Final answer:
In the United States, social classes are thought of as mostly middle-class, with economic stratification based on wealth rather than nobility. The middle class is recognized alongside the upper and lower classes, but there has been a trend of decrease in the size of the middle class.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many people in the United States think of social classes in the country as mostly middle-class. This perception is reflective of a societal belief that the U.S. is predominantly a middle-class society, with a few people being rich and a few being poor. The concept of nobility does not apply to the U.S. as it does in Europe, since the U.S. lacks a historical class system based on hereditary titles. Instead, the United States has three main social classes: upper, middle, and lower class, with wealth being a significant way of distinguishing classes. The middle class once made up a significant portion of the U.S. population, although recent trends show a concerning shrinkage of this class.