Sociology SEVENTEENTH EDITION Chapter 15 Race and Ethnicity The Power of Society Is our choice to cast a vote for a particular candidate a purely “personal” decision? In the 2016 presidential election, 58 percent of non-Hispanic white people voted for Donald Trump. If only white people had voted, the election would have been a Republican landslide. But Hillary Clinton received overwhelming support from Asian Americans (65 percent), Hispanic Americans (66 percent), and especially African Americans (88 percent). If only these categories of the population had voted, the election would have been a Democratic landslide of historic proportion. The political choices people make when they vote in elections are not simply personal preferences, but they also reflect race, ethnicity, and other societal factors. Source: Center for American Women and Politics (2016). 2 The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity (1 of 4) 15.1 Explain the social construction of race and ethnicity. Race Socially constructed category of people who share biologically transmitted traits that members of a society consider important Meanings and importance of race vary across time and place. No society contains biologically “pure” people. There is more genetic variation within each racial category than between categories. 3 Figure 15–1 The Coming Minority Majority According to projections from the Census Bureau, the United States will have a minority majority in the year 2044, less than thirty years from now. By that time, as the figure shows, the white, non-Hispanic population will actually decline, as the number of Asian Americans, African Americans, and especially Hispanic Americans increases. What changes do you expect this trend will bring to the United States? Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2014). 4 National Map 15–1 Where the Minority Majority Already Exists Racial and ethnic minorities are now a majority of the population in four states—Hawaii, California, New Mexico, and Texas—as well as in the District of Columbia. At the other extreme, Vermont and Maine have the smallest share (about 6 percent) of minorities. Why do you think states with high minority populations are located in the South and Southwest? Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016). 5 Figure 15–2 Bogardus Social Distance Research The social distance scale is a good way to measure prejudice. Part (a) illustrates the complete social distance scale, from least social distance at the far left to greatest social distance at the far right. Part (c) presents the overall mean score in specific years (the average of the scores received by all racial and ethnic categories). These scores have fallen from 2.14 in 1925 to 1.44 in 2001, showing that students express less social distance toward minorities today than they did in the past. Part (d) shows the range of averages, the difference between the highest and lowest scores in given years (in 2011, for instance, it was 1.08, the difference between.

1. Sociology
SEVENTEENTH EDITION
Chapter 15
Race and Ethnicity
The Power of Society
Is our choice to cast a vote for a particular candidate a purely
“personal” decision?
In the 2016 presidential election, 58 percent of non-Hispanic
white people voted for Donald Trump.
If only white people had voted, the election would have been a
Republican landslide.
But Hillary Clinton received overwhelming support from Asian
Americans (65 percent), Hispanic Americans (66 percent), and
especially African Americans (88 percent).
If only these categories of the population had voted, the election
would have been a Democratic landslide of historic proportion.
The political choices people make when they vote in elections
are not simply personal preferences, but they also reflect race,
ethnicity, and other societal factors.
Source: Center for American Women and Politics (2016).
2

2. The Social Meaning of Race and Ethnicity (1 of 4)
15.1 Explain the social construction of race and ethnicity.
Race
Socially constructed category of people who share biologically
transmitted traits that members of a society consider important
Meanings and importance of race vary across time and place.
No society contains biologically “pure” people.
There is more genetic variation within each racial category than
between categories.
3
Figure 15–1 The Coming Minority Majority
According to projections from the Census Bureau, the United
States will have a minority majority in the year 2044, less than
thirty years from now.
By that time, as the figure shows, the white, non-Hispanic
population will actually decline, as the number of Asian
Americans, African Americans, and especially Hispanic
Americans increases.
What changes do you expect this trend will bring to the United
States?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2014).
4
National Map 15–1 Where the Minority Majority Already Exists

3. Racial and ethnic minorities are now a majority of the
population in four states—Hawaii, California, New Mexico,
and Texas—as well as in the District of Columbia.
At the other extreme, Vermont and Maine have the smallest
share (about 6 percent) of minorities. Why do you think states
with high minority populations are located in the South and
Southwest?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
5
Figure 15–2 Bogardus Social Distance Research
The social distance scale is a good way to measure prejudice.
Part (a) illustrates the complete social distance scale, from least
social distance at the far left to greatest social distance at the
far right.
Part (c) presents the overall mean score in specific years (the
average of the scores received by all racial and ethnic
categories).
These scores have fallen from 2.14 in 1925 to 1.44 in 2001,
showing that students express less social distance toward
minorities today than they did in the past.
Part (d) shows the range of averages, the difference between the
highest and lowest scores in given years (in 2011, for instance,
it was 1.08, the difference between the high score of 2.23 for
Muslims and the low score of 1.15 for Americans.
This figure has also become smaller in studies carried out after
since 1925, indicating that today's students tend to see fewer
differences between various categories of people.
Source: Parrillo and Donoghue (2013).
6
Discrimination (2 of 3)

