American Government And Politics The Melting Pot

America has always been referred to as a melting pot. According to The Dorsey Dictionary of American Government and Politics, a melting pot is a sociological term that â€Å"implies (1) that each succeeding wave of immigrants to the United States blends into the general society and (2) that this melting is ideally what should happen† (Shafrtiz 348). The term is originally from Israel Zangwill’s play The Melting-Pot. In this play, he wrote â€Å"America is God’s Crucible, the great Melting-Pot where all races of Europe are melting and reforming† (Shafritz 348). The term refers to the diversity of races, ethnicities, and cultures in America, as expressed by Israel Zangwill. However, within many cultures are subcultures, and America is not only a melting-pot of races, ethnicities, and cultures, but also of subcultures such as hip-hop. Culture has several, sometimes contradictory meanings, in which its uncertainty of a definition can be found in its different uses in history. Williams describes it as a Particular way of life which expressed certain meanings and values not only in art and learning, but also in institutions and ordinary behavior. The analysis of culture, from such a definition, is the clarification of the meanings and values implicit and explicit in a particular way of life, a particular culture (Brake 1). In this definition, culture is a way of life. In Swingewood’s definition, culture is the result of consumerism. He writes Consumer capitalism, rather than creating aShow MoreRelatedCultural Mosaic826 Words   |  4 Pagesrefer to this as the â€Å"melting pot† of the world because of how different we are from each other as well as how all of our different cultures interact with each other. Another term some use is there expression â€Å"cultural mosaic†, this phrase is used to describe the mix of ethnic group, languages and cultures that coexist within Canadian society. The idea of a cultural mosaic is intended to champion an ideal of multiculturalism, differently from other systems like the melting pot. Lebanon which was firstRead MoreCanadian Culture : What Distinguishes It From The American? Essay1275 Words   |  6 PagesCanadian culture? What distinguishes it from the American? Culture is something that distinguishes one national or ethnic group from another, it is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular society, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. Canada and the USA are the neighbor countries which located in the North America. At first glance they are very similar. People speak the same language, listen to the same music and wear the identicalRead MoreQuestions On Public Opinion On Demography And Census1477 Words   |  6 PagesDemography/Demographics Census Melting pot Minority majority Political culture Reapportionment Political socialization Sample Random sampling Sampling error Random-digit dialing Exit poll Political ideology Liberalism Conservatism Gender gap Political participation Protest Civil disobedience Other terms: Political Efficacy Libertarian Quota Sample Push Polls Bandwagon Effect Skewed Question Context Effect Question Framing Federal Census Know the difference between: Demography and census Melting pot and minorityRead MoreWhat Are You Going?1637 Words   |  7 Pagesa melting pot.† The term melting pot has been associated with the United States (US) because there are many cultures within the country which blend together to form a whole (cite book merino, noel). The United States melting pot theory could be argued as the very quality that makes it the greatest superpower of the world. The US has also been called a nation of immigrants because almost every citizen of the country has immigrant ancestry, with the exception of the Native Americans. OneRead MoreThe Impact of Culture on Politics1522 Words   |  7 PagesOld Dominion University | The Impact of Culture on Virginia Politics | POLS 311 | Geraldine Pearman 9-19-2015 | Geraldine Pearman Virginia History and Politics Dr. Pelletier Fall 2015 The Impact of Culture on Virginia Politics A culture can be defined as a way of life of a group of people- their behaviors, beliefs, values that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. It also includes the customs, arts, literature, morals/values and traditionsRead MoreI First Visited The Virtual Holocaust Museum Website And Researched The Bodies Of The Holocaust871 Words   |  4 Pageslooking into the cases mentioned on the website many of the cases are â€Å"racial profiling† against culture, religion and race. During the Holocaust the Nazis were a group that had wealth and power. According to Koppelman, during slavery, African Americans dead bodies were tossed overboard for the sharks to eat (pg106). From reading this example, the Nazis were torturing the Jews and throwing their lifeless bodies around. This site raises awareness about genocide and how it occurred during the HolocaustRead MoreA Closer Examination of Distinct American Groups from 1877 to19301032 Words   |   5 PagesAny serious examination of American history between the years 1877 and 1930 will show completely different experiences among a wide range of distinct groups. Our coursework has given us just a glimpse into the lives of some of these groups. They, among others really deserve a closer look During this time frame the population of the United States rose from approximately 50 million to 123 million people (History). This is an astonishing increase of 146%. Just as surprising is that immigrants toRead MoreThe Growing Population Of English Language Learners Essay1019 Words   |  5 PagesThe United States has always been considered a â€Å"melting pot†, but how true is that statement now? While there is growing diversity among the population of the United States, the different people may not be blending together as well as they should. Many people are unaware of how many students are English language learners. According to authors Katharine Davies Samway and Denise McKeon, the largest growing group of students in our country is the language minority students (2007). There are many negativeRead MoreA Separation of Church and State Ensures our Individual Freedoms1129 Words   |  5 Pages Religion has no place in politics, therefore, church and state must remai n separate if we are to preserve our individual freedoms. The United States of America is a land of great diversity and a nation built on equality. In order to explore religion and politics in America, we must first begin with our countrys roots in 17th century Europe. At the time there was heavy conflict, over religion, involving the Catholics and the Protestants of England. They were two different religions, butRead MoreAmerican Identities And Ideals Of America Essay1376 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Identities Ideals A question most fascinating to me is where in history does the first hint of American ideals and identities originate from? If we were to look at where the fiery passions of an American identity first arise we have to look to where the colonists first fought for their right to be a recognized citizen of America. American colonists formed their identity through the ideas of liberty, resistance to unfair British jurisdiction, and cultural diversity. Their identities formed