英语的美文:WhyAmericanCultureisUnique英语的美文:WhyAmericanCultureisUniqueAmericancultureisuniquebecauseitisnurtured,formedanddevelopedundercertainconditions,whicharecharacteristically(特性)American.Themajorfactorscontributingtothemakingofthisnewnationandtheformingofanewculturearethehardenvironment,ethnicdiversity(多民族)andpluralreligion,whichisquitedifferentfromothernationsintheworld.Whatismore,theseelementsarestillinfluencingtheAmericanculture.1.RoughEnvironmentTheearlyimmigrantswhowereEnglishPuritanssettleddowninnortheastpartofAmerican.Theenvironmenttherewasveryroughbuttheybelievedthepoorlandcouldpurifytheirmindsotheychosetheplacealongthecoast.From1607to1892,frontierswerepushedfurtherwest.TheAmericanfrontierconsistedoftherelativelyunsettledregionsoftheUnitedStates,usuallyfoundinthewesternpartofthecountry.Thefrontiersmenlookedforalandofrichresourcesandalandofpromise,opportunityandfreedom.Actuallytheylookedforabetterlife.Soindividualism,self-reliance,andequalityofopportunityhaveperhapsbeenthevaluesmostcloselyassociatedwiththefrontierheritage(遗产)ofAmerican.2.EthnicDiversityThepopulationoftheUnitedStatesincludesalargevarietyofethnicgroupscomingfrommanyraces,nationalities,andreligions.PeoplerefertotheUnitedStatesas"meltingpot"andthedominantpeopleareBritish.AmericanismadeupofWASP+MM,thatis,White,AngloSaxon,ProtestantsplusMiddleClassandMale.Inhistory,peoplefromdifferentcountriesintheworldrushedtoAmericanthreetimes.TheybroughttheirownculturetoAmericanandlaterondifferentculturesweremixedtogether.ThustheuniqueAmericancultureisformed,acommonculturallifewithcommonlysharedvalues.3.PluralreligionThefundamentalAmericanbeliefinindividualfreedomandtherightofindividualstopracticetheirownreligionisatthecenterofreligiousexperienceintheUnitedStates.Thegreatdiversityofethnicbackgroundshasproducedreligiouspluralism;almostallofthereligionsoftheworldarenowpracticedintheUnitedStates.Christianity(基督教)isthedominantreligioninAmericanandProtestant(新教)ispredominate(主导).Anyindividualsareequalbefo