4. In 2014, eighteen-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed
by twenty-eight-year-old Darren Wilson, a police officer in
Ferguson, Missouri.
There was widespread outrage at the killing of Brown, who was
unarmed but acting in a threatening manner.
Wilson was not charged with a crime, and he has since left law
enforcement.
The high level of national concern over this event and the
widespread protests and rioting over this event—especially
within the African American community—suggest that many
believe race continues to shape the operation of the U.S.
criminal justice system.
7
Figure 15–3 Prejudice and Discrimination: The Vicious Circle
Prejudice and discrimination can form a vicious circle, thereby
perpetuating themselves.
8
National Map 15–2 Land Controlled by Native Americans, 1784
to Today
In 1784, Native Americans controlled three-fourths of the land
(blue-shaded areas) that eventually became the United States.
Today, Native Americans control 437 reservations, scattered
across the country, that account for just 5.3 percent of the
country’s land area.
How would you characterize these locations?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).

5. 9
Table 15–2 The Social Standing of Native Americans,
2015Table 15–2 The Social Standing of Native Americans,
2015blankNative AmericansEntire U.S. PopulationMedian
family income$46,006$70,797Percentage in
poverty26.6%13.5%Completion of four or more years of college
(age 25 and older)14.1%33.4%SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau
(2016)
Race and Ethnicity
in the United States (4 of 9)
The Congressional Black Caucus represents the increasing
political power of African Americans in the United States. Even
so, in 2017, African Americans accounted for just forty-six
members of the House of Representatives, three members of the
U.S. Senate, and no state governors.
Race and Ethnicity
in the United States (5 of 9)
Asian Americans
18 million, 5.6 percent of U.S. population
Enormous diversity within category
Attention commanded as high achievers
“Model minority” stereotype
Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and recent Asian
immigrants

6. Race and Ethnicity
in the United States (7 of 9)
Arab Americans
Increasing in size
Ancestors lived in a variety of countries and cultures differ
from society to society
All social classes represented
Often stereotyped as terrorists and target of hate crimes
This mosque rises above the cornfields in a rural area near
Toledo, Ohio.
Arab American communities can be found in many large cities
on the East and West Coasts of the United States, but the
heaviest concentrations are found across the upper Midwest.
13
Race and Ethnicity
in the United States (8 of 9)
White Ethnic Americans
Persist in many U.S. cities, especially in the Northeast region of
the country
Primarily working-class men and women whose ancestors came
to U.S. as immigrants
Endured some prejudice and discrimination
To many people, areas such as Philadelphia's Italian Market are
a source of attractive cultural diversity.

7. National Map 15–3 The Concentration of Hispanics or Latinos,
African Americans, Asian Americans, and Arab Americans, by
County
In 2015, Asian Americans represented 5.6 percent of the U.S.
population.
That’s compared with 17.6 percent Hispanic Americans, 12.4
percent African Americans, and 0.6 percent Arab Americans.
These maps show the geographic distribution of these categories
of the U.S. population.
Comparing them we see that the southern half of the United
States is home to far more minorities than the northern half.
But do all minorities concentrate in the same areas of the
country?
What patterns do the maps reveal?
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
15
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Copyright
17
Verderber, Verderber, Sellnow
COMMUNICATE!
Chapter 1
Communication
Perspectives
Learning Outcomes
LO1 Discover the nature of communication
and the communication process
LO2 Identify characteristics of

9. communication
LO3 Explore the major tenets of ethical
communication
LO1
Discover the nature of
communication and the
communication process
Nature of Communication
Communication is the
process through which we
express, interpret, coordinate
messages with others in order
to relate shared meaning, meet
social goals, manage personal
identity, carry out
relationships

10. LO1
Messages
• Verbal utterances, visual images,
nonverbal behaviors used to convey
thoughts and feelings
– Encoding – creating messages
– Decoding – interpreting messages
– Feedback – message in response to message
indicating how interpreted
– Canned plans and scripts
LO1
Contexts
• The situation in which communication
takes place.
– Physical
– Social
– Historical
– Psychological
– Cultural

