Ch. 1, Lesson 1 -- Being an American

Chapter 1, Lesson 1 – “Being An American

1. What is Civics? (See graphic organizer from Google Classroom)
2. A Changing Society

1. National motto:  “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin – Out of many, one)

2.   A Nation of Immigrants

a.   all of us are either immigrants or descendents of immigrants

2. Native Americans – the first – most likely came from Asia
3. 1500s – Spanish – first permanent European settlers

Memory Tool – Span DAfEF NoWE SEE – Spanish, Dutch, African slaves, English, French, N.W. Europeans, S.E. Europeans.

Now…FEMEALs – Far East and Middle East Asians & Latinos.  Fastest growing – Asians.

                  3.  A Diverse Population

a.   Racial and Ethnic Diversity – Most are white/Caucasians (European); Latinos (those of any

race from Spanish-speaking countries; a.k.a. Hispanic), then African-Americans, then   Asians.  Asians -- fastest-growing. (ethnic means related to a group of people sharing similar race or culture – language, religion, etc. synonym = cultural)

2.  Religious Diversity

3.  Most -- Christians; others -- Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, other, or none.

Many Traditions

4. Americans enjoy family/cultural traditions, but borrow from many other cultures.

4. Transforming America

a.   Movement from rural areas to cities (urban areas) for jobs in factories (“blue-

      collar” jobs) or offices (“white collar” jobs)

2. Shift from manufacturing to “service” jobs (like computer programming), working at home, and women working outside the home.
3. African Americans moved from South to Northern cities  (some now reversing)
4. Population moving to South and West
5. People now living longer, getting higher education; families have fewer children.

3. American Values and Institutions

Shared values, ideas and institutions unite us in our diversity

2. What are Values?  Our principles, or core beliefs, help us determine what our values are, those

things that are most important to us, like what’s right or wrong.  Principles/beliefs + values 🡪 actions and behavior…the way we live!

3. Basic American Values:  freedom, opportunity, equality, justice, democracy, unity, respect, tolerance.  (We’ll define some of these and others in class.)
4. Shared Values Unite Americans.  Founding documents – Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution (1787), Bill of Rights (1791) give us commonly held ideas:

a.   we have natural (God-given) rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

b.   value of “popular sovereignty” (people rule; gov’t. is there by “consent (permission) of the  

      governed”) through fair, free, regular elections;

c.   equal justice under the law,  and majority rule through people’s representatives

5. English as common language for education, business, government

      4.   American Institutions – the “building blocks” of our society that transmit values and keep it strong.

Institutions are sets of key relationships and connections that have certain obligations, roles, functions.

1. Family – most important; core of social life; socializing the young in personal/national values
2. Religious – houses of worship; often where beliefs of right/wrong are taught.
3. Educational  -- places of learning; society’s values are reinforced; workers are prepared.
4. Social – clubs; service organizations; athletics
5. Governmental – provide protection, order, peace;

Memory Device:  “FRED SOG”