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.

Regional distinctions

See also: Regions of the United States

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Variations

Variations in the majority traditions occur due to class, racial, ethnic, religious, regional and other groups of people.

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Cultural differences in the various regions of the United States are explored in the New England, Mid-Atlantic States, U.S. Southern States, Midwest, Southwest United States and The West pages.

Related Topics:
Regions of the United States - New England - Mid-Atlantic States - U.S. Southern States - Midwest - Southwest United States - The West

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Puerto Rico has a largely separate culture from the mainland United States.

Related Topics:
Puerto Rico - Separate culture

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Rural living patterns

The population of rural areas has been declining over time as more and more people migrate to cities for work and entertainment. The 1970s and 1980s saw the closure of many smaller farms across the US as small farmers were no longer able to make a profit from farming. Even in the rural areas, electricity and telephone service are available to all but the most remote regions, due in part to rural electrical cooperatives and the New Deal rural electrification projects. As in the cities, children attend school up to and including high school and only help with farming during the summer months or after school. However, the school schedule throughout the US is based on the assumption that children will be needed to work on farms during the summer.

Related Topics:
Telephone - Rural electrical cooperative - New Deal - Farming

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Suburban living patterns

About half of Americans now live in what is known as the suburbs. The suburban nuclear family has been identified as part of the "American dream": a married couple with children owning a house in the suburbs. This archetype is reinforced by mass media, religious practices, and government policies and is based on traditions from Anglo-Saxon cultures.

Related Topics:
Suburb - American dream

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One of the biggest differences in suburban living is the housing occupied by the families. The suburbs are filled with single-family homes separated from retail districts, industrial areas, and sometimes even public schools.

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Urban living patterns

Aside from housing, which may include more apartments and semi-attached homes than in the suburbs or small towns, the major difference from suburban living is the density and diversity of many different subcultures, as well as retail and manufacturing buildings mixed with housing. Urban residents are also more likely to travel by mass transit, and children are more likely to walk or bicycle rather than being driven by their parents.

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