11. LO1
Settings
• Differentiate interactions based on number
of participants and extent to which
interaction is formal or informal
– Intrapersonal communication
– Interpersonal communication
– Small group communication
– Public communication
– Mass communication LO1
Communication Process
• Complex set of different and interrelated
activities intended to result in shared
meaning
– Message production sub-process
– Message interpretation sub-process
– Interaction coordination
LO1

12. Channels
• Both route traveled by message and
means of transportation
LO1
Interference (Noise)
• External noises
• Internal noises
• Semantic noises
LO1
LO2
Identify characteristics
of communication
Communication
Has Purpose

13. • To develop and maintain sense of self.
• To meet our social needs.
• To develop and maintain relationships.
• To exchange information.
• To influence others.
LO2
Communication Is
Continuous
We are always sending
and interpreting messages.
LO2
Communication Is
Irreversible
Once exchange takes place,
we can never ignore it, take it
back, or pretend it did not occur.

14. LO2
Communication Is
Situated
Communication occurs within
a communication setting that
affects how messages are produced,
interpreted, and coordinated.
LO2
Communication Is
Indexical
• How we communicate is a measure of
emotional temperature of relationship
– Signaling level of trust
– Indicating who has control
• Complementary feedback
• Symmetrical feedback

15. – Revealing degree of intimacy
LO2
Communication Is
Learned
• Messages vary in conscious thought
–Spontaneous expressions
–Scripted messages
–Constructed messages
LO2
Communication Is Guided by
Cultural Norms
• Culture – system or shared beliefs,
values, symbols, and behaviors.
• How messages are formed and
interpreted depends on the cultural
background of the participants.
LO2

16. LO3
Explore the major tenets
of ethical
communication
Communication and
Ethics
• Ethical principles
– Truthful and honest
– Act with integrity
– Behave fairly
– Demonstrate respect
– Responsible
LO3
Communication and
Ethics

17. • Dark side messages - inappropriate and/or
unethical communication
• Bright side
• Hard side
• Easy side
• Evil side
LO3
Communication
Competence
Communication is effective when it achieves
its goals and appropriate when it conforms
to what is expected in a situation.
LO3
Perceptions of
Competence
• Motivation – can improve communication only if

18. want to.
• Knowledge – must know what to do.
• Skills – goal-oriented actions can master and
repeat in appropriate situations.
• Credibility – perception of speaker’s knowledge,
trustworthiness, and warmth.
• Social ease – managing communication
apprehension.
LO3
Communication
Apprehension
Fear or anxiety associated with real or
anticipated communication with others.
• Traitlike
• Audience-based
• Situational
• Context-based
LO3

19. Communication Improvement
Plans
1. State the problem.
2. State the specific goal.
3. Outline a specific procedure for
reaching the goal.
4. Devise a method for determining
progress.
LO3
Sociology
SEVENTEENTH EDITION
Chapter 14
Gender Stratification
The Power of Society
If you were free to do either, would you prefer to have a job
outside the home, or would you prefer to stay at home and take
care of the house and family?
A recent survey asked U.S. adults this question, and men and
women gave different answers.
Among men it was no contest, with a large majority choosing

20. the job outside the home.
Among women, however, it was much closer, with only a very
slight majority choosing the job.
Or, from another angle, men were three times as likely to
choose a job outside the home over taking care of the house and
family.
Women, by contrast, were fairly closely divided in their
choices.
The difference in female and male responses shows the power of
gender to shape our lives down to the very personal choices we
make about how to live.
Source: Gallup (2015).
2
Gender and Inequality (1 of 7)
14.1 Describe the ways in which society creates gender
stratification.
Gender
Personal traits and social positions that members of a society
attach to being female or male
Gender stratification
Unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege between
men and women
“Women and men still lead different lives in the United States
and elsewhere in the world, but in most respects men are still in
charge.”
Charlotte Woodward wrote this in her journal. Some 300 women
gathered in Seneca Falls to fight
for the right to vote. Much has changed since the Seneca Falls
convention. But men and women

