chapter 7: ethnicity

What is the primary focus of geographers regarding ethnicities?

Geographers are interested in where ethnicities are distributed and how they relate to cultural traits derived from their homeland.

How does ethnicity differ from race?

Ethnicity is identity with a group sharing cultural traditions of a particular homeland, while race is identity based on perceived physiological traits, such as skin color.

What is nationality?

Nationality is identity with a group of people who share legal attachment to a particular country.

Why is ethnicity important in the context of globalization?

Ethnicity serves as a strong bulwark for the preservation of local diversity amidst globalization trends.

Can ethnic identity change easily?

No, ethnic identity is immutable; it can be suppressed but not changed like language or religion.

What example illustrates the complexity of ethnic identity in the United States?

Presidents Biden, Trump, and Obama each have distinct ethnic identities despite sharing the same nationality.

What ethnic identity does President Biden claim?

President Biden identifies as Irish.

What ethnic identity does President Trump claim?

President Trump identifies as Scottish.

How does President Obama's ethnic identity differ from the others?

President Obama's ethnicity is complex, as he is of mixed heritage: his father was Luo from Kenya and his mother was of English descent.

What is Meghan Markle's ethnic identity?

Meghan Markle identifies her ethnicity as 'Caucasian and African American.'

What challenges exist regarding ethnic diversity in the United States?

Challenges include discrimination against certain ethnicities and the debate over preferences to correct past discrimination.

What is the significance of skin color in the study of race?

Skin color is a fundamental basis for how people sort themselves in society, influencing where they reside and interact.

Why do contemporary geographers reject biological classifications of race?

They reject it because biological features are highly variable and do not correspond to distinct geographical locations.

What is the social construction of race?

It refers to the idea that race is a widely accepted social concept that may not reflect a shared reality outside that society.

What is racism?

Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities, often leading to discrimination.

Who is Trevor Noah and what does his background illustrate?

Trevor Noah is a South African comedian whose mixed ethnicity and nationality highlight the complexities of race and ethnicity.

What was illegal in South Africa at the time of Trevor Noah's birth?

It was illegal for individuals of different races to date, marry, or have children.

What does the term 'Coloured' refer to in the context of Trevor Noah?

It refers to the classification used by the South African government for individuals of mixed race.

How does the concept of ethnicity relate to cultural heritage?

Ethnicity is tied to a person's place of cultural heritage, influencing their identity and traditions.

What are the implications of muddling nationality, race, and ethnicity?

It can lead to confusion and misidentification of individuals' traits and identities.

What role do geographers play in understanding ethnicities?

Geographers study the distribution of ethnic groups and their cultural traits to understand local diversity.

How can ethnic identity be complex?

An individual may have parents or grandparents from multiple ethnic backgrounds, leading to a complex ethnic identity.

What is the relationship between ethnicity and local languages?

Even if local languages disappear due to globalization, regions of distinct ethnic identity may still persist.

What does the term 'immutable' mean in relation to ethnic identity?

Immutable means that ethnic identity cannot be changed easily or fundamentally.

What is the significance of cultural traditions in defining ethnicity?

Cultural traditions are central to an ethnicity's identity, linking members to their homeland.

What is the primary source of data about the characteristics of people living in the U.S.?

The U.S. Census of Population, administered every 10 years.

How does the U.S. Census classify Hispanic Americans?

As an ethnicity, not a race.

What percentage of respondents identified as Hispanic in the 2020 Census?

18.7 percent.

How does the U.S. Census classify Asian Americans?

As a race, despite being a place-based ethnicity.

What percentage of Americans identified as White alone in the 2020 Census?

61.6 percent.

What percentage of Americans identified as Black or African American alone in the 2020 Census?

12.4 percent.

What classification is given to individuals with origins in North and South America?

American Indian or Alaska Native.

What percentage of respondents identified as American Indian or Alaska Native alone in the 2020 Census?

1.1 percent.

What does the term 'Asian' encompass in the U.S. Census?

Origins from the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.

What percentage of respondents selected an Asian group in the 2020 Census?

6.0 percent.

What classification is given to individuals with origins in Hawaii or other Pacific Islands?

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.

What percentage of respondents identified as Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander in the 2020 Census?

0.2 percent.

What is the classification for respondents who wrote in another race in the 2020 Census?

Some other race.

What percentage of respondents wrote in another race in the 2020 Census?

8.4 percent.

What trend was observed regarding respondents selecting multiple races from 2010 to 2020?

The percentage increased from 2.9 percent in 2010 to 10.3 percent in 2020.

What has been the historical trend regarding the classification of races in the U.S. Census?

The categories of races have changed nearly every decade.

What was the first census to allow individuals to select their own race?

The 1960 Census.

What was significant about the 1980 Census in terms of ethnicity classification?

It was the first that permitted respondents to identify as Hispanic Americans.

What is the difference between 'Black American' and 'African American'?

'Black American' is more expansive and representative, while 'African American' refers specifically to descendants of African ancestors.

Why is 'Black' capitalized when referring to a person's identity?

To denote it as an adjective describing a person, as opposed to 'black' which refers to a color.

What was the classification of individuals of mixed ancestry in historical censuses?

The term 'mulatto' was used to describe a mix of black and another race.

What does the Pew Research Center display regarding race classification?

It shows the changing census question about race over time.

What is the significance of self-identification in the race question of the census?

An individual's response is based upon their own identification.

