American culture

American culture encompasses

the customs and traditions of the
United States, including

language, religion,
food,arts,holidays. Nearly every
region of the world has
influenced American culture, as it
is a country of immigrants. U.S.
culture has also been shaped by
the cultures of Native Americans,
Latin Americans, Africans and

Asians.

Language

There is no official language of the

United States, although 31 of 50
states have made English their
official language or given it
exceptional status. More than 90
percent of the U.S. population
speaks and understands at least
some English, and most official
business is conducted in English.
Spanish is the second most
common language in the country,
and is spoken by approximately 35
million people.

Religion
Nearly every known religion is practiced in the
United States. More than 75 percent of
Americans identify themselves as Christians.
About half are Protestant, about one-quarter
are Catholic, and a small percentage are
Mormon. After Christianity, Judaism is the
second most-identified religious affiliation.

Arts

The United States is widely

known around the world as a
leader in mass media
production, including
television and movies. The
United States also has a
vibrant movie industry,
centered in Hollywood, and
American movies are popular
worldwide.

Hollywood is a district in Los Angeles, California. It is famous around the world as

a place where movies and television series are made. It has many different
attractions such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios and the famous
Hollywood Sign. The Hollywood Walk of Fame was created in 1958 and the first
star was placed in 1960. It is a sidewalk along the Hollywood Boulevard and the
USA. There are more than 2000 five-points stars on the walk featuring the names
of artists working in the entertainment industry.

The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a
diverse array of styles. It is a mixture of West African traditions on the one hand
and Irish and Scottish traditions with the later addition of Mexican and Cuban elements.
American music is very diverse with many, many styles, including rhythm and blues, jazz,
gospel, country and western, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and hip hop.

Sports
The United States is a sports-minded
country, with millions of fans who
follow football, baseball, basketball and
hockey, among other sports. The game
of baseball is known as Americas
favorite pastime, although its popularity
has been eclipsed by football.

Boxing and horse

racing were once the most
watched individual sports,
but they have been eclipsed
by golf and auto racing,
particularly NASCAR.
Other popular sports are
tennis, lacrosse,
softball, rodeo, swimming,
water
polo, fencing, hunting, volle
yball, skiing, snowboarding,
skateboarding, cycling, MM
A, wrestling, weightlifting
and rugby.

American style
Clothing styles vary by region and climate, but the American
style of dressing is predominantly casual. Denim, sneakers and
cowboy hats and boots are some items of clothing that are
closely associated with Americans. Blue jeans were popularized
as work clothes in the 1850s. They are now widely worn on
every continent by people of all ages and social classes.
Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Victoria Secret are
some well-known American brands. American fashion is widely
influenced by celebrities.

American food

American cuisine has been influenced by Europeans and Native Americans in

its early history. Traditional American cuisine uses ingredients such
as turkey, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash, and maple syrup.

Today, there are a number of foods that are commonly identified as American, such as
hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, macaroni and cheese and meat loaf. Hamburgers and fries,
as well as doughnuts are considered American foods.

The McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food
restaurants. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a
barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald.
McDonald's primarily sells
hamburgers, cheeseburgers,
chicken, french fries, breakfast
items, soft drinks, milkshakes,
and desserts. In response to
changing consumer tastes, the
company has expanded its menu
to include salads, fish, wraps,
smoothies, fruits and seasoned
fries.

American holidays

Independence Day

Independence Day is annually

celebrated on July 4 and is
often known as "the Fourth of
July". It is the anniversary of
the publication of the
declaration of independence
from Great Britain in 1776.
Independence Day is a day of
family celebrations with
picnics and barbecues,
showing a great deal of
emphasis on the American
tradition of political freedom.
Activities associated with the
day include watermelon or
hotdog eating competitions
and sporting events, such as
baseball games, three-legged
races, swimming activities and
tug-of-war games.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day in the United States is a holiday on

the fourth Thursday of November. It precedes Black
Friday.Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for
families and friends to get together for a special
meal. The meal often includes a turkey, stuffing,
potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and
vegetables.

Thanksgiving Day parades are held in some cities and towns on or around
Thanksgiving Day. Some parades or festivities also mark the opening of the Christmas
shopping season. Most government offices, businesses, schools and other
organizations are closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Halloween

Halloween is usually celebrated amongst family, friends and, sometimes, co-workers. However,
some areas hold large community events. Parties and other events may be planned on October
31 or in the weekends before and after this date. Adults may celebrate by watching horror films,
holding costume parties or creating haunted houses or graveyards.

Many children dress up in fancy

costumes and visit other homes in
the neighborhood. At each house,
they demand sweets, snacks or a
small gift. There are various
symbols associated with
Halloween. These include the
spooks, ghosts and walking
skeletons that represent the
contact between the spiritual and
physical world and between the
living and the dead. Bats, black
cats and spiders are often
connected with this holiday.

Christmas

The United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people in
celebrate Christmas, because of its multi-cultural nature. Many customs are similar to
ones in the UK, France, Italy, Holland, Poland and Mexico.
The traditional meal for Western European families is turkey or ham with cranberry
sauce. Families from Eastern European origins favour turkey with trimmings, cabbage
dishes, and soups; and some Italian families prefer lasagna.

Other holidays

 Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14. The

day was named after an early Christian martyr, and
on Valentine's Day, Americans give presents like
candy or flowers to the ones they love.

Labor Day is the first Monday of September.

This holiday honors the nation's working
people, typically with parades. For most
Americans it marks the end of the summer
vacation season and the start of the school year.

 Veterans Day is celebrated on November

11. This holiday was originally called
Armistice Day and established to honor
Americans who had served in World War I.

Washington's Birthday is observed

the third Monday of February in
honor George Washington, the
first President of the United States.

 Columbus Day is a celebrated on the

second Monday in October. The day
commemorates October 12, 1492,
when Italian navigator Christopher
Columbus landed in the New World.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is celebrated
on the third Monday in January. The
Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was an
African-American clergyman who is
recognized for his tireless efforts to win
civil rights for all people through
nonviolent means.

Patriot Day
September 11, 2001, was a defining
moment in American history. On that day,
terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners
to strike targets in the United States. Nearly
3,000 people died as a consequence of the
attacks. Patriot Day and National Day of
Service and Remembrance is observed on
September 11 in honor of the victims of
these attacks.

Attractions

The Statue of Liberty is

a colossal neoclassical sculpture
on Liberty Island in the middle
of New York Harbor,
in Manhattan, New York City.
The people of France gave the
Statue to the people of the
United States over one hundred
years ago in recognition of the
friendship established during
the American Revolution. Over
the years, the Statue of Liberty's
symbolism has grown to include
freedom and democracy as well
as this international friendship.

The Statue of Liberty

The crown of Lady Liberty, as

the statue is often
affectionately called, has seven
spikes, symbolizing the Seven
Seas across which liberty should
be spread. In her left hand she
holds a tablet with the
Declaration of Independence
and in her right hand a torch,
symbolizing Enlightenment.

The White House

The White House in Washington DC is the official residence
and office of the President of the United States. After the
9/11 attacks it has become more difficult to visit the White
House and today tours are available only for groups of 10 or
more and must be requested up to six months in advance.

Las Vegas is situated in the midst of the southern Nevada desert landscape. Casinos can
be found throughout Las Vegas, but the strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South,
contains the most of them.

Niagara Falls

Grand Canyon

Mount Rushmore

Yellowstone

Hawaii

Made by:
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Nicola Cristina tefania
Rusea Mdlina Ionela