21. still lead different lives in the United States and elsewhere in
the world.
3
Gender and Inequality (4 of 7)
Mead
Culture is the key to gender distinctions.
What one society defines as masculine another may see as
feminine.
Gewertz
Challenged Mead’s “reversal hypothesis”
These men, Wodaabe pastoral nomads who live in the African
nation of Niger, are proud to engage in a display of beauty most
people in our society would consider feminine.
In every society, people assume that certain jobs, patterns of
behavior, and ways of dressing are “naturally” feminine while
others are just as obviously masculine.
But in global perspective, we see remarkable variety in such
social definitions.
4
Global Map 14–1 Women’s Power in Global Perspective
Women’s social standing in relation to men’s varies around the
world.
In general, women live better rich countries than in poor
countries. Even so, some nations stand out:
In the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland women
come closest to social equality with men.
Source: Data from United Nations Development Programme
(2017).

22. 5
Figure 14–1 Men’s and Women’s Athletic Performance
Do men naturally outperform women in athletic competition?
Early in the twentieth century, men outpaced women by more
than an hour in marathon races.
But as opportunities for women in athletics have increased,
women have been closing the performance gap.
Only twelve and one-half minutes separate the current world
marathon records for women (set in 2003) and for men (set in
2014).
Source: Marathonguide.com (2017).
6
Gender and Socialization (2 of 6)
Gender and the Family
Gender messages
Is it a boy or girl?
Color-coding gender
Traditional notions of gender identity
Handling of and expectations for children
Female: cooperation and emotion
Male: independence and action
Gender and Socialization (6 of 6)
Wolf: The “beauty myth”
Striving to be physically attractive to men is the key to
women’s happiness.
Women should measure their worth in terms of physical
appearance.

23. Women should prize relationships with men attracted with their
beauty.
In our society, the mass media have enormous influence on our
attitudes and behavior, and what we see shapes our view of
gender.
In the 2015 film Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2, we see
Jennifer Lawrence playing Katniss Everdeen, a take-charge,
female lead character.
Such a portrayal is an exception to the conventional pattern by
which active males play against more passive females.
In your opinion, how much can the mass media change
conventional ideas about gender? Why?
8
Gender and Social Stratification (4 of 15)
Less than one-third of the people working at companies
including Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are women. Why do
you think this is the case?
OccupationNumber of Women EmployedPercentage in
Occupation Who Are Women1. Preschool or kindergarten
teacher675,00097.5%2. Speech-language
pathologist158,00097.5%3. Dental hygienist164,000 97.1%4.
Secretary or administrative assistant2,596,000 94.6%5. Child
care worker1,208,000 94.4%6. Nurse practitioner165,000
94.0%7. Dental assistant274,00093.3%8. Medical
assistant530,00092.9%9. Hairdresser or
cosmetologist745,00092.4%10. Medical records
technician169,00092.1%SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor
(2016)
Table 14–1 Jobs with the Highest Concentrations of Women,
2015

24. 10
Figure 14–2 Housework: Who Does How Much?
Regardless of employment or family status, women do more
housework than men.
What effect do you think the added burden of housework has on
women’s ability to advance in the workplace?
Source: U.S. Department of Labor (2016).
11
1869 Law allows women to vote in Wyoming Territory. 1872
First woman to run for the presidency (Victoria Woodhull)
represents the Equal Rights party. 1917 First woman elected to
the House of Representatives (Jeannette Rankin of Montana).
1924 First women elected state governors (Nellie Taylor Ross
of Wyoming and Miriam “Ma” Ferguson of Texas); both
followed their husbands into office. First woman to have her
name placed in nomination for the vice-presidency at the
convention of a major political party (Lena Jones Springs, a
Democrat). 1931 First woman to serve in the Senate (Hattie
Caraway of Arkansas); completed the term of her husband upon
his death and won reelection in 1932. 1932 First woman
appointed to the presidential cabinet (Frances Perkins, secretary
of labor in the cabinet of President Franklin D. Roosevelt).
1964 First woman to have her name placed in nomination for
the presidency at the convention of a major political party
(Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican).
Table 14–2 Significant Firsts for Women in U.S. Politics (1 of
3)
1972 First African American woman to have her name placed in

