Settlement patterns in the United States can be divided into three major periods. The first period was the arrival of the American colonists; the second was the movement west; and the third was the movement from rural to urban areas. Settlement patterns continue to change over time. In 1790, less than 10 percent of the population could be defined as urban, but currently more than 75 percent of the population is located in an urban area.

People have immigrated to the United States and migrated throughout the United States. This has traditionally been related to economic and social conditions. From the Industrial Revolution to the Great Migration, people have looked for better economic opportunities and social conditions.

The U.S. Census Bureau keeps track of information about the population in the United States. Click on the link below to access the map, which is the bureau’s Interactive Population Map from the 2010 census. Analyze the information in the map, and answer the following questions.

2010 Census: Texas Profile

1. What percentage of the population of Texas is American Indian and Alaska Native?

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   0.7%

2. Are there more homeowners or renters in Texas?

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   Homeowners

3. Which race makes up the largest segment of the population of Texas?

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   Whites make up the largest racial segment of Texas at 70.4%.

Think about what you have learned about immigration and how it has affected settlement patterns over time. The poem below was written by Walt Whitman, an influential U.S. poet. Read the poem and respond to the questions that follow in your notes.

1. Who was Whitman addressing when he said "All you continentals of Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, indifferent of place!"?
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   Whitman was addressing immigrants from all over the world who wanted to come to the United States.
2. Do you think that Whitman's poem was welcoming or unwelcoming toward immigrants? What evidence supports your answer?
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   Whitman’s poem seems to welcome all immigrants. For example, "Health to you! good will to you all, from me and America sent!" indicates that Americans are welcoming immigrants and wishing them well.
3. Imagine that you are an immigrant who has recently arrived in the United States. How would you feel about your new home after reading this poem? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.
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   As an immigrant, you may feel that you have the right to immigrate to America based on this excerpt from the poem: "-each of us with his or her right upon the earth."