American culture is a Western culture, with influences from Europe, the Native American peoples, African Americans and immigrants from nearly every country of the world. The United States has traditionally been known as a “melting pot”, with a trend towards cultural diversity. Due to the extent of this diversity, American culture consists of many integrated but unique subcultures. As a nation, the United States is very young, having been in existence for just over 230 years.
Western culture or Western civilization is a term used to refer to the cultures of the people of European origin and their descendants. It comprises the broad heritage of social norms, ethical values and traditional customs (such as religious beliefs). The term "Western" is often used in contrast to Asian, African, or Arab nations.
Attitudes
It is important to bear in mind that the United States of America is highly diverse, by way of geographic region. The South is entirely different from the Northeast, which is itself in many ways foreign to the Mid-West, which adheres to an entirely different cultural attitude than the West. There really isn't any "American" attitude, or "American" style for the simple reason that the country is so extraordinarily diverse.
By and large, Americans value the ideals of individual liberty, individualism, self-sufficiency, equality, Judeo-Christian morals, free markets, a republican form of government, democracy and patriotism.
Society and Economic Attitudes
There is a close relationship between America's political and economic traditions. It is widely believed that the individual pursuit of self-interest leads to the best result, both for the individual and for society as a whole. It has been a successful formula for both economic success and optimal political function for many. The precise amount of individual economic freedom that Americans should have is often debated, with the differences in opinion marking the major differences between political parties. The end result, however, is that the U.S. economy has become the largest on earth, with most of its citizens enjoying comparatively high living standards.
The fact that the United States is the largest English-speaking marketplace allows firms to compete across the country and to enjoy economies of scale (cost reductions that arise from the huge scale of manufacturing) that reduce prices and benefit consumers. The relatively uniform commercial culture-with many large stores or "chains" operating nationwide-produces a commercial atmosphere that is relatively homogeneous throughout the country.
The population of the United States tends to be centered in large cities, in marked contrast to the demographics of a century ago, when the country was agricultural based. About half of Americans now live in what is known as the suburbs. The suburban nuclear family has been identified as part of the "American dream"; a married couple with children owning a house in the suburbs. This archetype is reinforced by mass media, religious practices, and government policies and is based on traditions from Anglo-Saxon cultures.
One of the biggest differences in suburban living is the housing occupied by the families. The suburbs are filled with single-family homes separated from retail districts, industrial areas and sometimes even public schools. Many cities have “zoning” laws that govern where businesses, retail stores, schools and residential areas can be located.
The American tradition of free-market capitalism has led the populace (and their leaders) to generally accept the unexpected changes of free markets and the continuous alterations to society that a changing economy implies. Although social and economic displacements of workers are common, the result is a flexible, profit-oriented socioeconomic system.
Names
The citizens and many other residents of the United States refer to themselves and each other as Americans, and to their country as the United States or as America. While to many foreigners "Yankees" is synonymous with the American people, Americans almost always use the term for the sports team, for New Englanders, New Yorkers, or with reference to those living in the northeastern U.S.
Food
The types of food served in American homes vary greatly and depend upon the region of the country and the family’s own cultural heritage. Americanized versions of these cultural foods, such as American Chinese cuisine, sometimes appear. Recent immigrants tend to eat food similar to that of their country of their origin. Families that have lived for a few generations in the U.S. tend to eat some combination of that and the food common to the region they live in or grew up in, such as New England cuisine, Midwestern cuisine, Southern cuisine, Tex-Mex cuisine and Californian cuisine.
Tobacco
Use of tobacco has decreased sharply among Americans. There is a strong correlation with education, with use at only 10 percent among the college-educated individuals, while at nearly 40 percent among high school dropouts. Smokers generally smoke cigarettes with only a fraction smoking cigars or pipes. Fewer and fewer public places or business places permit smoking. Often smokers are forced outside the building in order to smoke. Some cities and even some states prohibit smoking inside public places.
Fashion
Dress was moderately formal until the 1960s, when a revolution took place that stressed casual and informal. Shirts and slacks are normal attire for both men and women. Exceptions are major cities such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles where many residents embrace a more expensive and "stylish" approach to fashion. Social and business situations may call for tailored suits or other more elegant outfits. Tuxedos and evening dress occasions have become much less common since 1960. Skirts and dresses are usually exclusively reserved for females. Jeans, a T-shirt and athletic shoes come close to being a "national uniform" today.
Language
The primary, although not official, language of the United States is English. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than 97% of Americans can speak English "well," and for 81% of the population it is the only language spoken at home. There are more than 300 languages besides English that can claim native speakers in the United States
Other languages that are considered to be important to U.S. culture include:
- Spanish because of the proximity of and immigration from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean and Central and South America.
- The native Hawaiian language and other Native American languages with large numbers of speakers such as Navajo.
- Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese due to immigration from the countries where those languages are spoken.
- French, in Louisiana (a former French colony, where Cajun French is spoken), and in northern New England, home to many French Canadian immigrants.
Religion
Historically, the United States' religious tradition has been dominated by Protestant Christianity, but this tradition coexists in a public sphere where religious plurality and secularism are the norm. While the many Christian sects have the most adherents, many other faiths are also popular and growing in numbers. There is not one religion that holds sway over the entirety of the population.
Work and Jobs
Most people commute to work using automobiles rather than mass transit except in large cities such as New York City. Buses are common to most cities, but train, taxi and subway transportation is prevalent mostly in the larger cities of the northeast. The effect of the automobile on the United States and its prominence in American life cannot be overestimated.
Most jobs are based on a 40-hour workweek, that consists of five days (Monday through Friday) of eight hours per day. The United States has minimum wage laws requiring a minimum wage for many employees, though a number of employment sectors are excluded. The minimum wage differs from state to state with some states having higher minimum wages than the wage mandated by the federal government.
Vacations are usually two weeks long. Other company benefits may include sick days and/or personal days. Americans usually retire at the age of 65, but may retire earlier if their pension plans and financial status permits it.
Housing
Immediately after World War II, Americans began living in increasing numbers in the suburbs, areas around major cities with higher density than rural areas, but much lower than urban areas. This move has been attributed to many factors such as the automobile, the availability of large tracts of land, the increasing violence in urban centers and the cheapness of housing construction. These new single-family houses were usually one or two stories tall and often were part of large contracts of homes built by a single developer. The resulting low-density development has been given the label "urban sprawl." This trend has begun to reverse to some extent in recent years with it becoming more popular for people to live in urban areas.
Divorce
Divorce, like marriage, is the province of the state governments, not the federal government. Divorce laws vary from state to state, but no-fault divorce on the grounds of "irreconcilable differences" is now available in all states except New York.
Prior to the 1970s, divorcing spouses had to allege that the other spouse was guilty of a crime or sin like abandonment or adultery; when spouses simply could not get along. Lawyers were forced to manufacture "uncontested" divorces in which both parties agreed to the divorce without accusations of misconduct. The no-fault divorce revolution began in 1969 in California. South Dakota was the last state to allow no-fault divorce, in 1985. State law provides for child support where children are involved and sometimes for alimony.
According to data collected by the U.S. Center For Disease Control's National Center For Health Statistics, the U.S. divorce rate average in 1900 was 0.7 per 1,000 residents. The U.S. divorce rate gradually rose through most of the 20th Century to a high point in 1981 of 5.3 per 1,000. The divorce rate has been declining since with the U.S. average divorce rate in 2004 at 3.7 per 1,000 residents.
© 2006-2007 East-West Economic Development Center