The Melting Pot Myth

821 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What worked against the melting pot myth

America for centuries has given a sense of hope to many throughout the world, since it allowed the chance for individuality among its citizens. Immigrants have traveled in masses to this country in order to express their religion freely in the hopes of not being judged or chastised. The newly found inhabitants of America all wanted to live the “American Dream” full of opportunities. This dream brought many people with different ethnicities together, causing them to interact and eventually begin to accept one another. With the many different languages, and cultures pouring into the country, it became more diverse. The idea of a “melting pot”, the mixing of different traditions to become one culture that shows no dominance, is a goal that America has constantly tried to achieve. An ideal which seems achievable is far out of reach for the American population. America will never be able to become a “melting pot” but instead remain a “salad bowl”, a nation that interacts with each other but continues to contain distinguishable parts, because of its diversity.
America has made several strides to become a “melting pot” in the eyes of its people. Beginning with the civil rights movement, which pushed for blacks and whites to be equal. No longer wanting whites to be seen as an inferior race, the term “separate but equal” came about. Although blacks and other minority groups gained the same rights as whites, segregation did not conform to the “melting pot”. After several riots, boycotts, and protest America began to listen to its people and desegregate public schools, restaurants, and other public facilities. The issue of equality moved from different races to gender. Women were seen as an inferior to men being an unheard voice in the back...

... middle of paper ...

...itizens. These very different cultures shows how America will continue to remain a “salad bowl”.
America is a very diverse country that contains numerous ethnicities interacting together, not bound to one culture. Since our nation is not tied under one culture the ideal “melting pot” will never be achieved but the “salad bowl” will continue to be a metaphor that describes the nation perfectly. Media plays a big role in portraying this “salad bowl” within the country. With the countless advertisements that not only display the typical “White American” but also people from other cultures as well. For instance the Axe Peace commercial displays many people from different ethnic backgrounds coming together in order to advocate peace. Also American language continues to transform picking up a myriad of terms from the various ethnic groups that reside within this country.

Show More
Related

  • Multiculturalism In Canada

    1020 Words  | 3 Pages

    Indeed, in all their schools from elementary to secondary schools, they already adopted curricula that will foster cultural diversity. Through this program, students from different levels had the chance to be exposed to different traditions and customs of various ethnic and racial groups. Even the government sectors in the United States are advocating tolerance for diversity, like how they commemorate Asian American, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander Heritage weeks (Margai, 2010). Even in their postage, they developed stamps highlighting some prominent Americans along with their diverse backgrounds. Despite all these efforts, sometimes the issue concerning multiculturalism causes significant political and societal conflicts. Right now, United States is widely known as the greatest melting pot where people from different countries and with different cultures could be united as one. However, people have divided views with regards to the issue whether the immigrants should adopt America’s culture, or they should be given the freedom to keep their own culture. The majority of the Americans believed that one must learn first how to speak English before permitting to have an American citizenship. In support of the notion of melting pot, many Americans still insist that their Creed should endure, and their nation is destined to be a prime model to

    Read More

  • The Chinese Exclusion: Erika Lee's Immigration And Assimilation?

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    The term melting-pot has been used since the 1700s. It has always been a metaphor to describe immigrants coming to America. The melting pot is a fusion of cultures and ethnicities into one larger culture. Americans did not like the idea of immigration to their country, viewing their country as beautiful the way it was. Many thought America would be ruined if too many people immigrated and left their cultural mark on the country. The melting-pot concept on immigration seems to highlight historically how America came to be, but for more current immigration, Americans views are more negative. American attitude towards immigrants in the 1900s was not very favorable. Since they feared them, immigrants were often treated horribly by Americans. Robert H. Clancy says, “Vigorous complaint and more or less bitter persecution have been aimed at newcomers to our shores. Also the congressional reports of about 1840 are full of abuse of English, Scotch, Welsh immigrants as paupers, criminals, and so forth.” (Clancy,

    Read More

  • America as a Divided Society in the 1920s

    1920 Words  | 4 Pages

    America as a Divided Society in the 1920s America was born from immigrants and during the 1920's it was called a. melting pot due to the increase in social, political and economic. differences from all these new races. During the 1920's, America went. through a number of test cases to determine to what extent America was. divided.

    Read More

  • Immigration Dbq Essay

    1560 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...d not assimilate to accepted American culture. However, by the time society learned which ethnicities were ‘unassimilable’, the cultures had already begun to take root in America. At first America had a knee-jerk reaction to this realization and began passing more resolutions preventing ‘non-whites’ from entering the United States. However, as America experienced the increase in cultural communities in reaction to prejudice formed by immigration laws, the government learned that only through a loosening of immigration law and lessening of prejudice would America become a true melting pot. The mid-1900s saw this manifestation in America, as immigration laws allowed more people from around the world to immigrate. As prejudice lessened, the cultural communities sprinkled throughout America that created a mosaic became less prevalent and have begun to form a melting pot.

    Read More

  • Myths of the Melting Pot

    1981 Words  | 4 Pages

    Perhaps, the “Melting Pot” myth gained strength during the Industrial Revolution. With millions of immigrants entering the United States, culture was changing within the United States. Americans set a high standard for there society and everyone wanted to be accepted. There was a social requirement to live in a civil society creating together the “American Dream,” which leads to prosperity. Many immigrants moving to the United States brought with them various traditions of their culture and after moving, they repressed such beliefs and forged ahead with a new way of “American Thinking.” The rituals and traditions of such societies should have brought diversity to this nation’s culture however, these ways would soon become a part of the past. The “Melting Pot” myth heavily influences American society and people believe that everyone no matter what skin color or religious belief is created equal. This belief of the American Way of life is idyllic to say the least. Unfortunately, this myth has been thwarted due to a high level of racial supremacy within the nations past and even present. There are two particular events in national history, which will forever hinder equality: slavery of African Americans and Japanese internment camps during World War II in America. These substantial events shape our society and are only the tip of the iceberg when it

    Read More

  • The French Immigration in the United States and Their Contribution to This Country.