What was the classification for free individuals in the earliest U.S. censuses?

Free whites, other free persons, and enslaved people.

What significant change occurred in Hispanic Americans' racial self-identification between 2010 and 2020?

In 2020, only 20 percent of Hispanic Americans identified as White, down from 53 percent in 2010.

What are the three principal ethnic identities of Indigenous Peoples in the United States?

Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian.

Which Indigenous group is most numerous in the United States?

Native Hawaiians.

What percentage of the population do Indigenous peoples comprise in Canada?

4 percent.

What are the three main ethnic identities of Indigenous Peoples in Canada?

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

Where are Black Americans primarily clustered in the United States?

In the Southeast, especially in states like Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

What historical event significantly impacted the distribution of Native Americans in the U.S.?

Forced migration during the nineteenth century.

What modern-day countries are associated with the ancestral origins of most Black Americans?

Senegal, Mali, The Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Ghana, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

What is the largest ethnic group among Asian Americans in the U.S.?

Chinese Americans.

What percentage of Asian Americans live in California?

Approximately 29 percent.

What is the primary term used to describe individuals of Spanish-speaking ancestry in the U.S.?

Hispanic Americans.

In which U.S. region are Hispanic Americans primarily clustered?

The Southwest, particularly in California, New Mexico, and Texas.

What percentage of Hispanic Americans trace their ancestry to Mexico?

Nearly two-thirds.

What terms are used interchangeably with Hispanic?

Latino (for males) and Latina (for females).

What term did the U.S. government adopt in 1973 to describe people from Spanish-speaking countries?

Hispanic.

What percentage of Americans of Latin American descent prefer the term Hispanic according to a 2020 survey?

61 percent.

What is the significance of the term Latinx?

It is used to avoid gender-specific terms in reference to individuals of Latin American descent.

What is the distribution pattern of Native Americans in the U.S.?

They are clustered in the Southwest and north-central regions, as well as Alaska.

What is the approximate percentage of Black Americans in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming?

Less than 1 percent.

What is the historical context for the ethnic origins of Black Americans?

Many were captured for enslavement from areas in Africa that were not yet organized into independent countries.

What is the significance of DNA testing for Black Americans today?

It helps narrow down their ethnic heritage.

What is the largest group of Hispanic Americans by place of origin?

Mexican Americans.

What percentage of the population do Native Americans exceed in Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and South Dakota?

7 percent.

What is the term for the descendants of Indigenous peoples who married Europeans in Canada?

Métis.

What percentage of the Brazilian population identifies as pardo (brown)?

48 percent

What is the predominant ancestry of approximately 70 percent of Brazilians?

Predominantly European ancestry

How does Brazil's census classify its population?

According to skin color into five categories: branco (white), pardo (brown), preto (black), amarelo (yellow), and indigenous.

What significant shift is occurring in Brazilian self-identification regarding race?

Many Brazilians are shifting from identifying as branco to preto or pardo.

What is the primary reason for the racial classification in Brazil's census?

Cultural identity and self-identification.

Which regions of Brazil have the highest concentration of brancos (whites)?

The South and Southeast regions.

What percentage of Brazil's population is classified as preto (black)?

7 percent

What is the historical significance of the Northeast region in Brazil's racial demographics?

It received the largest number of pretos forced to migrate from Africa for enslavement.

What is the estimated percentage of Brazilians with predominantly African ancestry?

20 percent

What does the term 'moreno' refer to in the context of Brazilian self-identification?

Brunette or olive, which are not included in the official census categories.

What does the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics reveal about Brazilians' responses to race classification?

Brazilians provided 143 different answers when asked about their race in an open-ended question.

What is the significance of Black Consciousness Day in Brazil?

It honors Brazil's large preto population.

What historical system replaced slavery in Europe during the Middle Ages?

Feudalism, where laborers (serfs) were bound to the land.

What was the primary cause of forced migration of Black Americans during the eighteenth century?

They were forced to migrate to the Western Hemisphere to be enslaved.

What are the two main types of migration discussed in relation to ethnic distribution in the U.S.?

International (voluntary or forced) and internal (interregional and intraregional).

What percentage of Brazil's population is classified as amarelo (yellow) and indigenous combined?

Less than 1 percent.

What is the primary ancestry of the indigenous population in Brazil?

They inhabited Brazil prior to the emigration of people from other continents.

What is the racial distribution pattern in São Paulo, Brazil?

Brancos cluster in modern high-rise apartments near the center, while pardos live in poorer outer areas.

What percentage of the Brazilian population identifies as branco (white) according to the 2022 census?

44 percent.

What is the significance of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil's racial demographics?

It has the highest percentage of indigenous people classified as pardo.

What is the role of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics?

It conducts the official census and classifies the population by race.

What is the primary reason for the diversity of racial identities in Brazil?

Generations of marriages and births among various ethnicities.

What did the 2022 census reveal about the classification of pardos in Brazil?

Pardos comprise 48 percent of the population.

What is the impact of historical immigration patterns on Brazil's racial distribution?

The South was a major destination for European immigrants, influencing the concentration of brancos.

What was the primary reason Europeans turned to African people for labor in the Americas?

African people were a less expensive source of labor compared to Europeans.

Approximately how many Africans were forcibly taken from their homes between 1525 and 1866?

About 12.5 million Africans.

When did the first Africans arrive in the American colonies?

In 1619, at Jamestown, Virginia.