Culture of the United StatesFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, searchThis article is about the high culture and popular culture of the United States. For customs and way of life, see Society of the United States.The development of the culture of the United States of America—music, cinema, dance, architecture, literature, poetry, cuisine and the visual arts— has been marked by a tension between two strong sources of inspiration: European sophistication and domestic originality.[citation needed]American music can be heard all over the world, such as through Channel V, VH1 and by singers such as Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Charlie Parker, Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, BB King, The Doors and The Ramones; American films and television shows are also very popular[citation needed], including icons like Star Wars, The Godfather, Schindler's List, Titanic and The Matrix; American sports figures are widely known, such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Venus Williams, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali and Michael Johnson; and American movie actors and actresses are widely recognized such as Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Cruise.[citation needed]This is in very stark contrast to the early days of the American republic, when the country was generally seen as an agricultural backwater with little to offer the culturally advanced world centers of Europe and Asia.[citationneeded] At the beginning of her third century, nearly every major American city offers classical and popular music; historical, scientific and art research centers and museums; dance performances, musicals and plays; outdoor art projects and internationally significant architecture.[citation needed] This development is a result of both contributions by private philanthropists and government funding.[citation needed][edit] LiteratureMain article: Literature of the United StatesIn the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, American art and literature took most of its cues from Europe. Writers such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, and Henry David Thoreau established a distinctive American literary voice by the middle of the nineteenth century.[citation needed]Mark Twain and poet Walt Whitman were major figures in the century's second half; Emily Dickinson, virtually unknown during her lifetime, would be recognized as America's other essential poet.[citation needed] Eleven U.S. citizens have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, most recently Toni Morrison in 1993. Ernest Hemingway, the 1954 Nobel laureate, is often named as one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century.[1] A work seen as capturing fundamental aspects of the national experience and character—such as Herman Melville's Moby-Dick (1851), Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn(1885), and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby(1925)—may be dubbed the "Great American Novel". Popular literary genres such as the Western and hardboiled crime fiction were developed in the United States.[edit] Comic booksMain article: American comic bookSince the invention of the comic book format in the 1930s, the United States has been the leading producer with only the British comic books (during the inter-war period and up until the 1970s) and the Japanese manga as close competitors in terms of quantity.[citation needed]Comic book sales began to decline after World War II, when the medium was competing with the spread of television and mass market paperback books. In the 1960s, comic books' audience expanded to include college students who favored the naturalistic, "superheroes in the real world" trend initiated by Stan Lee at Marvel Comics. The 1960s also saw the advent of the underground comics. Later, the recognition of the comic medium amongacademics, literary critics and art museums helped solidify comics as a serious artform with established traditions, stylistic conventions, and artistic evolution.[citation needed][edit] TelevisionMain article: Television in the United StatesTelevision is one of the major mass media of the United States. Ninety-nine percent of American households have at least one television and the majority of households have more than one.[citation needed][edit] DanceMain article: Dance in the United StatesThere is great variety in dance in the United States, it is the home of the Lindy Hop and its derivative Rock and Roll, and modern square dance (associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country--nineteen U.S. states have designated it as their official state dance) and one of the major centers for modern dance. There is a variety of social dance and concert or performance dance forms with also a range of traditions of Native American dances.[edit] Visual artsMain article: Visual arts of the United StatesIn the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, American artists primarily painted landscapes and portraits in a realistic style. A parallel development taking shape in rural America was the American craft movement, which began as a reaction to the industrial revolution. Developments in modern art in Europe came to America from exhibitions in New York City such as the Armory Show in 1913. After World War II, New York replaced Paris as the center of the art world.[citation needed]Painting in the United States today covers a vast range of styles.[edit] ArchitectureMain article: Architecture of the United StatesThe United States has a history of architecture that includes a wide variety of styles.The United States of America is a relatively young country, and the Native Americans did not leave any buildings comparable to the grandeur of those in Mexico or Peru. For this reason, the overriding theme of American Architecture is modernity: the skyscrapers of the 20th century are the ultimate symbol of this modernity.[citation needed]Architecture in the US is regionally diverse and has been shaped by many external forces, not only English. US Architecture can therefore be said to be eclectic, something unsurprising in such a multicultural society.[citation needed][edit] SculptureMain article: Sculpture of the United StatesThe history of sculpture in the United States reflects the country's 18th century foundation in Roman republican civic values as well as Protestant Christianity.