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Culture of the United States

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This article is about the 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—history, holidays, sports,
religion, cuisine, literature, poetry, music, dance, visual arts, cinema, and architecture—has been
marked by a tension between two strong sources of inspiration: European ideals, especially
British, and domestic originality.

American culture encompasses traditions, ideals, customs, beliefs, values, arts, and innovations
developed both domestically and imported via colonization and immigration. Prevalent ideas and
ideals from the European continent such as democracy, capitalism, various forms of
monotheism, and civil liberties are present as well as those which evolved domestically such as
important national holidays, uniquely American sports, proud military tradition, innovations in
the arts and entertainment, and a strong sense of national pride among the population as a whole.

It includes both conservative and liberal elements, military and scientific competitiveness,
political structures, risk taking and free expression, materialist and moral elements.
It also includes elements which evolved from Native Americans, and other ethnic subcultures;
most prominently the culture of African-American slave descendents and different cultures from
Latin America. Many cultural elements, especially popular culture have been exported across the
globe through modern mass media where American culture is sometimes resented. A few of the
cultural elements have remained rather exclusive to North America.

Culture of the
United States

Architecture
Cinema
Comic books
Cuisine
Dance
Folklore
Literature
Music
Poetry
Radio
Sculpture
Sports
Television
Theater
Visual arts

American culture is full of different ethnic and religious cultures of other countries.

Contents
[hide]

 1 Literature
 2 Faith
o 2.1 Religious statistics for the United States
 3 National holidays
 4 Cuisine
 5 Sports
o 5.1 Sports and community culture
 6 Scientific
 7 Visual arts
o 7.1 Architecture
o 7.2 Sculpture
 8 Popular culture
o 8.1 Fashion
o 8.2 Theater
o 8.3 Television
 o 8.4 Music
o 8.5 Films
o 8.6 Dance
o 8.7 Firearms
 9 See also
 10 References
 11 External links

[edit] Literature

Mark Twain is regarded as among the greatest writers in American history.

Main article: Literature of the United States

In 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. 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.
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] Faith
Main article: Religion in the United States
Completed in 1716, Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Acuña is one of
numerous surviving colonial Spanish missions in the United States. These were primarily used to
convert the Native Americans to Roman Catholicism.

Surrounded by sleek modern skyscrapers, Saint Patrick's Cathedral stands as the last old world
holdout of New York's Rockefeller Plaza

Among developed countries, the US is one of the most religious in terms of its demographics.
According to a 2002 study by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, the US was the only developed
nation in the survey where a majority of citizens reported that religion played a "very important"
role in their lives, an attitude similar to that found in its neighbors in Latin America.[2]

Several of the original Thirteen Colonies were established by English and Irish settlers who
wished to practice their own religion without discrimination or persecution as religious
extremists in Europe: Pennsylvania was established by Quakers, Maryland by Roman Catholics
and the Massachusetts Bay Colony by Puritans. Nine of the thirteen colonies had official public
religions. Yet by the time of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, the United States became one
of the first countries in the world to enact freedom of religion by way of a codified separation of
church and state.
Modeling the provisions concerning religion within the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,
the framers of the United States Constitution rejected any religious test for office, and the First
Amendment specifically denied the central government any power to enact any law respecting
either an establishment of religion, or prohibiting its free exercise. In following decades, the
animating spirit behind the constitution's Establishment Clause led to the disestablishment of the
official religions within the member states. The framers were mainly influenced by secular,
Enlightenment ideals, but they also considered the pragmatic concerns of minority religious
groups who did not want to be under the power or influence of a state religion that did not
represent them.[3] Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence said "The priest
has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot."[4]

[edit] Religious statistics for the United States

It should be noted the following information is a ballpark estimate as actual statistics constantly
vary.

According to the CIA,[5] the following is the percentage of followers of different religions in the
United States:

 Christians: (78.5%)
o Protestant (51.3%)
o Roman Catholic (23.9%)
o Mormon (1.7%)
o other Christian (1.6%)
 unaffiliated (12.1%)
 none (4%)
 other or unspecified (2.5%)
 Jewish (1.7%)
 Buddhist (0.7%)
 Muslim (0.1%)

[edit] National holidays

Fireworks light up the sky over the Washington Monument. Americans traditionally shoot
fireworks throughout the night on the Fourth of July.

