rdfs:comment
| - Contrary to the common portrayal in many non-American media, "American" is not an ethnic group. The United States is not a nation with one predominating ancestry. According to the most recent census information, the largest ethnic groups in the USA are: "German(15.2%), "African" (12.9%) "Irish" (10.9%), and "English" (8.7 %). Of course, as these figures are self-reported, they should be taken with a grain of salt. For example, most demographers believe that the actual number of English Americans is considerably higher than the census figures indicate.
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abstract
| - Contrary to the common portrayal in many non-American media, "American" is not an ethnic group. The United States is not a nation with one predominating ancestry. According to the most recent census information, the largest ethnic groups in the USA are: "German(15.2%), "African" (12.9%) "Irish" (10.9%), and "English" (8.7 %). Of course, as these figures are self-reported, they should be taken with a grain of salt. For example, most demographers believe that the actual number of English Americans is considerably higher than the census figures indicate. The US is a nation of immigrants. They come for a variety of reasons:
* The first African-Americans were forcibly brought over as slaves. Recently, there are growing communities of African immigrants who are fleeing violence and poverty. These new immigrants, unlike most African-Americans, have no connection to slavery or the Jim Crow era.
* In many major cities, there is a sizable Caribbean-American community, made up of the migrating descendants of the Africans that were forcefully brought to the Caribbean.
* The Chinese-Americans came to work on the transcontinental railroad and in the gold mines.
* The Irish-Americans fled famine and The Troubles.
* American Jews mostly fled from various pogroms in Eastern Europe and Russia, as well as coming over after The Holocaust.
* The Cuban-Americans mostly fled Castro.
* The Vietnamese-Americans fled the end of The Vietnam War.
* Some European-Americans fled World War One.
* The Mexican-Americans came to the USA as cheap labor. A later group fled the Mexican economical crisis that lasted from 1982 to 1996.
* Most Latin Americans in general come to America looking for work.
* There are alos a great many fleeing the drug wars raging in Mexico.
* The Italian-Americans came to escape poverty.
* The US is also one of seven nations which every year accepts a significant amount of refugees from around the world: over the years these have included Hmong, Nepalis, Burmese, Karen, Somalis, Iraqis, Ethiopians, Eritreans, and many many others Most of them, however, came and still come for one reason -- to pursue the American Dream.
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