[citation needed][edit] TheaterMain article: Theater in the United StatesTheater of the United States is based in the Western tradition, mostly borrowed from the performance styles prevalent in Europe, especially England.[citation needed]Today, it is heavily interlaced with American literature, film, television, and music, and it is not uncommon for a single story to appear in all forms. Regions with significant music scenes often have strong theater and comedy traditions as well. Musical theater may be the most popular form: it is certainly the most colorful, and choreographed motions pioneered on stage have found their way onto movie and television screens. Broadway in New York City is generally considered the pinnacle of commercial U.S. theater, though this art form appears all across the country. Off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway diversify the theatre experience in New York. Another city of particular note is Chicago, which boasts the most diverse and dynamic theater scene in the country. Regional or resident theatres in the United States are professional theatre companies outside of New York City that produce their own seasons. There is also community theatre and showcase theatre (performing arts group).Even tiny rural communities sometimes awe audiences with extravagant productions.[edit] CuisineMain article: Cuisine of the United StatesMainstream American culinary arts are similar to those in other Western countries. Wheat is the primary cereal grain. Traditional American cuisine uses ingredients such as turkey, white-tailed deer venison, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash, and maple syrup, indigenous foods employed by Native Americans and early European settlers. Slow-cooked pork and beef barbecue, crab cakes, potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies are distinctively American styles. Soul food, developed by African slaves, is popular around the South and among many African Americans elsewhere. Syncretic cuisines such as Louisiana creole, Cajun, and Tex-Mex are regionally important. Iconic American dishes such as apple pie, fried chicken, pizza, hamburgers, and hot dogs derive from the recipes of various immigrants. So-called French fries, Mexican dishes such as burritos and tacos, and pasta dishes freely adapted from Italian sources are widely consumed.[2]Americans generally prefer coffee to tea, with more than half the adult population drinking at least one cup a day.[3] Marketing by U.S. industries is largely responsible for making orange juice and milk(now often fat-reduced) ubiquitous breakfast beverages.[4] During the 1980s and 1990s, Americans' caloric intake rose 24%;[2]frequent dining at fast food outlets is associated with what health officials call the American "obesity epidemic." Highly sweetened soft drinks are widely popular; sugared beverages account for 9% of the average American's daily caloric intake.[5][edit] FashionMain article: Fashion in the United StatesApart from professional business attire, fashion in the United States is eclectic and predominantly informal.[citation needed]Blue jeans were popularized as work clothes in the 1850s by merchant Levi Strauss, a German immigrant in San Francisco, and adopted by many American teenagers a century later. They are now widely worn on every continent by people of all ages and social classes.[citation needed]Along with mass-marketed informal wear in general, blue jeans are arguably U.S. culture's primary contribution to global fashion.[6] The country is also home to the headquarters of many leading designer labels such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. Labels such asAbercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Hollister, and Eckōcater to various niche markets.[edit] Popular cultureAmerican popular culture has expressed itself through nearly every medium, including movies, music, and sports. Mickey Mouse, Barbie, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Aerosmith, Babe Ruth, Baseball, American football, Basketball, screwball comedy, G.I. Joe, jazz, the blues, Rap & Hip Hop, The Simpsons, Michael Jackson, Superman, Gone with the Wind, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jordan, Indiana Jones, Sesame Street, Catch-22—these names, genres, and phrases have joined more tangible American products in spreading across the globe.It is worth noting that while the U.S. tends to be a net exporter of culture, it absorbs many other cultural traditions with relative ease, for example: origami, soccer, anime, and yoga.[citation needed][edit] Exportation of popular cultureThe United States is an enormous exporter of entertainment, especially television, movies and music. This readily consumable form of culture is widely and cheaply dispersed for entertainment consumers worldwide. It's even considered to be an "entertainment superpower" along with Europe, and Japan. Part of this is because America owns so much foreign property[citation needed] and has so many military personnel serving overseas (Japan for instance).[citation needed]Many nations now have two cultures: an indigenous one andglobalized/popular culture[citation needed]. That said, what one society considers entertainment is not necessarily reflective of the "true culture" of its people. More popular syndicated programs cost more, so overseas entertainment purchasers often choose older programs that reflect various, and dated, stages of United States cultural development.[citation needed]Pop culture also tends to neglect the more mundane and/or complex elements of human life.[citation needed][edit] References1.^ Meyers, Jeffrey (1999). Hemingway: A Biography. New York: Da Capo, p. 139.ISBN 0-306-80890-0.2.^ a b Klapthor, James N. (2003-08-23). "What, When, and Where Americans Eat in2003". Institute of Food Technologists. /cms/?pid=1000496.Retrieved on 2007-06-19.3.^"Coffee Today". Coffee Country. PBS. May 2003./frontlineworld/stories/guatemala.mexico/facts.html#02. Retrieved on 2007-06-19.4.^ Smith, Andrew F. (2004). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America.New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 131–32. ISBN 0-19-515437-1. Levenstein,Harvey (2003). Revolution at the Table: The Transformation of the American Diet.Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London: University of California Press, pp. 154–55.ISBN 0-520-23439-1. Pirovano, Tom (2007). "Health & Wellness Trends—TheSpeculation Is Over". AC Nielsen./pubs/2006_q1_ci_health.shtml. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.5.^"Fast Food, Central Nervous System Insulin Resistance, and Obesity".Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. American Heart Association.2005. /cgi/content/full/25/12/2451#R3-101329. Retrievedon 2007-06-09. "Let's Eat Out: Americans Weigh Taste, Convenience, and Nutrition"(PDF). U.S. Dept. of Agriculture./publications/eib19/eib19_reportsummary.pdf. Retrieved on2007-06-09.6.^ Davis, Fred (1992). Fashion, Culture, and Identity. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, p. 69. ISBN 0-226-13809-7.Why American Culture is Unique--英语本文来自: 疯狂英语([url][/url]) 详细出处参考：/zhuantiyingyu/duanyujiangjie/20081014/24201.htmlAmerican culture is unique because it is nurtured, formed and developed under certain conditions, which are characteristically(特性)American. The major factors contributing to the making of this new nation and the forming of a new culture are the hard environment, ethnic diversity(多民族) and plural religion, which is quite different from other nations in the world. What is more, these elements are still influencing the American culture.1. Rough EnvironmentThe early immigrants who were English Puritans settled down in northeast part of American. The environment there was very rough but they believed the poor land could purify their mind so they chose the place along the coast. From 1607 to 1892, frontiers were pushed further west. The American frontier consisted of the relatively unsettled regions of the United States, usually found in the western part of the country. The frontiersmen looked for a land of rich resources and a land of promise, opportunity and freedom. Actually they looked for a betterlife. So individualism, self-reliance, and equality of opportunity have perhaps been the values most closely associated with the frontier heritage(遗产) of American.2. Ethnic DiversityThe population of the United States includes a large variety of ethnic groups coming from many races, nationalities, and religions. People refer to the United States as "melting pot "and the dominant people are British. American is made up of WASP+MM, that is, White, Anglo Saxon, Protestants plus Middle Class and Male. In history, people from different countries in the world rushed to American three times. They brought their own culture to American and later on different cultures were mixed together. Thus the unique American culture is formed, a common cultural life with commonly shared values.3. Plural religionThe fundamental American belief in individual freedom and the right of individuals to practice their own religion is at the center of religious experience in the United States. The great diversity of ethnic backgrounds has produced religious pluralism; almost all of the religions of the world are now practiced in the United States. Christianity(基督教) is the dominant religion in American and Protestant (新教)is predominate(主导). Any individuals are equal before God and they believe they can communicate directly to God so they can share the same idea. Under the protestant, many new ones are formed and different explanations produce different sect of religion. Churches are independent and American religion is no longer religion seculars. The institution permits the practice of religion and the political power is separate form religion. So there are more religion本文来自: 疯狂英语([url][/url]) 详细出处参考：/zhuantiyingyu/duanyujiangjie/20081014/24201.html American culture：美国主流文化的形成/06/0406/11/2E17J0QM00291ON7.htmlThe main content of American culture is the emphasize on individuals' value, the pursue of democracy and freedom, the promotion of deploitation(开拓, 经营) and competition and the need of realistic and practicality. Its core is individualism: self first, personal need first, pursue of individual benefit and enjoyment, emphasize on achieving individual value by self-strive and self-design. This type of intentionally build up of personality and pursue customized individualism has its pros and cons, it gives incentives to people and make them exert on their potential and wisdom and as a result accelerate the development of the entire race and nation; on the other hand it is difficult to keep good relationship among people if everyone is egocentric thus make the entire society lack of unity.egocentric: .自我中心的, 利己主义的American citizens emphasize on achievements and respect heroes. They have great sense in their hearts to praise success and heroes. Personal achievements are one of those with the highest value in Americans mind. Americans have very strong senses of success. Success is the pursuit of most Americans, it is their attractive future and the incentives for moving forward. They believe that one's personal value is equivalent to his achievements in his career. Some high achievers in their career such as entrepreneurs, scientists, artists and all kinds of super starts became modern heroes. The process and result of how they strived have become the frame of reference of social culture value and the real life text book for parents to educate their children.incentive: Serving to induce or motivate:American society has great movements within itself. These movements are shown in two aspects: movements amongst locations and movements inside the society. The United States are relatively more open and have more freedom. Developed transport and the tradition of adventure and sporty makes a lot of American migrate from countryside to cities, from downtown to uptown; and from north to the southern sunny land, from one city to another. Unlike European countries, the social classes in America is not so stable. Further more, with the advocation of public education, movements upwards along the social ladder have become possible. Many people living in the states, no matter whether they are Native American or immigrants from overseas, have the same dream of changing their social class and make their lifetime dream come true through their own efforts. This is what they often called "American dream".advocation：(=advocacy)拥护；支持美国文化的主要内容是强调个人价值，追求民主自由，崇尚开拓和竞争，讲求理性和实用，其核心是个人中心主义：个人至上、私欲至上、追求个人利益和个人享受，强调通过个人奋斗、个人自我设计，追求个人价值的最终实现。
