what is the percentages of races in the united states
Race and ethnicity in the United States
Patterns of original settlement settlement of the Americas by a variety of Native American peoples , including Alaska Natives . settlement of Pacific islands by Polynesian people , including Native Hawaiians , Samoans , the Chamorro people in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands . settlement of Puerto Rico by the Taíno people . settlement of the United States Virgin Islands by the Ciboney , Carib , and Arawaks . Colonization Colonization of what is now eastern Canada and the area between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River as New France . Historical events , including the Expulsion of the Acadians , influenced the ethnic mix , especially in Louisiana , northern New England and New York State . Colonization of the Thirteen Colonies by the Dutch , British , and later immigrants such as Germans from northern Europe . Spanish colonization of the Americas , including Florida , the Southwest , and Puerto Rico , later acquired by the US . Denmark and other historical colonial powers influenced the ethnic makeup of what are now the United States Virgin Islands . The Atlantic slave trade , bringing millions of Africans to the South , Caribbean , and Latin America . Severe reduction of Native American populations in the contiguous United States , mostly because of new infectious diseases carried by European colonists , combined with warfare Forced migration Deportation and flight of United Empire Loyalists to Canada , the Caribbean and Britain after the American Revolution Forced removal of more than one million African Americans in the domestic slave trade from the Upper South to the Deep South during the early 19th century as Americans developed new lands for plantations Territorial conflict with Native Americans and the Indian removal policy of the 19th century displaced many remaining native populations from east of the Mississippi River to territories to the west , especially to what is now Oklahoma . Immigration Historical immigration to the United States from all countries of the world and throughout the history of the country , for religious , political and economic reasons . Since the late 19th century , the History of laws concerning immigration and naturalization in the United States and illegal immigration to the United States have influenced the ethnic balance of that immigration . Various groups have been denied entry due to discrimination , economic protectionism , and political conflict with their nation of origin . Other groups have received favored status , such as refugees and nationals of allied nations . Transatlantic migrations from Europe , especially in the 19th century , created ethnic enclaves in many eastern cities and settling many rural areas east of the Mississippi Immigration from Asia has had the most influence on Hawaii and the West Coast , but has also created predominantly Asian neighborhoods in many major cities across the country . Immigration from Mexico and other existing Latino populations has strongly influenced the Southwest . Westward expansion of the United States The Royal Proclamation of 1763 restricted the western boundary of European settlement to the watershed east of the Appalachian Mountains ; despite the Confederation Congress Proclamation of 1783 and Nonintercourse Acts prohibiting private purchase of Native American lands , the territory between the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains granted to the United States by the Treaty of Paris ( 1783 ) was gradually opened to white settlers through public purchase of Indian lands . The Homestead Act promoting settlement west of the Mississippi after the Louisiana Purchase Mormon settlement of Utah California Gold Rush Oregon Trail Klondike Gold Rush promoting settlement of Alaska Internal migration African Americans escaped from slavery , sometimes via the Underground Railroad , reaching the free North before the American Civil War . In the 20th century , to seek jobs and escape racial violence , African Americans left the South in the Great Migration and Second Great Migration , moving to Northern , Midwestern , and Western cities , where they had to compete with recent European immigrants . Especially as transportation systems have improved over the centuries , it has become relatively easy for many Americans to move from one part of the country to another , given the lack of internal borders and dominance of English in most areas . Many do so for reasons of economic opportunity , climate , or culture . The American Industrial Revolution , promoted urbanization of what was previously a largely agrarian society Railroads , promoting migration westwards and streetcar suburbs , created significant ethnic shifts in urban areas . Economics and natural disasters have driven migration , for example during the Dust Bowl , World War II , and since the decline of the Rust Belt Suburbanization period after World War II , with `` white flight '' to new housing and away from later social unrest , followed by `` black flight '' The majority of Native Hawaiians who moved to the mainland U.S. have settled in California . Air conditioning has promoted migration from northern areas to the Sun Belt , aided by states ' rules against union labor and having low taxes for businesses . The Jet Age promoted vacationing and part - time living in warmer areas ( snowbirding ) .
