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The social structure relates to the Feudal System, meaning that the people of the land were categorised into importance. The order was (1 meaning the strongest) pope/church - highly respected member...

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American Class System

In a previous lesson, we discussed social stratification - a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. In an open system of social stratification, which is what we have, status is achieved through merit or effort, and social mobility between classes is possible through education and certain opportunities. The American class system is typically broadly divided into three main layers: upper class, middle class, and lower class. They are mostly based on socioeconomic conditions. Although definitions and membership criteria aren't concrete, these three classes offer a general understanding of what social stratification looks like in the U.S. In this lesson we'll discuss these three types of classes, including the layers that exist in each.

Upper Class

First, we'll start at the top of the hierarchy. Individuals who are considered to be members of the upper class are the owners of the means of production and most of the country's private wealth. Many are important government officials, large business owners, or top executives that have a great deal of income and/or wealth.

It is important to know the difference between income and wealth, as they are two distinct concepts. They are also a big part of determining social status. Income is salary and/or other money that is regularly received, where wealth is the total value of all assets, minus outstanding debts. In other words, income is what you make, and wealth is what you have. Someone can bring in a high income without being wealthy, and can also be wealthy without bringing in any income. For example, some people earn a large salary but spend it all on a large house, fancy cars, travel, etc. These individuals basically live from paycheck to paycheck, and if they were to stop working, they would quickly become destitute. On the other hand, some people earn a modest salary but are very frugal in how they spend it - they live below their means and carefully invest anything that's left over. For some of these individuals, they could stop working and still have enough money to live on for years.

Another example of how someone can be wealthy without an income can be seen in the most elite of the upper class. The upper class actually has two layers: the upper-upper class and the lower-upper class. The upper-upper class makes up less than one percent of the U.S. population, and membership is almost always the result of birth. These individuals are the 'blue bloods' or 'old money' who inherit massive wealth from their family. The Queen of England is an example, as are the Kennedys and the Rockefellers. These individuals have inherited enough that they don't need to work.

On the other hand, the majority of upper class members actually fall into the lower-upper class. These are mostly the 'working rich' or 'new money' - individuals who earn their lifestyle instead of inheriting it. Professional athletes, actors, and successful entrepreneurs are all examples. These individuals are still wealthy - some even more so than the individuals in the upper-upper class - but also have a high income.

Middle Class

The next step down in the social hierarchy of the U.S. class system is the middle class, which includes about half of the U.S. population. Most advertisements are directed towards this audience, and fictional characters in popular culture - TV shows, movies, and books - are typically middle-class members. The greatest amount of social mobility occurs at this level, whether it's upward, downward, or horizontal.

Like the upper class, the middle class has several layers: upper-middle, average-middle, and lower-middle. Upper-middles are those who earn above-average salaries, and typically live in fairly expensive houses in nice neighborhoods. Almost all of them are college graduates, and many go on to highly prestigious white-collar jobs - doctors, lawyers, businessmen, local politicians, and so on.

The center layer of the middle class is the average-middle, and the family income at this level is roughly the national average. Members typically work at less prestigious white-collar jobs - managers, teachers, office workers, and so on. Most are college graduates.

The lower-middle class is also called the working class, and it's the bottom layer at this level. They typically have blue-collar jobs, such as police officers, electricians, truck drivers, plumbers, factory workers, and more. They earn slightly less than the national average.

Lower Class

The remainder of the population makes up the lower class, which includes those who lack money and/or the means to meet basic needs. They have low-prestige jobs and extremely low income, if they have any at all. For the most part, society tends to look down on and segregate the lower class, especially those who are also part of minority groups.

The lower class is divided into two layers: the upper-lower and the lower-lower class. The upper-lower class is also known as the working poor. Members of this class typically have a low educational level, are not highly skilled, and work minimum-wage jobs. They have very little to no job security, and are either right at or below the poverty line.

Finally, the lowest position in the social class hierarchy is the underclass - the lower-lower class. Here, norms and values are formed that typically differ drastically from the rest of society. The underclass is characterized by extreme poverty, joblessness, homelessness, crime, violence, and so on.

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american class system and structure: definitions & types of social classes - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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American Class System and Structure: Definitions & Types of Social Classes - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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In a previous lesson, we discussed social stratification - a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy. In an open system of social stratification, which is what we have, status is achieved through merit or effort, and social mobility between classes is possible through education and certain opportunities.

