Culture of the United States

This article very generally discusses the customs and culture of the United States; for the "culture" of the United States, see arts and entertainment in the United States.

Intra-national allegiances

Because of the size and large population of the country, America is often described as a nation of joiners who tend to self-associate with non-familial groups. Individuals tend to perceive themselves as "free agents" rather than bound by family or clan ties.

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Group allegiances are sometimes regional, but can also be related to a professional or fraternal organization. For example, residents of North Carolina are proud to be "Tar Heelers," Indiana residents are "Hoosiers", the wealthy residents of Connecticut are Connetians and many cities have a strong sense of civic identity, often reinforced by an innocuous but deeply felt rivalry with another local city. An example of such a rivalry existed until the early 1960s between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. A strong rivalry that continues to this day involves the cities of Boston and New York, which is centered around the historic rivalry between the 26-time World Champion New York Yankees and the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.

Related Topics:
North Carolina - Tar Heel - Indiana - Hoosier - Connecticut - Twin Cities - Minneapolis - St. Paul - Minnesota - Boston - New York - New York Yankees - Boston Red Sox

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Recent immigrants tend to congregate with other immigrants from their country of origin, often establishing neighborhoods (sometimes called ethnic enclaves) in cities with popular names like "Chinatown", "Poletown", or "Little Saigon." Second- and third-generation descendants of immigrants tend to have looser affiliations with their ethnic groups.

Related Topics:
Ethnic enclaves - Chinatown - Poletown - Little Saigon

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America has tens of thousands of clubs and organizations, and if a group has a charitable or service orientation, Americans may volunteer their time through those groups. Examples of these groups include the Rotary Club, the Boy Scouts of America, Little League, etc.

Related Topics:
Examples of these groups - Rotary Club - Boy Scouts of America - Little League

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