Martin Luther King Day memorializes the legacy of Dr. King, who is widely regarded as the
Patriarch of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King is pictured above delivering his "I Have a
Dream" speech.

Halloween is a widely observed tradition in the United States. It typically involves dressing up in
costumes and an emphasis on the bizarre and frightening.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is attended by over 2.5 million people each year. It is the
largest organized festivity in the United States and is viewed by more Americans each year than
any other holiday celebration.[6]

The United States observes holidays and traditions that are derived from significant events in US
history, Religious traditions, and National Patriarchs.

As a legacy of colonization, Thanksgiving has become a traditional American holiday which

evolved from the will of English pilgrims to “give thanks” for their welfare. Today,
Thanksgiving is generally celebrated as a family reunion with a large afternoon feast. European
colonization has led to many traditional Christian holidays such as Easter, Lent, St. Patrick’s
Day, and Christmas to be widely observed albeit they are celebrated in a secular manner by
many people today.

Independence Day (colloquially known as the Fourth of July) celebrates the anniversary of the
country’s Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. It is generally
observed by parades throughout the day and the shooting of fireworks at night.

Halloween is thought to have evolved from the ancient celtic festival of Samhain which was
introduced in the American colonies by Irish settlers. It has become a holiday that is widely
celebrated by children and teens who traditionally dress up in costumes and go door to door
saying the words “Trick or Treat” in exchange for candy. It also brings about an emphasis on
eerie and frightening urban legends and movies. The popularity of celebrating Halloween has
become continusly popular among university students in the US. Both University of Wisconsin-
Madison and Ohio University in Athens, Ohio are known across the US for their Halloween
street fairs.

Additionally, Mardi Gras, which evolved from the Catholic tradition of Carnival, is observed
notably in New Orleans, St. Louis, and Mobile, AL as well as numerous other towns. Texas still
observes the anniversary of its Independence Day from Mexico.

Federally recognized holidays are as follows:

Date Official Name Remarks

January 1 New Year's Day Celebrates beginning of the Gregorian calendar year.
Festivities include counting down to midnight (12:00
 AM) on the preceding night, New Year's Eve.
Traditional end of holiday season.
Birthday of Martin
Honors Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights leader,
Third Monday in Luther King, Jr., or
who was actually born on January 15, 1929; combined
January Martin Luther King,
with other holidays in several states.
Jr. Day
Observed only by federal government employees in
Washington D.C., and the border counties of Maryland
and Virginia, in order to relieve congestion that occurs
January 20, the with this major event. Swearing-in of President of the
first January 20 United States and Vice President of the United States.
following a Inauguration Day Celebrated every fourth year. Note: Takes place on
Presidential January 21 if the 20th is a Sunday (although the
election President is still privately inaugurated on the 20th). If
Inauguration Day falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, the
preceding Friday or following Monday is not a Federal
Holiday
Washington's Birthday was first declared a federal
holiday by an 1879 act of Congress. The Uniform
Holidays Act, 1968, shifted the date of the
commemoration of Washington's Birthday from
Third Monday in February 22 to the third Monday in February. Many
Washington's Birthday
February people now refer to this holiday as "Presidents' Day"
and consider it a day honoring all American presidents.
However, neither the Uniform Holidays Act nor any
subsequent law changed the name of the holiday from
Washington's Birthday to Presidents' Day.[7]
Honors the nation's war dead from the Civil War
Last Monday in onwards; marks the unofficial beginning of the summer
Memorial Day
May season. (traditionally May 30, shifted by the Uniform
Holidays Act 1968)
Celebrates Declaration of Independence, also called the
July 4 Independence Day
Fourth of July.
Celebrates the achievements of workers and the labor
First Monday in
Labor Day movement; marks the unofficial end of the summer
September
season.
Honors Christopher Columbus, traditional discoverer
of the Americas. In some areas it is also a celebration
of Italian culture and heritage. (traditionally October
Second Monday 12); celebrated as American Indian Heritage Day and
Columbus Day
in October Fraternal Day in Alabama;[8] celebrated as Native
American Day in South Dakota.[9] In Hawaii, it is
celebrated as Discoverer's Day, though is not an
official state holiday.[10]
November 11 Veterans Day Honors all veterans of the United States armed forces.
 A traditional observation is a moment of silence at
11:00 a.m. remembering those killed in war.
(Commemorates the 1918 armistice, which began at
"the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month.")
Traditionally celebrates the giving of thanks for the
Fourth Thursday autumn harvest. Traditionally includes the
Thanksgiving Day
in November consumption of a turkey dinner. Traditional start of the
holiday season.
Celebrates the Nativity of Jesus. Some people consider
aspects of this religious holiday, such as giving gifts
December 25 Christmas
and decorating a Christmas tree, to be secular rather
than explicitly Christian.

