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Text A Ameriican Cullture

1．American culture is of Western culture in general．Having been developing since long before the United States became a country, it gradually obtains its own unique characteristics as is reflected in its dialect, music, arts, cuisine, etc．Today the United States of America is a diverse and multi-cultural country as a result of mass scale immigration from many countries.

2．Because of its colonial ties with the British, early American culture was strongly influenced by other European cultures as well, prominently those of Germany, Ireland and countries from which large numbers of immigrants came． Influences also came from Latin America, Asia, and Africa, especially the western part of Africa from which the ancestors of most African Americans came． American culture also shares some features with the cultures of its neighbors in the New World.

3．The United States has been traditionally known as a melting pot, but recent developments reveal the characteristics of cultural diversity and pluralism, presenting the image of a salad bowl rather than a melting pot．In American culture, there are many integrated but unique subcultures which are connected with social classes, political orientations and a multitude of demographic characteristics such as ancestral traditions, sex and sexual orientation, making American culture heterogeneous.

The Culture of Its Own

4．Americans come in all different colors and nationalities．Americans practice different religions, and live many different lifestyles．Important differences exist between geographical regions, between rural and urban areas, and between social classes．In addition, the presence of millions of immigrants who came to the United States from all corners of the world with their own culture and values adds even more variety and flavor to American life．Although Americans do not always agree with each other, they are united by a very special thing:the values and ideals that were originally described in the U．S．Constitution over 200 years ago.

5．Probably above everything else, Americans consider themselves individuals．There are strong family ties and strong loyalties to groups, but individuality and individual rights are most important．If this seems like a selfish attitude, it also leads Americans to an honest respect for other individuals and an insistence on human equality.

6．Related to this respect for individuality are American traits of independence and self reliance．From an early age, children are taught to“stand on their own two feet”, an idiom meaning to be independent．Honesty and frankness are two more aspects of American individuality, and they are more important to Americans than personal honor or“saving face”.

7．Americans place a high value on achievement and this leads them to constantly compete against each other．You will find friendly, and not-so-friendly, competition everywhere． Americans can also be obsessed with records of achievement in sports, in business, or even in more mundane things．On the other hand, even if Americans are often competitive, they also have a good sense of teamwork and of cooperating with others to achieve a specific goal.

8．Americans are often accused of being materialistic and driven to succeed．How much money a person has, how much profit a business deal makes, or how many material goods an individual accumulates is often their definition of success．This goes back to American competitiveness．Many Americans, however, do not agree with this definition of success;they enjoy life's simple pleasures and are neither overly ambitious nor aggressive．Many Americans are materially successful and still have time to appreciate the cultural, spiritual, and human aspects of life.