As a major city in a developed nation, San Francisco has an ethnically diverse and large population of 825,863 (2012). The city has the 4th largest population in California. According to the most recent Bay Area Census of 2010, whites comprise 48.5%, African Americans; 6.1%, American Indian or Alaskan Natives- 0.5%, Asians; 33.3%, Hispanic or Latino (of any race); 15.1%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander; 0.4%, some other race; 6.6%, and two or more races; 4.7%.
Pre-European Inhabitants
Prior to the Spanish "conquistadors" and religious men and women's entry into the San Francisco Bay area in 1776, there were several Native American tribal groups that were connected by the Costanoan language family. Eight languages were spoken, and each was unique to a tribe. In San Francisco and San Jose the dominant indian tribe was the Ohlone. The San Francisco De Asis or Dolores Mission brought the tribes of the area together, including members of the Bay Miwok, Coast Miwok and Patwin tribes, in order to effectuate the religious conversion process that was employed by the representatives of the Catholic Church. By 1832 the mission was plagued by disease, and many of the indigenous people departed from the mission. The Spanish came to America for mainly economic purposes, and spiritual purposes to a lesser extent. The miniscule percentage of Native Americans that make up part of the Census intake indicated the ravaging effects on tribal population in addition to the erosion of tribal culture due to Spanish inquisition.
Chinese Immigrants
In 1848 Chinese immigrants began flocking to the San Francisco's Angel Island due to the promise of gold and opportunity, due to harsh impoverished conditions in the southern part of China, where most of them came from. "By 1852, more than 25,000 immigrants from China alone had arrived in America." (www.history.com) However, soon after the restrictive "Chinese Exclusion Act" was passed in 1882 to place a 10 year moratorium on Chinese labor immigration to the United States. "However, this legislation could not keep sons and daughters of U.S. citizens out of the country. People attempting to emigrate from China often became "Paper Sons" and "Paper Daughters" by purchasing documentation claiming that they were children of U.S. citizens, and therefore citizens themselves. " (http://www.angelisland.com) The exclusion act wasn't repealed until 1943, and Chinatown began to flourish and become the influence that it is today.
Multi-ethnic Gold Rush Immigration
"The Gold Rush made San Francisco a cosmopolitan metropolis with a frontier edge." (http://www.history.com/topics/san-francisco). Thousands of prospect gold miners, known as the '49ers converged in San Francisco, leaving their hometowns and families behind. The mostly men (92%) came from Oregon, Hawaii, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and "By the mid 1850s there were more than 300,000 new arrivals—and one in every 90 people in the United States was living in California." (history.com) The notion of a new life and the possibility of wealth was a huge pull factor: "A migration theory that suggests that circumstances at the place of origin (such as poverty and unemployment) repel or push people out of that place to other places that exert a positive attraction or pull (such as a high standard of living or job opportunities). (583, Mayda) Though about $81 million in gold was extracted from the land, many men suffered arduously and left pennilessly,
Today, the biggest age group in San Francisco is 18 to 64 years old at 73.0%. The oldest age group, which is aged 65 and older is 13.6%, while the youngest age group, which is under 5 years old is 4.4%. San Francisco thus represents typical population structure for a large city in a developed nation, "...with a bulge in the middle representing the "baby boom" generation, a smaller base of youth, and a larger population of seniors." (Mayda, 77) San Francisco ranks 2nd out of all U.S. cities (after Seattle) in terms of residents who have obtained a Bachelor's degree, with 51%. The largest portion of the workforce is employed in the tertiary sector, however, a larger percentage of people in the city is not in the labor force, which could be representative of seniors, children, and also people affected by the recent economic recession.
Pre-European Inhabitants
Prior to the Spanish "conquistadors" and religious men and women's entry into the San Francisco Bay area in 1776, there were several Native American tribal groups that were connected by the Costanoan language family. Eight languages were spoken, and each was unique to a tribe. In San Francisco and San Jose the dominant indian tribe was the Ohlone. The San Francisco De Asis or Dolores Mission brought the tribes of the area together, including members of the Bay Miwok, Coast Miwok and Patwin tribes, in order to effectuate the religious conversion process that was employed by the representatives of the Catholic Church. By 1832 the mission was plagued by disease, and many of the indigenous people departed from the mission. The Spanish came to America for mainly economic purposes, and spiritual purposes to a lesser extent. The miniscule percentage of Native Americans that make up part of the Census intake indicated the ravaging effects on tribal population in addition to the erosion of tribal culture due to Spanish inquisition.
Ohlone people (www.missionscalifornia.com)
San Francisco de Asis or Dolores Mission- The oldest building standing in San Francisco today. (www.books-about-california.com)
In 1848 Chinese immigrants began flocking to the San Francisco's Angel Island due to the promise of gold and opportunity, due to harsh impoverished conditions in the southern part of China, where most of them came from. "By 1852, more than 25,000 immigrants from China alone had arrived in America." (www.history.com) However, soon after the restrictive "Chinese Exclusion Act" was passed in 1882 to place a 10 year moratorium on Chinese labor immigration to the United States. "However, this legislation could not keep sons and daughters of U.S. citizens out of the country. People attempting to emigrate from China often became "Paper Sons" and "Paper Daughters" by purchasing documentation claiming that they were children of U.S. citizens, and therefore citizens themselves. " (http://www.angelisland.com) The exclusion act wasn't repealed until 1943, and Chinatown began to flourish and become the influence that it is today.
Chinatown- Ross Alley from Jackson Street, c. 1898 (photographer: Arnold Genthe) (foundsf.org)
Chinatown today. (sfchinatown.wordpress.com)
"The Gold Rush made San Francisco a cosmopolitan metropolis with a frontier edge." (http://www.history.com/topics/san-francisco). Thousands of prospect gold miners, known as the '49ers converged in San Francisco, leaving their hometowns and families behind. The mostly men (92%) came from Oregon, Hawaii, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and "By the mid 1850s there were more than 300,000 new arrivals—and one in every 90 people in the United States was living in California." (history.com) The notion of a new life and the possibility of wealth was a huge pull factor: "A migration theory that suggests that circumstances at the place of origin (such as poverty and unemployment) repel or push people out of that place to other places that exert a positive attraction or pull (such as a high standard of living or job opportunities). (583, Mayda) Though about $81 million in gold was extracted from the land, many men suffered arduously and left pennilessly,
(history.howstuffworks.com)
Other Population InformationToday, the biggest age group in San Francisco is 18 to 64 years old at 73.0%. The oldest age group, which is aged 65 and older is 13.6%, while the youngest age group, which is under 5 years old is 4.4%. San Francisco thus represents typical population structure for a large city in a developed nation, "...with a bulge in the middle representing the "baby boom" generation, a smaller base of youth, and a larger population of seniors." (Mayda, 77) San Francisco ranks 2nd out of all U.S. cities (after Seattle) in terms of residents who have obtained a Bachelor's degree, with 51%. The largest portion of the workforce is employed in the tertiary sector, however, a larger percentage of people in the city is not in the labor force, which could be representative of seniors, children, and also people affected by the recent economic recession.
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