 Federal Holidays Calendars from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

[edit] Cuisine
Main article: Cuisine of the United States

Mainstream 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 American Indians 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 and domestic
innovations. So-called French fries, Mexican dishes such as burritos and tacos, and pasta dishes
freely adapted from Italian sources are widely consumed.[11] Americans generally prefer coffee to
tea, with more than half the adult population drinking at least one cup a day.[12] Marketing by
U.S. industries is largely responsible for making orange juice and milk (now often fat-reduced)
ubiquitous breakfast beverages.[13] During the 1980s and 1990s, Americans' caloric intake rose
24%;[11] 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.[14]

Common American Foods

Traditional Thanksgiving Typical American
dinner with Turkey, seafood with Fried fish, Hamburger, fries, and a
Caesar salad.
dressing, sweet potatoes, shrimp, hush puppies, coke.
and cranberry sauce. and fries.

American style breakfast

Chicken Fried Steak California club pizza with pancakes, maple
with avocados and Toasted turkey syrup, sausage links,
(alternatively known as
tomatoes. sandwich. bacon strips, and fried
Country Fried Steak.)
eggs.

[edit] Sports
Main article: Sports in the United States

A typical Baseball diamond as seen from the stadium. Traditionally the game is played for nine
innings but can be prolonged if there is a tie.

The opening of College football season is a major part of American culture and tradition.
Basketball is widely enjoyed by American youth and is considered by many to be the second
most popular sport in the United States.

Massive marching bands accompanied by cheerleaders and colorguard are almost universal at
American Football games, especially during halftime. Although high school bands tend to be
much smaller, it is rare for a game not to feature a marching band at halftime.

Bowling is a popular pastime for Americans of all ages.

Sports in the United States are an important part of the American culture. However, the sporting
culture of the U.S. is unique from that of many other countries. Compared to any other nation,
American preferences for sports differ from the rest of the world. For example, professional
soccer is not as popular in the United States as it is in many parts of the world.

Baseball is the oldest of the major American teamsports. Professional baseball dates from 1869
and had no close rivals in popularity until the 1960s; though baseball is no longer the most
popular sport it is still referred to as the "national pastime." Also unlike the professional levels of
the other popular spectator sports in the U.S., Major League Baseball teams play almost every
day from April to October. American football now attracts more television viewers than baseball;
however, National Football League teams play only 16 regular-season games each year, so
baseball is the runaway leader in ticket sales.

Basketball is another major sport, represented professionally by the National Basketball

Association. It was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts 1891, by Canadian-born physical
education teacher James Naismith.

American football, known in many anglophone countries as gridiron, is widely considered to be

the most popular sport in the United States. The 32-team National Football League (NFL) is the
most popular and only major professional American football league. Its championship game, the
Super Bowl, is the biggest annual sporting event held in the United States. Additional millions
also watch college football throughout the autumn months, and some communities, particularly
in rural areas, place great emphasis on their local high school team. American football games
usually include cheerleaders and marching bands which aim to raise school spirit and entertain
the crowd at half-time.

Many Americans recognize a fourth sport - Ice hockey. Always a mainstay of Great Lakes and
New England-area culture, the sport gained tenuous footholds in regions like the American South
in recent years, as the National Hockey League pursued a policy of expansion.

The quickly growing sport of mixed martial arts has taken off in America since its introduction
in the early 1990s. Today, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is one of the most profitable
organizations in the country.