25. nomination for the presidency at the convention of a major
political party (Shirley Chisholm, a Democrat). 1981 First
woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court (Sandra Day
O’Connor). 1984 First woman to be successfully nominated for
the vice-presidency (Geraldine Ferraro, a Democrat). 1988 First
woman chief executive to be elected to a consecutive third term
(Madeleine Kunin, governor of Vermont). 1992 Political “Year
of the Woman” yields record number of women in the Senate
(six) and the House (forty-eight), as well as first African
American woman to win election to U.S. Senate (Carol
Moseley-Braun of Illinois), first state (California) to be served
by two women senators (Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein),
and first woman of Puerto Rican descent elected to the House
(Nydia Velazquez of New York). 1996 First woman appointed
secretary of state (Madeleine Albright). 2000 First former First
Lady to win elected political office (Hillary Rodham Clinton,
senator from New York).
Table 14–2 Significant Firsts for Women in U.S. Politics (2 of
3)
2001 First woman to serve as national security adviser
(Condoleezza Rice); first Asian American woman to serve in a
presidential cabinet (Elaine Chao). 2005 First African American
woman appointed secretary of state (Condoleezza Rice). 2007
First woman elected as Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi).
2008 For the first time, women make up a majority of a state
legislature (New Hampshire). 2013 Record number of women in
the Senate (twenty) and the House (seventy-eight). Also, New
Hampshire becomes the first state to have all-women leadership
as the governor and all U.S. senators and members of Congress
are women. 2014First woman to head Federal Reserve (Janet
Yellen).2016Hillary Clinton is the first woman to be nominated
for the presidency by a major political party and wins the
popular vote by almost 3 million, but loses the Electoral
College vote and, thus, the election.
Table 14–2 Significant Firsts for Women in U.S. Politics (3 of

26. 3)
National Map 14–1 Women in State Government across the
United States
Although women make up half of U.S. adults, in 2017 just 25
percent of the seats in state legislatures are held by women.
Look at the state-by-state variations in the map. In which
regions of the country have women gained the greatest political
power?
What do you think accounts for this pattern?
Source: Center for American Women and Politics (2017).
15
Global Map 14–2 Female Genital Mutilation in Global
Perspective
Female genital mutilation is known to be performed in at least
thirty countries around the world.
Across Africa, the practice is common and affects a majority of
girls in the eastern African nations
of Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. In several Asian nations, the
practice is limited to a few ethnic
minorities. In the United States, Canada, several European
nations, and Australia, there are reports of
the practice among some immigrants.
SOURCES: Population Reference Bureau (2010), World Health
Organization (2015), and United Nations (2017).
16

27. Gender and Social Stratification (13 of 15)
Sexual Harassment
Comments, gestures, or physical contacts of a sexual nature that
are deliberate, repeated, and unwelcome
In recent decades, our society has recognized sexual harassment
as an important problem.
At least officially, unwelcome sexual attention is no longer
tolerated in the workplace.
The television show Mad Men, which gives us a window back to
the early 1960s, shows us our society before the more recent
wave of feminism began.
17
Figure 14–3 Use of Contraception by Married Women of
Childbearing Age
In the United States, most married women of childbearing age
use contraception.
In many lower-income countries, however, most women do not
have the opportunity to make this choice.
Source: Population Reference Bureau (2016).
18
FeminismBlankBlankBlankBlankLiberal FeminismSocialist
FeminismRadical FeminismDoes it accept the basic order
of society?Yes. Liberal feminism seeks change only to ensure
equality of opportunity.No. Socialist feminism supports an end
to social classes and to family gender roles
that encourage “domestic slavery.”No. Radical feminism
supports an end to the family system.How do women improve
their

28. social standing?Individually, according to personal
ability and effort.Collectively, through socialist
revolution.Collectively, by working to eliminate gender itself.
Applying Theory: Feminism
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Copyright
21
Sociology
SEVENTEENTH EDITION
Chapter 12
Social Class
in the United States

29. The Power of Society
In the United States, what are a person’s odds of being born into
poverty?
Our social position reflects factors such as our race and
ethnicity as well as the marital status of our parents.
Of all white children born to a U.S. married couple, 6 percent
are poor.
The share in poverty is nearly twice as high for comparable
African American children and more than three times higher for
comparable Hispanic children.
Being born to a single mother raises the odds of poverty for
children of all racial and ethnic categories, with the odds of
being poor almost 50:50 for African American and Hispanic
children.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
2
Dimensions of Social Inequality (1 of 3)
12.1 Describe the distribution of income and wealth in the
United States.
Income
Earnings from work or investments
U.S. society is highly stratified.
During recent decades, income inequality has increased.
The very richest people now receive a much larger share of all
income.
This woman’s life is not the same as the social world of the
people who hire these women.

