Kokouvi Togbe

Togbe 1

UWRT: 1102
Ms. Grant
America is a very large country with a huge population. Every country around the world is
represented such as Chinese, African, Indian, Latino etc American culture is primarily
Western, but is influenced by African, Native American, Asian and Latin American cultures.
America has its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, art, social
habits, cuisine and folklore. The United States of America is an ethnically and racially diverse
country as a result of large-scale migration from many ethnically, racially different countries
throughout its history. The western culture is characterized by European civilization and the
United States of America has become the first country to share that civilization because of the
first immigrants who came from Europe.
Nearly every region of the world has influenced American culture as it is a country of
immigrants. The US culture has also been shaped by the cultures of Native Americans, Latin
Americans, Africans and Asians. The United States is sometimes described as a melting pot in
which different cultures have contributed their own flavors to American culture
American cuisine has been influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in its early
history. Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified as American, such as
hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese. "As American as apple pie" has come
to mean something that is authentically American.

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There are also styles of cooking and types of foods that are specific to a region. Southernstyle cooking is often called "American comfort food" and includes dishes such as fried chicken,
collard greens, black-eyed peas and corn bread. Tex-Mex, popular in Texas and the Southwest, is
a blend of Spanish and Mexican cooking styles and includes items such as chili and burritos and
relies heavily on shredded cheese and beans. There are also a lot of Chinese style which became
American favorite food such as Chow-Mei, orange chicken, kun-pao chicken etc
The African American identity was established during the slavery period producing a
dynamics culture that has and continue to have a profound impact on American culture. African
hairstyle for ladies is popular in America. Soul food is a variety of cuisine popular in AfricanAmerican culture. It is closely related to the cuisine of the southern United States. The term may
have originated in the mid- 1960s, when soul was a common word used to describe AfricanAmerican culture for example, soul music. When immigrants reach a new land, their old ways
die hard. This has been the case with most immigrant groups to the New World. The language,
customs, values, religious beliefs, and artistic forms they bring across the Atlantic are reshaped
by the new realities of America. The rich traditions of Africa combined with the British colonial
experience created a new ethnicity the African American. Song and dance traditions
comparable to African custom were commonly seen in the American South.
What is the benefit for United States to be a diverse country?
Immigration is not undermining the American experiment; it is an integral part of it. America is a
nation of immigrants. Successive waves of immigrants have kept the country demographically

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young, enriched the culture and added to the productive capacity as a nation, enhancing the
influence in the world. Immigration gives the United States an economic edge in the world
economy. Immigrants bring innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit to the U.S. economy.
They provide business contacts to other markets, enhancing Americas ability to trade and invest
profitably in the global economy. They keep the economy flexible, allowing U.S. producers to
keep prices down and to respond to changing consumer demands. An authoritative study by the
National Academy of Sciences concluded that immigration delivered a significant positive
gain to the U.S. economy. In testimony before Congress last year, Federal Reserve Board
Chairman Alan Greenspan said, Ive always argued that this country has benefited immensely
from the fact that we draw people from all over the world.
Contrary to popular myth, immigrants do not push Americans out of jobs. Immigrants tend to fill
jobs that Americans cannot or will not fill, mostly at the high and low ends of the skill spectrum.
Immigrants are disproportionately represented in such high-skilled fields as medicine, physics
and computer science, but also in lower-skilled sectors such as hotels and restaurants, domestic
service, construction and light manufacturing.
Just as a cultures from around the world have influenced American culture, today American
culture influences the world. No one can deny the huge benefits of the trend that English is being
accepted universally. To begin with, communication between countries and cultures become
convenient. In my country, English is a required course from elementary school. Thus, studying
abroad is easy and becomes hot among youngsters. For them, language obstacle is no longer a
problem,

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Which results in mutual understanding and trust between their mother land and the host
country. This, in turn, enhances relationship and promotes international business.Site

Sources: Cato Institute Web Site and EssayForum