we are americans
TRANSCRIPT
WE ARE AMERICANS
WE CALL OURSELVES “AMERICANS.”
But what does that mean? Who are we?
We are a population that came to this region from
other continents. Some arrived earlier than
others…But all are immigrants
from other lands.
Some people have referred to our population as a
“melting pot” where people from all ethnic backgrounds, races, religions, and customs
live side-by-side and call themselves AMERICANS.
Every 10 years our government
takes a survey of
our population.
Census
This survey gathers statistics about who we are, what we
do for a living, and other
information to measure
changes and growth.
The first census was conducted in 1790.
The U.S. Constitution (1787) requires a census be taken.
The number of representatives each state receives in the
House of Representatives
depends on the number of people who live in
that state.
Let’s see what changes have occurred since the
last census...
Population Growth• U.S. population grew in both size &
ethnic diversity.
• Census 2000 showed that our population was
281 million.
• This is a 13 percent increase over the people counted in the previous census.
Now, let’s look at our ethnic diversity. The census asks
people to identify their ethnic or racial heritage.
The results show that we are indeed a great “melting pot” of citizens whose ancestors came from around the world!
Population by Race:
74%
2%
13%
4%1%
<1%6%
White Black of African American
American Indian and Alaska Native Asian
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Some Other Race
Two or More Races
White Population
According to the census
77 % of Americans
are Caucasians (white)
whose ethnic background
can be traced to Europe
and Southwest Asia.
States in Which Whites Represented Over 90 Percent of the Total Population
VT98%
ME98%
NH97%
WV95%
IA94%
ND93%
WY93%
ID92%
MT92%
KY91%
UT91%
NE90%
MN90%
WI90%
Profile of
African Americans
10 States With the Largest African-American Population
TX2.5
NC1.8
FL2.5Population in millions
GA2.4
MD1.5
LA1.5
VA1.4
SC1.2
AL1.2
MS1.0
Percent Distribution of African-Americans by Region:
States Where Blacks Represent over
25 Percent of the Total Population
GA29%
MD29%
SC30%
AL26%
MS37%
LA33%
DC61%
The
American
Indian and Alaska Native
Population:
American Indian population increased faster than the total population between 1990 and 2000
The American Indian
population increased
faster than the total
population between
1990 and 2010.
Percent Distribution of the American Indian and
Alaska Native Population by Region:
Ten States With the Largest American Indian Populations
TX215,599
NY 171,581
WA158,940
AZ292,552
CA627,562
OK391,949NM
191,495
NC131,736
MI124,412
AK119,241
Four out of ten American Indians live in the West.
Chart
The
Asian
Population:
Asians make up about four percent of the U.S. population.
The Asian population increased faster than the total population, also.
About one-half of the United States Asian population
livein the West.
NY 169,200
Ten States With the Largest Asian Populations
HI703,232
TX644,193
VA304,559
WA395,741
CA4,155,685
FL 333,013
NJ524,356
MA264,814
1,169,200
NY
Cities With the Largest Asian Populations
872,777
407,444
257,571 253,477 251,686189,413
140,517 114,140
New York,
NY
Los
Angeles, CA
San Jose,
CA
San
Francisco,
CA
Honolulu, HI San Diego,
CA
Chicago, IL Houston, TX
Asian-Americans in the Census Report:
Asian IndianChineseFilipinoJapaneseKoreanVietnameseOther Asian
Selected Asian Groups
1,228,427Korean
369,430Other Asian, not
specified1,148,932Japanese
1,223,736Vietnamese63,073Indonesian
150,283Thai186,310Hmong
144,795Taiwanese2,364,815Filipino
24,587Sri Lankan2,734,841Chinese, except
Taiwanese
204,309Pakistani206,052Cambodian
18,566Malaysian57,412Bangladeshi
198,203Laotian1,899,599Asian Indian
The Native Hawaiian
and
Other Pacific Islander
Population:
The term “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander”
refers to people having origins in any of the
original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other
Pacific Islands.
Over half (58 percent) of the Pacific Islander population lived in just two states, Hawaii and
California.
Ten States With the LargestPacific Islander Populations:
TX29,094
NY28,612
WA42,761
OR16,019
NV16,234 UT
21,367
AZ13,415
CA221,458
FL 23,998
HI282,667
Census:
Age and Gender
The census
also measures our age, as a
society.
Keeping up-to-date information about age helps us plan for the future, like how many schools will be needed, or health care for the elderly…
How old are we?
In 2000 the median age of the population reached 35 years, the highest in our nation’s history.
What does this mean?
Why do you suppose this is?
It means that people are living longer.
Median Age
18.9
22.9
30.2
35.332.9
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1850 1900 1950 1990 2000
Of the different age groups, the 50-to-54 year age group experienced the largest percentage growth.
Why do you suppose older people are living longer?
Better health care?Better diet?
There are also more older women than
older men!
Population by Sex for Selected Age Groups: 2000
(Numbers in millions)
14.4
37.1
20.6
35.2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Under 18 Years 65-Years-and-Over
Males Females
Males MalesFemales Females
Median Age by Region: 2000
36.8
35.635.3
33.8
32.0%
32.5%
33.0%
33.5%
34.0%
34.5%
35.0%
35.5%
36.0%
36.5%
37.0%
37.5%
1Northeast Midwest South West
Percent Change in Population by Selected
Age Groups and Regions: 1990 to 2000
9.5%
6.6%
16.2%
21.1%
4.0%
8.8%
18.1%19.1%
5.4%6.6%
16.0%
19.9%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
Northeast Midwest South West
Under 18 18 - 64 65 and Over
States with the highest percentage of older people…Percent of Population 65 Years and Over: 2000
17.6%
15.6% 15.3% 14.9% 14.7% 14.5%
12.4%
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
20.0%
FL PA WV IA ND RI U.S.
Profile of Genderin the
United States.
The term “gender” refers to whether you are a male or female.
Gender in the United States
FemaleMale
138
million143
million
States with Highest Percent Increase in Total Population(male and female)
27.6
28.5
28.4
38.6
29.5
30.8
32.8
41.4
66.1
66.4
0 20 40 60 80
Idaho
Utah
Colorado
Arizona
Nevada
Male
Female
The female population outnumbers the male population in most
counties, including the U.S.
Look at the next chart that shows changes in both our “age” AND “gender.”
Can you describe some of the changes you see from
the last census?
WE ARE AMERICANS
Source:
U.S. Census, Commerce Department