American culture! shorter

American culture is rooted in the British colonial period. It developed an independent and unique culture along with the local environment, including the Spanish-Mexican cowboy culture and the strong influence of several subsequent waves of colonization - including Europe. , Africa and Asia. Generally speaking, the most significant influence on American culture comes from Northern Europe, especially Germany, England, and Ireland[93], and later the cultural influence of Italy, Greece, and Central European Jews. African Americans who were formerly slaves also preserved some of the culture they brought with them from West Africa. Geographic names in the United States often reflect the combined historical components of England, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Native Americans, among others.

One model that describes American culture is the "melting pot": immigrants bring their own cultural contributions and integrate them into American culture, eventually forming a unified American culture. A commonly used model recently is the "salad bowl": the culture brought by immigrants will maintain some independent cultural characteristics of its own, rather than completely integrating into the original American culture. The culture they bring will also become part of American culture.[94] . Modern sociologists' identification with the goals of American culture tends to be multiculturalism rather than the melting pot, and has largely abandoned the concept of the melting pot [95].

Before the 20th century, American culture gradually developed from imitating Europe (especially the United Kingdom) to having its own characteristics. After World War II, with the leap in economic, military and political strength of the United States, its culture had a profound impact on the world, especially Europe. had a significant impact. Today, American pop music is heard around the world, and American movies and television are broadcast around the world.

There are endless criticisms against the objective "invasion" of American culture into the world. Many Europeans believe that American culture is naive and naive, and countries led by France have always firmly resisted the entry of American culture. The cultural traditions of East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East are very different from those of the United States. Countries such as Japan are deeply affected by it. On the other hand, some Islamic countries have strong resistance to it. At the same time, many Canadians and Australians are also very concerned about the assimilation impact of American culture. The global status of American culture has greatly promoted the spread of English, making it almost a de facto "Esperanto." France and other places intend to fight the influence of English culture within the scope of their influence.

[edit]Music

Main article: American music

Louis Armstrong is a representative figure of American jazz.

The variety and style of American music reflects the characteristics of the American cultural salad plate. World-famous music genres such as rock and roll, rhythm and blues, jazz and country music all originated in the United States. At the beginning of the 20th century, popular music recorded and copied from the United States gradually spread to the world. Some American pop music can be heard almost all over the world [96].

The history of American music can be traced back to the traditional religious music of the early Native Americans. With the arrival of a large number of immigrants from European countries, American music has been enriched by Christian choruses and musical scores. Each subsequent wave of immigration brought music from different regions, cultures and characteristics. A large number of African Americans also brought traditional music with African characteristics. A large part of the American pop music that began to emerge in the late 19th century was derived from the blues of these African Americans, as well as the gospel music that began to develop in the 1920s. African-American music became the foundation of American popular music, mixing European and indigenous musical elements. The United States also has a large amount of folk music and music from immigrants such as Ukraine, Ireland, Scotland, Poland, Mexico, and Jews. Many American cities and towns also developed independent regional music. Large cities such as Detroit, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as well as countless smaller cities, developed their own musical styles.

[edit] Literature

Main article: American Literature

Mark Twain, 1907.

Like every other country, American literature is shaped by its unique history. In the early days, the United States was formed by a series of British colonies on the east coast, so the tradition of American literature was closer to British literature. However, with the progress of history and the continuous flow of immigrants, the characteristics and breadth of American literature have exceeded the scope of British literature.

In the earliest colonial period, the main theme of American literature was to praise the benefits brought by the New World to the colonists and the European mother countries. Controversies over religious beliefs are also one of the themes. With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War and the independence of the United States, the political works written by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine and others had a great influence on literature and politics, and also gave birth to the new country's sense of independence. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence and later became President of the United States, is also considered one of the most talented early American writers. With the War of 1812 and the desire for independent literary characteristics, more new writers with American characteristics, such as Edgar Allan Poe, gradually emerged. The conflict over slavery and the ensuing Civil War also had a profound impact on American literature. By the end of the 19th century, due to the progress of industrialization and the end of the land development period, American literature broke away from the original border literature, and Mark Twain became the first A major writer not born on the East Coast who pioneered Native American literature. British writer Somerset Maugham believes that Melville's "Moby-Dick" is one of the world's top ten literary masterpieces, and its status is even higher than that of Mark Twain and others.

In the 20th century, the social changes brought about by industrialization made the development of American literature more diverse and complex. Hemingway reflected the distaste for the First World War. In 1925, Fitzgerald published "The Biography of the Tycoon", which represented the dream of Americans before the economic panic of the 1920s. Black literature, southern literature, and modern literature also emerged during the same period. After World War II, new generations, new races, regions, and social characteristics were all very different from previous generations. A large amount of immigrant literature and emerging feminist literature also became part of American literature.

[edit] Film, television and drama

The birth and development of film originated in the United States. British-born American photographer Eadweard Muybridge captured the first ever motion picture of a galloping horse. Since then, the American film industry has begun to develop rapidly. Hollywood, California, has become an important town for film development. Most of the innovation and development of film technology originated from here. Hollywood films have also become one of the main representatives of American culture. . In the 1920s, the United States produced an average of 800 regular films every year. Charlie Chaplin's comedies, films such as "Gone with the Wind" and "Superman" adapted from the novel "Gone with the Wind" spread to almost every continent and country, becoming A household symbol of America. The export of these films also brought huge commercial profits to the United States.

