PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION, AND ASSIMILATION IN THE UNITED STATES
Some identity groups have had to deal with hardships and persecution and contend with distrust and disapproval. Others have gained quick success in climbing the economic and political ladder. All have had to make significant adjustments to secure access to health care, work, housing, and political rights, which means coming to terms with dominant cultural practices and expectations within the community.
Understanding this journey sheds light on the issues and vulnerabilities faced by historically marginalized identity groups and provides greater understanding of the complexity of the United States.
Choose one of the following identity groups from the list below. You will analyze the historical background and treatment of that identity group within the United States and its current status with regard to social engagement and economic security.
Native Americans
African Americans
Hispanic Americans
Asian Americans
White ethnic Americans
Jewish Americans (as an ethnic and not a religious group)
Arab Americans
Women
LGBTQ+ Americans
Sample Solution
Historical Background: Native Americans have a long, complex history of displacement and marginalization in the United States. Since first contact with Europeans, Native American communities across the continent have been subject to land loss, ethnic cleansing, forced assimilation and cultural genocide. For centuries, treaties were negotiated between tribal nations and the federal government that often resulted in further land loss or unequal resources. In 1978, Congress passed The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) to address the prevalence of forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families for adoption by non-Indigenous parents.