What is "Your" Culture
The culture of the United States, beginning in the late nineteenth centuries and into today, has always been one of great progress and also great tragedy. We have evolved from a nation with few inhabitants, mainly Native Americans, to a nation that has a profound influence on the rest of the world. With the rest of the world going through a revolutionary phase, the United States grew into the leader of the pack that spearheaded progress into the future. The United States' economic and entertainment industries have installed a sense of competitive lifestyle which can be viewed every weekend with the help of sporting events. Although many nations have been progressing with new technologies …show more content…
and greatly improving their economy, the United States has been shaped and transformed into the nation we are today thanks to western Europe and its early achievements. Agriculture, the foundation for any society and the backbone of their economy, was the most important ingredient to survival and prosperity. In the early ages the world was mostly agrarian. Without it, the western Europeans would have never of been able to monopolize an intensive trading route throughout Eurasia and into the Americas. Britain began colonizing the Americas, the "New World," for its natural resources to export in their trading routes around the Indian Ocean. Skipping a few centuries, this colonization of the Americas and worldwide revolutions eventually led to one of the biggest superpower nations in the world. The Industrial Revolution could possibly be the single most important time in history, besides an agricultural revolution, where the world completely shifted. The United States was not at the head of the revolution but gained much of its progress. One of the main reasons the United States was such an important factor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was because of its resources: coal, iron, silver, oil and other different resources. With this revolution and different nations competing around the world to best the other nation, this eventually led to the first World War and to others. World War I and World War II are considered to be the bloodiest and have the greatest casualties in the history of mankind, partially because of the technology that advanced during these two periods.
The United States, keeping a backseat to most of the fighting abroad, eventually became the most important factor in the outcome of both World Wars. During this period the industries in the United States flourished pushing out vast quantities of machinery and weapons that in turn won the war. The world could quickly see the United States becoming a major superpower and leading global economy in industry as well as its government. Between the wars, the Great Depression swept the country. Not only did the United States mostly become unemployed the rest of the world took a hit because of our economy, all accept for the Soviet Union. It wasn't until Franklin D. Roosevelt and his "New Deal" plan did America become prosperous again. During this time war was brewing in western Europe with Germany becoming a empire. Being brought into this war by the bombing of Pearl Harbor the United States pushed its way out of the Great Depression and onto the battlefield again to defeat Germany and the rest of the Axis. With more prosperity and technological advances after the end of the war a new society was …show more content…
born. Instead of being influenced by other cultures, today the United States greatly influences other nations with it's more mainstream culture. The greatest influence comes from the entertainment industry. Being abroad I witnessed foreigners completely aware of our music and film rather than their own. The entertainment business in the United States is a multi billion dollar industry that actually has been heard around the world. Contributing to the entertainment industry are the big sporting events such as football, baseball and basketball. The people of the United States greatly admire these sporting events, especially football. It provides escape and galvanizes our values of independence, hard work, and sacrifice. Every weekend millions of people gather at different stadiums and televisions around every state in order to watch their favorite team play a hated opponent or their rival, in Oklahoma's case that would be the Texas Longhorns. In Oklahoma nothing can replace our sense of pride and our "Sooner Magic." Winning 7 National Titles and many other bowls and Big 12 Championships gives us the right to brag about our achievements. Around Oklahoma it is hard to find a culture anywhere else in the United States. Here, farming and religion play a major role in Oklahoma's economy. Going back to traditional values, farming and religion have been around for centuries and with many suburb areas around Oklahoma you tend to find much of this still in practice.
Farming and religion, as in my culture, have an influence on what kind of person many people grow up to be. Everywhere you go around any city in Oklahoma, there will be a church in sight. Whether is be a baptist, catholic, methodist, protestant or other form of Christianity, you won't have to drive far to find it. Suburb areas around the bigger cities are greatly influenced from this farming and religion and plays a big part in local governments and other means of their
societies. In conclusion, the United States has been influenced by many cultures and in turn repays that debt by providing its own form of nation in which other nations and cultures around the world can learn from and encourage their own country's cultural identity. The competitive nature and spirit that Americans have is hard to compete with from foreign nations. Being a culture of farming, religion, engineering, entertainment and sports all playing crucial roles in the lives of every American individual it is hard to leave a place where everyone can call the United States home.