[edit] Sports and community culture

Homecoming is an annual tradition of the United States. People, towns, high schools and
colleges come together, usually in late September or early October, to welcome back former
residents and alumni. It is built around a central event, such as a banquet, a parade, and most
often, a game of American football, or, on occasion, basketball, or ice hockey. When celebrated
by schools, the activities vary widely. However, they usually consist of a football game played
on the school's home football field, activities for students and alumni, a parade featuring the
school's marching band and sports teams, and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen (and at
many schools, a Homecoming King).

[edit] Scientific
This article does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (August 2009)
Cultural map of the world according to the World Values Survey, describing the United States as
low in "Rational-Secular Values" and high in "Self-Expression values".

There is a fondness for scientific advancement and technological innovation in American culture.
Some of these efforts are centered in Silicon Valley. Other strong scientific areas include nuclear
research, space (NASA), military research, and biotech. Respect for scientific advancement still
ranks high in the US and the element of competitiveness is exercised as early as in elementary
school.

American culture has also made significant gains through the immigration of accomplished
scientists. For example, numerous members of the European intelligentsia emigrated during
World War Two to escape Fascist persecution. At the time, the U.S. was one of the few safe
countries to flee to.

[edit] Visual arts

Main article: Visual arts of the United States

In 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 emerged as a center of the art
world.[citation needed]Painting in the United States today covers a vast range of styles.

[edit] Architecture
Main article: Architecture of the United States

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.[15] In the absence of a single large-scale architectural influence from
indigenous peoples such as those in Mexico or Peru, generations of designers have incorporated
influences from around the world. Currently, the overriding theme of American Architecture is
modernity: an example of which are the skyscrapers of the 20th century.

Early Neoclassicism accompanied the Founding Father's idealization of European

Enlightenment, making it the predominant architectural style for public buildings and large
manors. However, in recent years, the suburbanization and mass migration to the sunbelt has
allowed architecture to reflect a Meditteranean style as well.

[edit] Sculpture

Main article: Sculpture of the United States

The 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] Perhaps the most
iconic American sculpture is Mount Rushmore National Memorial, an 18m high relief of four
US Presidents' faces carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore.

[edit] Popular culture

American popular culture has expressed itself through nearly every medium, including movies,
music, and sports. Mickey Mouse, Barbie, Michael Jackson,Elvis Presley, Britney Spears,
Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana, Michael Phelps, Andre Agassi, Aerosmith, Babe Ruth,
Baseball, American football, Basketball, screwball comedy, G.I. Joe, jazz, the blues, Rap & Hip
Hop, The Simpsons, Superman, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Sopranos, Gone with the Wind,
Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Michael Jordan, Indiana Jones, Sylvester
Stalone, Sesame Street, Catch-22, Star Trek, and Star Wars—these names, genres, and phrases
have joined more tangible American products in spreading across the globe.

The U.S. is also popular for evolving/adapting many elements of various other cultures, such as
food (i.e. pizza, hamburgers, and hibachi), and television shows (American Idol, Power
Rangers).

[edit] Fashion

Main article: Fashion in the United States

Apart 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 in every state 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.[16] The country was also home to
the headquarters of many leading designer labels such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. Labels
such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, American Eagle, Hollister, and Eckō cater to various
niche markets.

Further iconic items of American fashion are the T-Shirt and the Baseball cap.

[edit] Theater

Main article: Theater in the United States

Theater 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. New York's
Theater District is also the largest in the country with Cleveland's being the second largest.
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. Often tiny rural
communities are able to awe audiences with extravagant productions.

[edit] Television

Main article: Television in the United States

Television is one of the major mass media of the United States. Ninety-seven percent of
American households have at least one television set and the majority of households have more
than three.[citation needed]

The US can be said to be the homeland of modern network television.

[edit] Music

Main article: Music in the United States

American contemporary music can be heard all over the world, through MTV, Channel V, VH1
and by artists such as Madball, Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Patsy Cline,
Billy Joel, Ella Fitzgerald, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Benny
Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Randy Newman, Madonna, Eminem, Backstreet Boys, Dean Martin,
Aerosmith, B. B. King, The Doors, Prince, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, Van Halen, Garth Brooks,
Weezer, The Ramones, Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Green Day, and Theory of a Deadman.
American popular music also contains many styles of music that developed in the US and were
popular music when they came up (or still are). Examples are rock & roll, hip-hop, swing, jazz,
blues, country, R&B, funk, pop, and various others.