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Hilary McKay, illus. by Sarah Gibb. S&S/McElderry, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5344-3284-0

Stepping assuredly into fantasy, McKay (the Casson Family series) displays ingenuity and wit in these 10 cunningly reconfigured tales, illustrated with Gibb's stunning silhouette artwork. The inventive array of narrators includes classic fairy tale characters as adults (whose identities are initially ambiguous), sharing their stories with subsequent generations. The present-day adventures of Rapunzel's two children frame her tale; Snow White reaches into her past to tell her granddaughter the story of a girl who escapes from her wicked stepmother to live with dwarfs (and offers to take her to visit the seven, still living in the forest); and the eldest of 12 dancing princesses, while recounting her girlhood nocturnal escapades, reassures her skeptical daughter that there "was a lot more magic about" in bygone days. Abundantly magical, the anthology also features new characters, among them the prim Fraulein, who teaches Hansel and Gretel and their off-puttingly "sticky" schoolmates, including Jack of beanstalk fame. In her introduction, McKay notes, "If ever I wrote a book with love, it is this one!" That is wonderfully apparent, and kids will read it in kind. Ages 8-12. (Feb.)

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Children's Book Review: Straw into Gold: Fairy Tales Re-spun by Hilary McKay, illus. by Sarah Gibb. S&S/McElderry, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5344-3284-0

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Hilary McKay, illus. by Sarah Gibb. S&S/McElderry, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-5344-3284-0 Stepping assuredly into fantasy, McKay (the Casson Family series) displays ingenuity and wit in these 10 cunningly reconfigured tales, illustrated with Gibb's stunning silhouette artwork. The inventive array of narrators includes classic fairy tale characters as adults (whose identities are initially ambiguous), sharing their stories with subsequent generations.

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Brothers Grimm | Biography, Stories, & Works

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Brothers Grimm, German folklorists and linguists best known for their Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1812–22), which led to the modern study of folklore. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm together compiled other collections of folk music and folk literature, and Jacob did important work in historical linguistics and ph…

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Do you like fairy tales? Did you know that fairy tales are often influenced by different cultures and times, and that's why there are different versions around the world?

Here are eleven interesting facts about fairy tales:

1. A pair of brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, created a compilation of traditional German folktales. It was published in 1812 and often referred to as Grimm's Fairy Tales. This book contains many of the fairy tales we have come to know and love, like "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Snow White".

2. The original versions of fairy tales can be gruesome, so they are often rewritten and toned down to appeal to the masses. For example, in the Disney movie Snow White, the evil queen sought Snow White's heart. But in the Grimm brothers' original tale, the evil queen wanted to consume her lungs and liver. What a huge appetite she had!

3. In the French version of Rapunzel, the story does not have a happy ending. Rapunzel is turned into a frog and the prince is cursed with a pig's snout.

4. The very first tale of Cinderella was recorded in China at around AD 850. That Cinderella is Yeh-hsien. She wears a dress made of kingfisher feathers and her shoes are made of gold.

5. In the early centuries, the story of the Little Red Riding Hood was used to warn children of the dangerous wild animals in the woods. People were really afraid of wolves back then!

6. Fairy tales have been reinvented by various cultures over the years. Hollywood has created popular movie versions of Cinderella, Snow White and Alice in Wonderland. Johnny Depp also starred as the Hatter in Alice in Wonderland (2010).

7. In Roald Dahl's version of the Little Red Riding Hood, Red Riding Hood is not as helpless as she was in the story we grew up with. She actually strikes back against the wolf!

8. The original title of Sleeping Beauty is La Belle Au Bois Dormant in French, which means The Beauty in the Sleeping Wood. The Grimm brothers titled it "Little Briar Rose" in their collection.

9. "Snow White and Rose Red" is another story found in Grimm's Fairy Tales. It is rather different from the Snow White tale mentioned earlier, as there isn't an evil queen or huntsman in the story. There's a vicious bear instead though!

10. Fairy tales are well-liked by famous authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Pratchett and C.S. Lewis. Charles Dickens also said that fairy tales helped to keep him ever young!

11. In Grimm's Fairy Tales, there's a whimsical verse at the end of "Hansel and Gretel" that goes, "My tale is done, there runs a mouse, whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it."

Source
Title: The Annotated Brothers Grimm
Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Call No.: 398.20943 KIN

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Do you like fairy tales? Did you know that fairy tales are often influenced by different cultures and times, and that's why there are different versions around the world? Here are eleven interesting facts about fairy tales: 1. A pair of brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, created a compilation of traditional German folktales.

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genre of folklore that includes folktales, legends and myths . Even though the name suggests it, fairy tales do not always have fairies in them, but they do usually contain some type of magical element.

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history of fairytales - Yahoo Video Search Results

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