WE THE PEOPLE

“What then is the American, this new men?” (Michel Guillaume de Crevecoeur).

There are two reasons why the United States has often been called “a nation of immigrants”. First, the country was settled, built, and developed by generation of immigrants and their children. Secondly, even today America continues to make in more immigrants than any other country in the world. It is not surprising, therefore, that the united states counted among the most heterogeneous societies in the world.

The process of assimilation of all many different nationalities and ethnic groups which have gone into making of America, then has been called “Americanization’, becoming part of ‘melting pot’. While, other American, becoming American in other way, maintained much of their ethnic identities. In this sense, US society likened to a salad bowl. It does not follow however, that these American are any less aware or proud of their American nationality. The various identities are met to create a new identity. This means by the terms of salad bowl.

In the census, ancestry is asked and letting people decide for themselves. Ancestry does not show whether or not an American feel and affinity with certain groups or the country they represent.

A Majority or Minorities? When we are asked to identify their ancestry, ethnics identified themselves. If Americans are viewed only in terms of majorities and minorities, white and blacks, so how about the other ethnic? Is such a minority category also a minority in itself or simply an unspecified number of minorities? The vast majority of Americans could, if they wished, include themselves among one or more “minority” categories or groups.

Talking about Immigration Laws, until 1850s, immigration to the U.S. had been largely unrestricted, with some 90 percent of all immigrants coming from Europe. In the 1920s, a number of measures were taken to limit immigration, especially from Asian, Southern, and Eastern Europe.

Then Why They Came-Why They Come. Major’s changes in the pattern of immigration have been caused by wars, revolutions, periods of starvation, persecutions, religious interrelation, and disasters which led people to believe that America was a better place to be. The heritage of immigrants and immigration has brought enormous benefits to America. Many ethnic groups added their contributions to the American Dream and by doing so keep that dream alive.

The last discussion is changes in the U.S. society. The civil right movement led to action and protest in many other areas. Women who had taken part in many of the nationwide civil rights activities became more aware of and involved in changing, their own situation, and the biases and prejudices with which they were faced. Overall, two major trends can be seen. First, there are now more laws, which specifically protect women against discrimination. Secondly, there has been a gradual, but general, improvement in how women are seen and treated in society.

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