What is culture? Culture - has been called "the way of life for an entire society." As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behaviors and systems of belief.

Where does our American culture come from?

Sources of American Culture During the Colonial Period 1607-1775 Native Americans Europeans –primarily English speaking, but also Spanish, French, German, Dutch West Africans

4 Waves of English Speaking Settlement in the Colonial Period 1607-1775 Jamestown, Virginia 1607 – 1st Permanent English settlement in America Plymouth, Massachusetts – 1621 – Pilgrims Puritans 1629-1641 – Massachusetts - New England Cavaliers 1642-1675 – Virginia & South Atlantic Coast Quakers 1675-1717- Pennsylvania & Delaware River Valley Scots-Irish 1717-1775 Appalachian Backcountry

Native Americans Technologies: Canoe, snow shoes, toboggan Foods: Corn, Potatoes, Squash, Pumpkins, Beans, Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Sunflowers Words: skunk, raccoon, moose, squash, hickory, cougar, barbeque, coyote, jerky, hurricane, tobacco,

Native Americans Confederation – the structure for the government of the United States of America Freedom – to travel, to hunt, to make own decisions

West Africans By 1775 one of every five people in British America was of African ancestry Crops: Rice, Indigo, Yams, Okra Music: rhythmically complex, “blue note” – source of the Blues, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Hip Hop Words: banjo, gumbo, OK, banana, jazz, hip, jive, juke box, bug, tote, jamboree, mojo, mumbo jumbo, zombie… Expressions: sweet talk, bad mouth, every which way…