American Culture Today.

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Christina Kimerle

ENGL. 1106-D. Anderson

April 16, 2003

American Culture Today

        Webster’s Dictionary defines culture as, “the ideas, customs, skills, arts, etc. of a given people in a given period; civilization.” People define themselves through the culture associated with their country. A culture is an important piece of identity for each person of the world. With diverse cultures throughout the world, people’s lifestyles vary greatly. America is a unique combination of people because it has a mixture of everyone’s culture joined as the “American culture”.

America is a country with an abundance of unique cultural aspects and ways of life. Popular culture, commonly referred to as pop culture, is a combination of the most evident things that define a specific culture. The popular culture found throughout America is unique in that it is filled with the diversity of many other countries’ cultures. American culture today is defined by its strong liberties and unique popular culture. The liberties of America are defined by The Declaration of Independence, and the country’s freedoms are symbolized by the stars and stripes on the American flag that represents our country.

        The Declaration of Independence is a document that delivers Americans’ their rights and liberties. With a strong foundation of ideals, this document provides the framework for American culture; it is filled with the words Americans lives by each day. The liberation found in America is unique when compared to any other country; America is a land of free speech, free worship, and free rights. America’s blanket of freedom is desired by many all over the world. The Declaration of Independence opens with a strong message of American ways of life, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…” (United States). With these ideals evident in American lives, the American flag waves proudly throughout the lands.

        The stars and stripes that wave over America represent the freedoms and liberties of America:

        By law, the new 50-star flag will become the official flag of the United States on July 4, 1960, the birthday of the Union. Display of the new flags before that time would be improper. However, it would not be improper to display the 48-star and the 49-star flag after that date; with limited exceptions agencies of the Federal Government will continue to display the 48-star and the 49-star flag so long as they remain in good condition and until existing stocks of unused flags are exhausted. It is appropriate for all citizens to do the same. Historic U.S. flags are due the same honor and respect that are given today's colors. When a historic flag is carried or displayed with a present-day flag, the modern flag takes precedence (History of the Stars and Stripes).

The respect given to the American flag is the same respect given to the country. The flag is the strongest definition of America culture that can be seen and understood all over the world. The impact the flag has on America can be seen in the support Americans give their country by flying its red, white, and blue colors.

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        American experienced an enormous immigration wave of 20 million people between the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The first wave of immigrants came mostly from Germany, Ireland, Great Britain, and the Scandinavian countries. The “new” immigrants were Poles, Russians, Slovaks, Italians, and Asians. Major cities were the homes to what appeared as small countries; places such as The Hill, Little Italy, and Chinatown developed for these people to retain their heritage and culture. Many immigrants came to America because of failed economies, religious persecution, and the better opportunities.

Because American is filled with diverse people, it has ...

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