get married at the age of 24, men – at the age of 26. Newly married couples often postpone having children, while they are establishing their careers.

Racial discrimination is illegal, but prejudice and fear of other groups still exist. Religion is a private issue.

Americans worry about the same things as other people around the world, about their children, and how their lives will be. They worry about nuclear war, international terrorism. They know that this time is a period of change and face many difficulties, but perhaps the pioneer spirit which built the country will help Americans change, improve and adapt to the future.

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Дата добавления: 2014-01-11