Religion & Social Problems

1. Religion & Social Problems Part 4, Chapters 5 – 6

2. Religion According to one survey: • 83 percent of Americans identify with a religious denomination.1 • 40 percent state that they attend services2 nearly every week or more. • 58 percent say that they pray at least weekly. 1Denomination – a group or branch of any religion. 2Service – a religious worship meeting or ceremony.

3. Religion Distribution of religions: • The majority of Americans (76% to 80%) identify themselves as Christians: • Protestants – 51% • Catholics – 25% • Non-Christian religions (including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism etc.), collectively make up about 3.9% to 5.5% of the adult population. • 15% of the adult population identifies as having no religious belief or no religious affiliation.

4. Religion

5. Religion According to a 2008 poll: • Only 9% of Americans said religion was the most important thing in their life. • 45% said family was most important in their life. • 17% said money / career was most important.

6. Religion Why is America so religious? • America has been profoundly influenced by religion from the early colonial days, when some English and German settlers came in search of religious freedom.

7. Religion First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Congress shall: • make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; • or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; • or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, • and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

8. Religion Separation of Church and State • Because of the 1st Amendment, there is no official, established state religion. • People are free to participate (or not) in the religion of their choice, without fear of punishment. • However, it’s “not a perfect world”, so sometimes religious people are discriminated against.

9. Religion Why are there so many different religions / denominations in America? • Immigrants bring their faith with them from their homelands. • Combined with the freedom guaranteed by the Constitution, many different religions flourish.

10. Social Problems The Gap Between the Rich and the Poor • In 2007 the richest 1% of the American population owned 34.6% of the country's total wealth. • The next 19% owned 50.5% • Thus, the top 20% of Americans owned 85% of the country's wealth.

11. Social Problems The Gap Between the Rich and the Poor • Home ownership is one of the main sources of wealth among families in the United States. • Home prices / values tend to rise over time, but more in an affluent area.

12. Social Problems Unemployment • Does mechanization (the use of machines) lead to higher rates of unemployment?

13. Social Problems Homelessness • According to the U.S. government, the number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons nationwide dropped from 643,067 in 2009 to 636,017 in 2011. • Nearly 4 in 10 homeless people are unsheltered, living on the streets, in cars, or in abandoned buildings.

14. Social Problems Homelessness • Causes of homelessness: • Mental illness / lack of good care • Drug and alcohol abuse • Housing problems in big cities • Bad economy / Job loss • Natural disasters

15. Social Problems Homelessness • Four groups of Americans most at risk for homelessness: • The “doubled up” population (people who live with friends, family or other nonrelatives for economic reasons) • People recently released from prison • Young adults who have recently left the foster care system • People without health insurance

16. Social Problems Violence / Crime • American crime rates generally rose after World War II, and peaked between the 1970s and early 1990s. • Since the early 1990s, crime has declined in the United States. • Current crime rates are approximately the same as those of the 1960s.

17. Social Problems Violence / Crime • In 2009 America's crime rate was roughly the same as in 1968, with the homicide rate being at its lowest level since 1964. • The national crime rate was 3466 crimes per 100,000 residents, down from 3680 crimes per 100,000 residents forty years earlier in 1969. • The year 2010 was overall the safest year in almost forty years.

18. Social Problems Violence / Crime • According to the U.S. government, more than 6.6 million violent crimes (murder, rape, assault and robbery) are committed in the U.S. each year.

19. Social Problems Violence / Crime • Compared with other countries, the United States has the largest prison population in the world. • As of 2006, 2.2 million Americans were in prison. • The People’s Republic of China ranks second with 1.5 million people in prison.

20. Social Problems Decaying Morality • In 2011, there were 3,953,593 births in America, of which 40.7%1 (1,608,087) were to unmarried women. 1In 1980, this value was 18.4%. In 2000, it was 33.2%.

21. Social Problems Decaying Morality Substance Abuse (Drug Abuse) • According to a survey taken in 2010, 48.2% of 12th graders report having used an illicit drug at some point in their lives. • In the 30 days prior to the survey, 41.2% of 12th graders had consumed alcohol and 19.2% had smoked tobacco cigarettes.

22. Social Problems Decaying Morality • The legal drinking age in America varies by state. • However, the federal government withholds money from states that allow the purchase of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21.

23. Social Problems Racial Discrimination • United Nations definition of racial discrimination: The term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

24. There will be a quiz next week, on all of Part 4 Social Life

25. Final Examination Week 18 Monday, June 24 2:00 – 3:45 PM Building G, Room 201 The test will be comprehensive, consisting of 50 multiple choice questions – the same style as on the quizzes.

26. For next week, please read: Part 5 Political System Chapters 1 – 2, pages 304 to 323 (State & Federal Governments)