The United States is also one of the earliest countries in the world to develop and popularize television technology. Today, there are thousands of television stations in the United States. Television is a part of American culture and life, and loving watching television is one of the few characteristics that most Americans have in common. Americans learn about domestic and foreign news and current events through television, and watch movies, games, cartoons, and soap operas. 99% of American households have at least one television, and the vast majority have two.

[edit]Sports

Main article: American sports

In the United States, American football is the most popular spectator sport. [97]

Sports is a national leisure activity in the United States, and its popularity is unmatched by other leisure activities. Professional sports are a field with great business opportunities in the United States, and those who choose to become professional athletes also receive extremely high rewards. The vast majority of the world's highest-paid sports teams and athletes are based in the United States [98]. The so-called "Big Four" sports include baseball, American football, ice hockey and basketball. Other popular sports include racing and lacrosse, a sport of Native American origin and the oldest sport in the United States. Although English football is also a very popular sport and is the most popular sport in Latin America, Italian and Hispanic communities, football is not very popular in the United States compared to other countries. However, after entering the 2000s , more and more white American teenagers choose football as their first choice sport. According to a 2004 survey by the State Council's Bureau of National Intelligence, nearly 16 million people in the United States regularly choose to play football, and from 1987 to 2006, Football is also the only sport that has achieved a net increase in the number of participants [99]. More and more cities have established clubs to join the increasingly influential MLS (American Professional Soccer League); the US national football team has participated in recent World Cups It also achieved good results in the competition, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, and also reaching the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The United States also has many sports that originated in Europe and were widely developed in the United States, such as horse racing. Rugby is also quite popular. Although other European sports such as horse hockey and cricket are not as popular, they still have many die-hard audiences. The United States is also a major country in developing sports such as golf and tennis. The United States is also the center for the development of boxing and professional wrestling in Western countries. Matches often attract large crowds and also attract various sports gambling activities. The United States has also produced many world-renowned boxing champions. Other combat sports, such as karate, which originated in Japan, are also quite popular in the United States and are often contested.

College sports are also quite popular in the United States, and their popularity is almost as popular as the professional field, especially in the fields of American football and basketball. Many universities and colleges develop sports teams and hold regular intercollegiate competitions. Universities and colleges offer a wide range of sports, from track and field to water polo. Similarly, American high schools also have a variety of sports activities. Sometimes these inter-school competitions will become local headlines, showing the American people's love and emphasis on sports.

[edit] Food

American cooking has absorbed Native American cooking methods and ingredients, such as turkey, potatoes, corn, and pumpkin, which have become indispensable to American culture. part. Apple pie, pizza, and hamburgers originally came from or were improved from Europe, and now they are symbols of American fast food culture. Burritos and tacos originate from Mexico. "Soul food" introduced from Africa by African Americans when they were slaves has also become one of the popular home-cooked dishes.

Americans’ eating habits are also three meals a day. Breakfast time is around 7 to 8 am. Breakfast content varies from place to place. A simple breakfast may be simple foods such as juice, milk, cereal, toast, and coffee.

Breakfast is usually eaten at home, but sometimes breakfast is used as an opportunity to discuss business and other business activities, which is called "working breakfast." Lunch time is basically from 12 noon to 2 pm. Because time is short and people are not necessarily close to home, students and office workers rarely go home to eat. Instead, they bring meals from home. Therefore, in comparison, American lunch is the simplest of the three meals, including raw vegetables. Salads, sandwiches, burgers or stuffed buns, hot dogs and more, plus a drink. Dinner starts around 6 to 7 o'clock in the evening and is usually rich. Therefore, in American English, dinner also means a dinner or a big meal. At dinner, a fruit juice or soup is usually served first, and then the main course is served. The main dishes that are often placed on the table include steak, pork chops, grilled beef brisket, fried chicken, fried shrimp, ham and grilled lamb chops. Most Americans like to have some sweets after dinner, such as cakes, ice cream and chocolate. On weekends or holidays, many families only eat two meals. They call eating breakfast and lunch together brunch, which is the sum of breakfast and lunch. Generally more formal. Some families don't cook on Sundays, and the whole family goes to restaurants for meals. On some American holidays, American families often hold picnics and outdoor barbecues.

[edit]American Dream

Main article: American Dream

Before the advent of the jet age, the millions of immigrants who came to the United States by boat had a deep appreciation for the United States. The first impression is of the Statue of Liberty in front of New York Harbor.

The so-called American Dream is an ideal that believes that as long as you work hard and unremittingly in the United States, you can achieve a better life. That is, people must work hard, courage, and achieve a better life. Creativity and determination lead to prosperity rather than dependence on a particular social class and the aid of others. Often this represents people's financial success or entrepreneurial spirit [100]. Many European immigrants came to the United States with the ideal of the American Dream in mind. But some criticize the American Dream for overemphasizing the role of material wealth in measuring victory and happiness. Because unlike most other countries, the United States has considerable economic freedom and the role of government is quite limited, which makes the United States extremely socially mobile. From the independence of the United States until the end of the 19th century, vast areas of land were uninhabited and unowned, and could be occupied, invested, and cultivated by anyone who cared. During the Industrial Revolution, the United States' vast natural resources and advanced industrial technology made rapid social mobility possible.