American Cultural Overview

Americans, or citizens of the United States, are the people of the United States of America.

Geography

The United States is a North American nation spanning the continent’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts. It is bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The U.S. is notable for its natural landscapes and national parks. Its regions support temperate forests, grassy plains, rocky deserts, rainforests, tundras, and wetlands. Two major mountain ranges divide the country: the Rockies in the west and the Appalachians in the east. Its primary rivers are the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, and Columbia.

• Climate: High variation between regions

• Capital: Washington, D.C.

• Total Population: 329,256,465 (2018 est.)

Learn more about American Geography

History

The first inhabitants of the United States are its indigenous people, the descendants of settlers who are thought to have reached the continent through Asia around 30,000 years ago. In several waves, they spread and diversified into many different cultures, each with its own history, language, lifestyles, and beliefs. When European explorers first landed in the Americas in the late 15th century, they brought with them unfamiliar diseases that wiped out about half of the existing population. The United States of America was born out of thirteen British colonies along North America’s Atlantic coast, which declared independence together in 1776. By 1789, the nation had organized in its modern form and elected General George Washington as its first president.

Following independence, the United States grew through gradual westward expansion. During this period, growth often came at the expense of indigenous people, African slaves, and immigrant labor. The issue of slavery and federal authority triggered the U.S. Civil War between 1860 and 1865. The war ended with the abolishment of slavery, but regional and racial tensions have persisted to the present day. After two victories in the World Wars and a major economic depression, the United States entered a period of unprecedented prosperity and influence. The nation survived an atomic Cold War with the Soviet Union and war in Vietnam before engaging in a series of conflicts in the Middle East. Today, it remains the largest economic and military power in the world.

Learn more about American History

Daily Life

The traditional lifestyles of the United States relied primarily on farming, fishing, construction, and manufacturing. Its early colonists, faced with little recognizable infrastructure, learned to live off the land before building more complex urban societies. Their dietary staples included wheat, corn, pork, chicken, beef, potatoes, and rice. Regional cuisines soon developed based on local ingredients and cultures. Some common American foods consumed across the country include the hamburger, hot dog, potato fries, and pizza. Housing styles vary from rural ranches and suburban homes to urban apartments. The traditional clothing of the United States is generally divided by occupation. Suits, ties, and gowns are most often seen on special occasions or in upper-class environments. More informal apparel includes shirts, dresses, blue jeans, and skirts.

Learn more about American Daily Life

Society

The society of the United States is based on principles of equality and representative government. Its laws are passed within the framework of documents like its Constitution and Bill of Rights, which outline the basic rights of its citizens, states, and federal government. State and local governments operate under the oversight of a federal government headquartered in Washington, D.C. Enlightenment ideals of freedom and equality form the basis of American national identity, and the nation has constantly re-evaluated it own policies and biases. Social movements supporting the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, labor rights, civil rights, minority representation, and gender equality have all shaped its modern society.

• Major Languages: No official language, with English and Spanish most common

• Urban Population: 82.3% of total population (2018 est.)

Learn more about the Society of the United States

Economy

The United States is a major global economic power. Its early economies were largely agricultural, driven by cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and indigo. Over time, new industries such as shipbuilding, fishing, lumber, manufacturing, mining, ranching, and finance developed. The economy of the United States is built on capitalist principles governed by regulation and tempered by social welfare programs. Its driving philosophy is the idea that any person can rise to success through skill, hard work, and determination. Following World War II, the U.S. emerged as a dominant manufacturing power, resulting in a strong middle class and rapid innovation. Recent decades, however, have seen its competitive advantage decline alongside the loss of manufacturing jobs and rising wealth inequality.

• Major Industries: Petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Learn more about the United States’ Economy

Beliefs

The United States recognizes no official religion but has been majority Christian since its founding. Its history as a hub of immigration has led to a diverse religious society with worshippers from every major faith. In addition, the nation is home to numerous indigenous faiths, including that of the Hawaiian monarchy and those of Native American tribes. Religious participation in the United States is currently declining, but faith-based issues continue to influence its politics and society. Patriotism and national symbols like the flag and founding fathers also play an important role in the philosophical unity of the nation.

Religious Demographics:

• Protestant: 46.5%

• Unaffiliated: 22.8%

• Roman Catholic: 20.8%

• Jewish: 1.9%

• Mormon: 1.6%

• Other Christian: 0.9%

• Muslim: 0.9%

• Jehovah's Witness: 0.8%

• Buddhist: 0.7%

• Hindu: 0.7%

• Other: 1.8%

• Don't know/refused: 0.6% (2014 est.)

Learn more about American Beliefs

Arts & Music

The United States emerged as an exporter of the arts in the 19th and 20th centuries. The nation has produced writers like Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ernest Hemingway, Kurt Vonnegut, and Edith Wharton, among many others. It became especially influential through mass media, which allowed artists to broadcast their work to a global audience. Today, the United States claims large film, music, television, advertising, and video-game industries. It has seen the growth of musical genres like the blues, jazz, country, hip-hop, pop, electronica, punk, metal, and rock and roll.

Learn more about American Arts & Music

References

Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman, eds. The Cambridge Economic History of the United States. Cambridge University Press. 1996.

Grant, Susan-Mary. A Concise History of the United States of America. Cambridge University Press. 2012.

Nies, Judith. Native American History: A Chronology of a Culture's Vast Achievements and Their Links to World Events. Random House Publishing Group. 2012.

Remini, Robert. A Short History of the United States: From the Arrival of Native American Tribes to the Obama Presidency. Harper Collins. 2009.

“The World Factbook: United States.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 5 Sept. 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html.

Weaver, Fredrick S. An Economic History of the United States: Conquest, Conflict, and Struggles for Equality. Rowman & Littlefield. 2015.

Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present. Routledge. 2015.

TOTA

Traditions of the Ancestors

This group is for articles produced or approved by TOTA staff, covering a wide variety of cultures and topics.

View Group