Patterns of original settlement settlement of the Americas by a variety of Native American peoples , including Alaska Natives . settlement of Pacific islands by Polynesian people , including Native Hawaiians , Samoans , the Chamorro people in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands . settlement of Puerto Rico by the Taíno people . settlement of the United States Virgin Islands by the Ciboney , Carib , and Arawaks . Colonization Colonization of what is now eastern Canada and the area between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River as New France . Historical events , including the Expulsion of the Acadians , influenced the ethnic mix , especially in Louisiana , northern New England and New York State . Colonization of the Thirteen Colonies by the Dutch , British , and later immigrants such as Germans from northern Europe . Spanish colonization of the Americas , including Florida , the Southwest , and Puerto Rico , later acquired by the US . Denmark and other historical colonial powers influenced the ethnic makeup of what are now the United States Virgin Islands . The Atlantic slave trade , bringing millions of Africans to the South , Caribbean , and Latin America . Severe reduction of Native American populations in the contiguous United States , mostly because of new infectious diseases carried by European colonists , combined with warfare Forced migration Deportation and flight of United Empire Loyalists to Canada , the Caribbean and Britain after the American Revolution Forced removal of more than one million African Americans in the domestic slave trade from the Upper South to the Deep South during the early 19th century as Americans developed new lands for plantations Territorial conflict with Native Americans and the Indian removal policy of the 19th century displaced many remaining native populations from east of the Mississippi River to territories to the west , especially to what is now Oklahoma . Immigration Historical immigration to the United States from all countries of the world and throughout the history of the country , for religious , political and economic reasons . Since the late 19th century , the History of laws concerning immigration and naturalization in the United States and illegal immigration to the United States have influenced the ethnic balance of that immigration . Various groups have been denied entry due to discrimination , economic protectionism , and political conflict with their nation of origin . Other groups have received favored status , such as refugees and nationals of allied nations . Transatlantic migrations from Europe , especially in the 19th century , created ethnic enclaves in many eastern cities and settling many rural areas east of the Mississippi Immigration from Asia has had the most influence on Hawaii and the West Coast , but has also created predominantly Asian neighborhoods in many major cities across the country . Immigration from Mexico and other existing Latino populations has strongly influenced the Southwest . Westward expansion of the United States The Royal Proclamation of 1763 restricted the western boundary of European settlement to the watershed east of the Appalachian Mountains ; despite the Confederation Congress Proclamation of 1783 and Nonintercourse Acts prohibiting private purchase of Native American lands , the territory between the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains granted to the United States by the Treaty of Paris ( 1783 ) was gradually opened to white settlers through public purchase of Indian lands . The Homestead Act promoting settlement west of the Mississippi after the Louisiana Purchase Mormon settlement of Utah California Gold Rush Oregon Trail Klondike Gold Rush promoting settlement of Alaska Internal migration African Americans escaped from slavery , sometimes via the Underground Railroad , reaching the free North before the American Civil War . In the 20th century , to seek jobs and escape racial violence , African Americans left the South in the Great Migration and Second Great Migration , moving to Northern , Midwestern , and Western cities , where they had to compete with recent European immigrants . Especially as transportation systems have improved over the centuries , it has become relatively easy for many Americans to move from one part of the country to another , given the lack of internal borders and dominance of English in most areas . Many do so for reasons of economic opportunity , climate , or culture . The American Industrial Revolution , promoted urbanization of what was previously a largely agrarian society Railroads , promoting migration westwards and streetcar suburbs , created significant ethnic shifts in urban areas . Economics and natural disasters have driven migration , for example during the Dust Bowl , World War II , and since the decline of the Rust Belt Suburbanization period after World War II , with `` white flight '' to new housing and away from later social unrest , followed by `` black flight '' The majority of Native Hawaiians who moved to the mainland U.S. have settled in California . Air conditioning has promoted migration from northern areas to the Sun Belt , aided by states ' rules against union labor and having low taxes for businesses . The Jet Age promoted vacationing and part - time living in warmer areas ( snowbirding ) .