30. 3
Figure 12–1 Distribution of Income and Wealth in the United
States, 2015
Income and especially wealth are divided unequally in U.S.
society.
Sources: Income data from U.S. Census Bureau (2016); wealth
data based on Wolff (2014) and author estimates.
4
Social Classes in the United States (2 of 7)
Within which social class category do you think these women
fall?
These women have appeared on the television program Real
Housewives of Orange County.
Ask: why?
5
Social Classes in the United States (3 of 7)
The Upper Class
5 percent of U.S. population
The upper-upper class
Membership almost always the result of birth
“Old money”
The lower-uppers
The working rich

31. The “new rich”
Social Classes in the United States (6 of 7)
What would you say about the social class standing of the
Harrison family and their friend Chumlee, who star in the
popular reality television show Pawn Stars?
What about the work of running a family business?
What about their dress and interests?
What about the fact that they have recently made a lot of money
from heir television show?
Doesn’t their situation show that social class position is often
complex and contradictory?
7
National Map 12–1 Household Income across the United States,
2015
This map shows the median household income in the more than
3,000 counties that make up the United States for the year 2015.
The richest counties, shown in the darker shades of green, are
not spread randomly across the country.
Nor are the poorest U.S. counties, which are shown in lightest
shades.
Looking at the map, what patterns do you see the distribution of
wealth and poverty across the United States?
What can you say about wealth and poverty in urban and rural
areas?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).

32. 8
The Difference Class Makes (1 of 2)
12.4 Analyze how social class position affects health, values,
politics, and family life.
Health
Access to medical care affected by income level
Values and Attitudes
Vary with social class position
On average, live about five fewer years.
The toll of low income—played out in inadequate nutrition,
little medical care, and high stress—is easy to see on the faces
of the poor, who look old before their time.
9
Figure 12–2 Median Annual Income, U.S. Families, 1950–2015
Average family income in the United States grew rapidly
between 1950 and 1970. In the decades since then, however,
income increased at a lower and less even rate.
After 2007, the economic recession pushed median income
downward; it returned to prerecession levels by 2016.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
10
Figure 12–3 Mean Annual Income, U.S. Families, 1980–2015
(in 2015 dollars, adjusted for inflation)

33. The gap between high-income and low-income families is wider
today than it was in 1980.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
11
Figure 12–4 The Poverty Rate in the United States, 1960–2015
The share of our population in poverty fell dramatically
between 1960 and 1970.
Since then, the poverty rate has remained between 10 and 15
percent of the population.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
12
Poverty and the Trend Toward
Increasing Inequality (8 of 11)
Homelessness
Causes
Poverty
Substance abuse and mental illness
Low wages and lack of low-income housing
Structural changes in the U.S. economy
Cutbacks in social service budgets
Recent economic downturn
Is society responsible for poverty or are individuals themselves
to blame? When it comes to homeless families, most people
think society should do more, but many people see homeless
adults as choosing to live the way they do.
No precise count; Experts estimate 636,000 on any given night
13

34. Figure 12–5 The Share of All Income Earned by the Richest 1
Percent, 1913–2015
In 1929, the richest 1 percent in the U.S. population earned
almost one-fourth of all income.
This share declined in the decades that followed, dipping below
10 percent by the mid-1970s.
In recent decades, however, the trend has been toward greater
income inequality.
By 2007, the top 1 percent was earning almost one-fourth of all
income once again, although this share fell with the onset of the
economic recession.
Source: Saez & Piketty (2016).
14
National Map 12–2 Poverty across the
United States, 2015
This map shows that the poorest counties in the United States—
where the poverty rate is more than twice the national average—
are in Appalachia, across the Deep South, along the border with
Mexico, near the Four Corners region of the Southwest, and in
the Dakotas.
Can you suggest some reasons for this pattern?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2016).
15
Photo Credits
302: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images; 304: David Bacon/The
Image Works; 307: ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo; 308:
Matt Devine/
Alamy; 308: Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Thinkstock; 309:

35. Newscom; 311: Historical/Getty Images; 312:
cloki/Shutterstock; 319: Art Resource, NY; 321: Carl
Wagner/KRT/Newscom; 322: Craig Steven Thrasher/Alamy;
325: Pool/Getty Images; 326: ABC/Courtesy of Everett
Collection; 326: Marvin Miller/Everett Collection; 327: Kristin
Callahan/Everett Collection.
Copyright
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