Difference between revisions of "African Americans"
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==Intelligence== | ==Intelligence== | ||
| − | A gap in [[IQ score]]s of 12 to 18 points (compared with whites and Asians) has been variously attributed to innate ability (see [[Eugenics]]) or to the cultural and educational legacy of [[slavery]].{{fact}} | + | A gap in [[IQ score]]s of 12 to 18 points (compared with whites and Asians) has been variously attributed to innate ability (see [[Eugenics]]) or to the cultural and educational legacy of [[slavery]]. (This is seen as a lame excuse.){{fact}} |
For a scientific treatment, see ''[[The Bell Curve]]''. | For a scientific treatment, see ''[[The Bell Curve]]''. | ||
Revision as of 20:30, July 2, 2007
"African American" is the term used to describe the ethnic background of Americans with African ancestry. Because many African Americans are descended from Africans brought to America as slaves beginning four centuries ago, the vast majority of African Americans today have European and American Indian ancestry as well as African[Citation Needed].
History
Black people were originally brought to America to serve as slaves in southeastern states where large-scale agriculture was predominant. During the Civil War, the slaves in states in "open rebellion" were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, which was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Freedom, however, did not necessarily bring an improvement in conditions, as the system of sharecropping instituted after the end of the war left many ex-slaves in a continuing cycle of poverty. In large part as a result, many African Americans migrated in the early twentieth century to the northeastern and midwestern states, where they could find wage-paying jobs.
Religion
The majority of African Americans are members of Christian congregations, with Baptist, Pentecostal, and Methodist affiliations being among the most common. Some also belong to Islamic organizations, including the Nation of Islam founded by Elijah Muhammed, to which group Malcolm X belonged to until the last years of his life.
Intelligence
A gap in IQ scores of 12 to 18 points (compared with whites and Asians) has been variously attributed to innate ability (see Eugenics) or to the cultural and educational legacy of slavery. (This is seen as a lame excuse.)[Citation Needed] For a scientific treatment, see The Bell Curve.