What are the current classes and trends in America?

Class Consciousness describes the ability to understand and identify yourself with the goals and ideas of a certain class.  Now since classes tend to change and form into others it can be difficult.  There are five main classes however that can be observed in the United States.

The Upper Class 
This class is the top 1% of the population.  Mainly consisting of families that have held money throughout many generations, Ford, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, it consists mainly of people who were born into their money instead of earning it. Some people however earn their money from achievement, such as people running corporations or investing in the stock market.

The Middle Class
40 to 50 percent of Americans are considered middle class. It consists of people who are generally well educated and are part of a business.  They tend to save money, and hold some positions of power in their respective communities.

The Working Class
Almost one third of the population  is in this class.  They tend to have lower economic resources then the middle class. Earning a below average income, and facing the threat of unemployment, people in this class will generally not have any insurance, and will not have much free time to do other activities than working.

The Working Poor
Comprising of 13 percent of the population, they will not make it above the poverty line of income, and will serve in labor jobs or low wage positions. People in this class will usually not belong to any organizations or participate in any politics.

The Underclass
These are citizens who are unemployed and tend to come from a long line of unemployment.  They come into this class by birth, pregnancy, lack of education, alcoholism, and many more.  It is very hard to sustain yourself, and getting out of this class can be difficult.