[edit] Films

Main article: Cinema of the United States

American films are very popular, including icons like Star Wars, The Godfather, The Karate
Kid, Schindler's List, Titanic and The Matrix. American movie actors and actresses are widely
recognized such as Tom Hanks, Al Pacino, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Marilyn Monroe, George
Clooney, Will Smith, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington,
Marlon Brando and Johnny Depp.[citation needed] Outside the US, American Film is usually referred
to in a generalizing manner as Hollywood.

[edit] Dance

Main article: Dance in the United States

There 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] Firearms

Main article: Gun politics in the United States

Main article: Gun culture

In sharp contrast to most other developed nations, firearms laws in the United States are
permissive and private gun ownership is common. In fact, there are more privately owned
firearms in the United States than in any other nation on earth, both per capita and in total.[17]
Rates of gun ownership vary greatly by region and by state, with gun ownership tending to be
most common in Alaska, the Mountain States and the South and least common in Hawaii, the
island territories and the Northeast megalopolis.[18] Hunting, plinking and target shooting are
popular pastimes, although ownership of firearms purely for purposes of self-defense is common
as well.[19]

[edit] See also

 Americana
 America 24/7
  Broadway theatre
 Culture of the Southern United States

[edit] References
1A. Brandon Zook

1. ^ Meyers, Jeffrey (1999). Hemingway: A Biography. New York: Da Capo, p. 139. ISBN
0-306-80890-0.
2. ^ "U.S. Stands Alone in its Embrace of Religion". Pew Global Attitudes Project.
http://pewglobal.org/reports/display.php?ReportID=167. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
3. ^ Marsden, George M. 1990. Religion and American Culture. Orlando: Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich, pp.45-46.
4. ^ Jefferson, Thomas (1904). The writings of Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson
Memorial Association of the United States. pp. 119.
5. ^ "CIA Fact Book". CIA World Fact Book. 2002.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html. Retrieved
2007-12-30.
6. ^ http://www1.macys.com/campaign/parade/parade.jsp
7. ^ http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode05/usc_sec_05_00006103----
000-.html
8. ^ "Section 1-3-8". http://www.legislature.state.al.us/codeofalabama/1975/1-3-8.htm.
9. ^ "Holidays Observed". http://www.state.sd.us/puc/misc/holidays.htm.
10. ^ http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Oct/08/br/br2504137896.html
11. ^ a b Klapthor, James N. (2003-08-23). "What, When, and Where Americans Eat in
2003". Institute of Food Technologists. http://www.ift.org/cms/?pid=1000496. Retrieved
2007-06-19.
12. ^ "Coffee Today". Coffee Country. PBS. May 2003.
http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/guatemala.mexico/facts.html#02. Retrieved
2007-06-19.
13. ^ 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—The Speculation Is
Over". AC Nielsen. http://us.acnielsen.com/pubs/2006_q1_ci_health.shtml. Retrieved
2007-06-12.
14. ^ "Fast Food, Central Nervous System Insulin Resistance, and Obesity". Arteriosclerosis,
Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. American Heart Association. 2005.
http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/25/12/2451#R3-101329. Retrieved 2007-06-
09. "Let's Eat Out: Americans Weigh Taste, Convenience, and Nutrition" (PDF). U.S.
Dept. of Agriculture.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib19/eib19_reportsummary.pdf. Retrieved 2007-
06-09.
15. ^ Dell Upton. 1998. "Architecture in the United States-Oxford history of art". pp. 11 ff.
ISBN 019284217X
 16. ^ Davis, Fred (1992). Fashion, Culture, and Identity. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press, p. 69. ISBN 0-226-13809-7.
17. ^ "U.S. most armed country with 90 guns per 100 people". Reuters.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2834893820070828.
18. ^ "Gun Ownership by State". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
srv/health/interactives/guns/ownership.html.
19. ^ "The US gun stock: results from the 2004 national firearms survey". Injury Prevention
Journal. http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/13/1/15.full.

[edit] External links

 US Culture Report

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Culture of the United States
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_the_United_States"
Categories: American culture | Arts in the United States | Entertainment in the United States
Hidden categories: Wikipedia pages move-protected due to vandalism | Articles lacking sources
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