Race and Ethnicity

Native Americans

Hispanics

Asians

Native Americans--history

• Conquest and removal 1492-1879- 1838 Trail of tears

- 1860s creation of the reservation system

History, contd

• Assimilation 1880s-1930s- Tribes “de-recognized”

- Residential boarding schools

Native Americans today--political conditions

- Since 1920s are U.S. citizens, pay federal taxes

- since 70’s tribes have greater autonomy: have their own govts, laws and police

- but must obey US court interpretations of treaties and laws which apply to them

Native Americans Today--social conditions

• Today about 1 percent--depending

• less than 50% living on reservations

• highest rates of alcoholism, unemployment, low life expectancies, infant mortality

• Casino boom beginning in 80s - Federal law gives tribes right to offer gambling, negotiated

with the state

- mostly benefiting a few small tribes near urban areas

Hispanics

• Largest American “minority” at over 12%• politically under-represented- some not citizens, young population, lower voting rates

- but growing in political strength

· “socially conservative, economically liberal”- a big prize for the two major parties

• Predominantly Democrat, but not Cubans and Central Americans in Miami, Mexicans in Texas, etc.

Asians/Pacific Islanders• 4% nationally, but fastest growing ethnic “group”• Economically various: Indian-Americans on

average wealthier than Caucasians, Laotians, Hmong, Khmer poorer.

• Politically: - Like Hispanics, under-represented, but voter rates growing

- Asians in CA mostly Dem, but often more conservative than other minorities/neighboring whites

- differences between nationalities/ethnicities

Mixed race

• 2000 Census the first to allow choosing multiple racial categories

• by 3rd generation, most Asians and Latinos marry outside ethnicity

Whites become a minority