Contemporary United States

SOL VUS.14

Gender worker diversity has altered the workplace. The increased participation of women has changed the traditional world of work.

Women have accounted for an increasingly large percentage of America’s labor force.

With more women in the work force, the number of working mothers has increased. This has created a need for affordable day care.

In the workforce, there is a perception that career advancement for women is not equal to advancement opportunities for men. This is known as a “glass ceiling” for advancement.

One issue that has constantly arisen is the demand for equitable pay for the sexes.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had prohibited discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, or gender. This provided the basis to challenge gender discrimination in the courts.

The courts have frequently helped provide opportunities for women by ruling against sex discrimination practices in the workforce.

The “pink collar” ghetto is another problem that has developed as women enter the workforce. Women often must take low paying jobs that offer low prestige. These jobs do not allow for a very high standard of living.

Women of Note

Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Women of Note

Sally Ride was the first female astronaut in the United States.

New immigrant groups have increased American diversity and redefined American identity.

New and increasing immigration to the United States has been taking place from many diverse countries, especially Asian and Latin American countries.

Reasons for immigration

• Political freedom

• Economic opportunity

Many immigrants are willing to work hard to get ahead. The idea of the “American Dream” is an incentive for the immigrants to foster ambitions to succeed in the business community.

Because of the number of immigrants, schools and communities offer bilingual education with English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Immigrants enter these classes to learn English so they can communicate in their new country.

Policy for immigrants who are political refugees have been developed. Cubans are considered political refugees. They are allowed to leave their country and live in the U.S. without a quota.

Cuban refugees

Having large numbers of immigrant voters in a community can change public policy. This is because the immigrants can vote as a block on an issue and influence the voting outcome.

Immigrants enter the labor force and are often willing to take lower pay and do jobs that other workers do not want. They compete with laborers for available jobs.

The immigrant population has brought a popularity of ethnic food, music, and the arts.

Dramatic advances in technology have affected life in America in many significant areas. The American space program was a triumph of American technological prowess.

In the early 1960s, President John Kennedy pledged increased support for the American space program. The race to the moon continued through the 1960s.

U. S. astronaut John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth.

In 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first person to step onto the moon’s surface. He proclaimed, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Over the past three decades, improved technology and media have brought about better access to communication and information for rural areas, businesses, and individual consumers.

As a result, many more Americans have access to global information and viewpoints.

Examples of technological advances• Cable TV/24-hour news (CNN)

• Personal computers

• Cellular phones

• World Wide Web

Changes in work and school

• Telecommuting

• Distance learning

• Growth in white collar careers

Breakthroughs have also occurred in medical research. One breakthrough was the development of the vaccine for polio by Jonas Salk.

1. Who was the first woman on the Supreme Court?

Sandra Day O’Connor

Who was the first woman astronaut?

Sally Ride

2. What is a corporate glass ceiling?

A perception that advancement opportunities are not equal for men and women

3. What creates a “pink collar” ghetto?

Low paying jobs with low prestige

What other problem arises because of low pay?

Being able to afford day care

4. Name two reasons immigrants come to America.

Economic opportunity

Political freedom

5. What is an accommodation schools and communities have made in educational programs?

Bilingual education – English as a Second Language courses (ESL)

6. How do immigrants impact politics?

By voting as a block, which gives them political clout

7. Why can Cubans live in the U.S. without a quota?

They are political refugees.

8. Who was the first person to orbit the Earth?

John Glenn

Who was the first American to walk on the moon?

Neil Armstrong

9. Which president committed America to the space race?

John Kennedy

10. What did Neil Armstrong say when he stepped on the moon?

That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.