African Americans and European Americans
Two of the components of the diverse, multi-cultural population of the United States are the African Americans and the European Americans. Based on the 2010 US Census, there are currently around 42 million black people composing of 13.6% of the total US population while the European Americans are estimated to be 197 million which composed of 69.1% of the total US population. Most of these originated from Germany, Ireland, England and Italy. Although, considered as minority groups, their histories are significantly different.
Both groups of people came to the United States between 1619 and 1808. The European Americans as immigrants, while the African Americans as slaves. Most the European Americans where most American whites belong came to the United States in the 1600’s as traders whom most came because of the industrialization. Although, some returned to their original homelands, most remained in the country and established their lives there. Along with their coming, they engaged in slave trade where they kidnapped African people whom they sold to white masters to work on their tobacco and cotton farms without compensation. The economy then depended on the work of the slaves despite having bad living conditions. Although some were able to buy their freedoms, they had limited rights. A total of 4 million slaves were estimated to have been brought to country.
The African Americans fought to end the slavery started during the American Civil War until the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment to the country's Constitution in 1865 where slavery was completely abolished. However, even with such law, African Americans still experienced discrimination and deprivation of rights. The 1964 Civil Rights Law tried to correct these by providing provisions that focuses on equal treatment regardless of color, age and gender.
With regards to societal positions, the European Americans either belonged to the upper or middle class when they arrived and had freedom of religion, attend schools and express their political views. They brought along with them their culture which has been slowly integrated with the Native American culture. (Culture Care Connection, 2012)
The implication of the histories of these two groups of people in the United States society is the presence of racism and discrimination. Although, today, discrimination especially of the African Americans has been greatly reduced, people are slowly recognizing them and their rights due to the numerous fights they had in the past, it has been stilled in the minds of most white people that they belong to the lower class or that the whites are superior to them. The issue of racial discrimination is still a hot issue despite numerous laws against it.
References:
Culture Care Connection (2012). European Americans in Minnesota . Retrieved on 15 March 2012 from http://www.culturecareconnection.org/matters/diversity/european.html
Deux, Kay (2012). Becoming American: Stereotype Threat Effects in Black Immigrant Groups. Retrieved on 15 March 2012 from http://www2.uni-jena.de/svw/igc/studies/ss04/Deaux_Gilkes_Bikmen_Ventuneac_Joseph_Payne_Steele_under%20Review.pdf
