Easy Text: Immigration and Population
The USA - Immigration
In 1775, around the time of the War of Independence, there were less than four million Americans. Until 1848, the population was rather small. This was changed by two events: the Gold Rush in California (1848) and the Homestead Act (1862), an act of law giving free land to farmers.
The population grew after this. Within 50 years, the U.S. population tripled. Until 1840, mainly British people came, but more and more immigrants from Western Europe began to arrive. Poverty and political oppression were typically some of the reasons why people emigrated and looked forward to freedom in the “New World”.
The U.S. has been more open to immigration than other countries. However, since the beginning of the 1900s, many Americans have wanted stricter rules for immigration. They are afraid of overpopulation, unemployment, poorer social conditions and a weakened national identity. Others have welcomed a multicultural population. Since an immigrant is a person that has moved voluntarily to another country, Native Americans and African Americans are not considered immigrants.
Since 1965, people from countries such as Mexico, the Caribbean Islands and Asiatic countries have been entering the U.S. legally and illegally. Some people claim that the USA is changing its color. By the year 2050, whites may have become out-numbered.
This text is an easy version of Immigration and Population
Tasks and Activities
Find out
- How many Americans there are at the moment. Use Population Clock.
- How many Americans will there be in 2020? Use United States Population on Wikipedia. Click on Population Projections in the menu.
- Look at the statistics below. Which is the fastest growing immigrant group?
Ethnic Group | 2010 | 2050 |
|---|---|---|
Whites | 79.5% | 74.0% |
Non-Hispanic Whites | 64.7% | 46.3% |
Hispanics/Latinos | 16.0% | 30.2% |
African Americans | 12.9% | 13.0% |
Asian Americans | 4.6% | 7.8% |
U.S. Census Population Projections (source Wikipedia)
Timeline
In pairs, study this timeline and ask each other two questions from each time frame.
Research
- Use the link ' The Peopling of America' to briefly present immigration in one period of US history. Add pictures and tables to your text and remember to state your sources. Feel free to use any additional web sites as resources.
- Search the Internet for 'the Statue of Liberty' and find information about symbolic meanings of the statue's various details.
Make a Quiz
Based on the text and the links, make a quiz and have at least two other students try it out. Make sure the alternatives in your quiz are clearly different. (Making a quiz is a bit harder than it looks so work on the language before you present it.)