America’s CultureAdaptation and adoption from one culture to the next is prevalent within any culture and country. When examining the effects of this, finding its original root is key. Oftentimes a country will adapt an aspect of another culture, however it won’t be preserved and practiced identically given only a few years to be fostered in its new civilization.
America in itself is a prime example. During our germination we were known as the melting pot of every heritage—each immigrant internally packed his or her previously known culture. Although that was over two-hundred years ago, our country really hasn’t changed much in relation to mixing a little of this and a little of that. Even if we as Americans tried to avoid dabbling in the cultures of countries abroad or even right next door, it couldn’t be possible to preserve any type of “American Culture”.
The most significant of reasons preventing this is due to the foundation our country was settled upon, that being of a melting pot. This concept of an American culture or way of life is created only because each one of our ancestors arrived with their own religious practices, holiday traditions, and even recipes to our favorite dishes we Americans so commonly deem as our own. Relating this on a more contemporary level beyond the original inhabitants arriving from places abroad on boats, our country is still as dynamic as ever. With modern technology enabling travel, communication, and information from one place to the next, it creates an accessible means to share ideas, beliefs, and values between places on opposite ends of the earth.
On an even broader perspective, due to the economic structure of international trading and developing, each country is exposed to products and practices of another. Although this concept of sharing cultural components is widespread, our countries adaptation patterns are limited by that very same economic structure. Two countries that don’t share any common ground, often times that will limit the connections in which foster that exchange. For example, Zaire and America haven’t had many adaptations from one to the other due to no like foundations; i. e.
, trading partners, religion, or even fashion. On the contrary, examine the influence Europe has had on America. We adapt their music, clothing, vocabulary, and traditions into our country because America as a whole has constant communication with the European countries. Due to our country’s roots, America began as a muti-culturally influenced place. Now because of technology, diversity in family heritage, and general exposure from one place to the next—America’s culture continues to be evolving and every changing.
For this reason alone it makes one proud to be an American, because the perpetual implementing of different practices and components from a variety of cultures makes for well-balanced living. American History