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    The United States is an immense country, with many residents and citizens descending from immigrants who have influenced many customs, traditions, behaviors and ways of life. Unlike many old world nations, the United States does not have a homogenous population or a traditional homeland. However, American culture can be interpreted as being largely based in Western Europe with influences from the Native Indians, Africans, Asians, and elsewhere.

    Read More

  • American Stereotypes of Immigrants

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    America was widely known as a “melting pot” of sorts for many generations. The country earned its title by accepting immigrants of various cultures and molding, or melting, them into the American lifestyle. However, the “melting pot” idea of America is starting to dissipate. According to a Newsweek Poll on the public, “only 20 percent still think America is a melting pot” (Morganthau and Wolfberg, par.4). As more Americans push away immigrants and create stereotypes against said immigrants, America continues to lose its title as a “melting pot.” There is ethnic friction in America and people have begun to have a hard time assimilating (Morganthau and Wolfberg, par.18). .America is beginning to place a negative outlook on its culture. Authors Jack Shaheen, Richard Rodriguez, Peter Marin and Zora Neale Hurtson all shape American culture in a detrimental way.

    Read More

  • Restriction Of Immigration Analysis

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    Numerous countries of the world have very distinct cultures and are typically composed primarily of one type of race, religion, or nationality. For instance, France, Mexico, Japan, China. The United States differs greatly from these countries listed because we are known as the "melting pot." According to Merriam Webster dictionary, the term "melting pot" is metaphor for a society where many different types of people “blend” together as one. However, the United States is also associated with and known as a "nation of immigrants.". This name was given due to the fact that almost every citizen of the country has an immigrant ancestry, with the exception of the Native Americans. In the Francis Walker publication over “Restriction of Immigration

    Read More

  • Biracial Identity Analysis

    1974 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The media serve as a tool that people use to define, measure, and understand American society” (Deo et al., 149). Thinking of the media as a tool for the American people also extends into the realm of race and ethnicity. The United States has had a long and difficult history pertaining to the racial and ethnic identities of the many different people that reside within and outside of it’s borders. That history is still being created and this country still struggles with many of the same problems that have plagued this area since before the founding of the U.S. As stated above, the popular media has a large impact on the way that race and ethnicity are understood by people, especially when considering the prevalence of segregation in the U.S.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Joel L. Swerdlow’s 2001 Essay, “Changing America"

    727 Words  | 2 Pages

    America was founded on change. Past revolutions were fought to make new ways in which to live life in this country. Our families all came to America, at one point, to feed into this definition of being an American. The term melting pot in my mind means structure, meaning what we, as Americans, are made of. It was many ethnic backgrounds that came to make up our country. So as more and more people migrate to America, stand up for the changes they believe in, this country will only continue to get stronger.

    Read More

  • Multiculturalism in America: Hindrance or Advantage

    1705 Words  | 4 Pages

    Students attending American schools are taught clearly about the United States’ image as a melting pot; however, there is evidence to support that, while there is not an official federal stance on the matter (Sengupta), the amount of assimilation required to be legitimately considered a “melting pot” is not being reached. Although similar, there is often confusion about the differences between “multicultural” and “assimilated” communities. By definition, assimilation is the complete “merging of cultural traits from previously distinct culture groups” (Dictionary), while multiculturalism is delineated as the “preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation” (Dictionary). Early to mid-1900’s America entertained the idea of a melting pot, where people from all parts of the world would join together and assimilate. It seems, however, that the growing trend has been to treat America as more of a “salad bowl” (Porter), in that people are joining together but instead of merging as one unit, are maintaining a majority, if not all, of their primary culture with little attempt to adapt. This underachievement has left America to unintentionally become a multicultural society. The clear differentiation between expectation and reality brings vast amounts of controversy among the nation’s people.

    Read More

  • New Orleans

    2973 Words  | 6 Pages

    prosperous from its diversity, epitomizes the "American Melting Pot". It is complicated to relate such different backgrounds, but with an overview of history, culture, religion, and integration on a small scale, a reader is capable of applying the values to the American culture as a whole.

    Read More

  • Diversity In The Criminal Justice System

    1370 Words  | 3 Pages

    police officers, judges, attorneys, correctional officers) the importance of social and cultural awareness; (2) understanding the demographics of various minority and immigrant groups; and (3) improve data collection on racial and ethnic discrimination. Some people depict America as a melting pot because they believe various ethnic groups in America has blended together as one. The melting pot theory aims at creating a unique American way of life. On the other hand, some people portray America as a salad bowl because America is diversified with various cultures and ethnicity, which makes this society multicultural. Diversity and multiculturalism in America will also create racism and hatred towards minorities and immigrants; furthermore, it will also promote separatist or hate groups. A multicultural society will create opportunities to share ideas and perspectives with each other; therefore, allowing ethnic groups to understand and have mutual respect for each other. Although there are disadvantages in a multicultural society, the advantages still outweighs all the negative criticisms. Multiculturalism promotes peace and good communications among ethnic

    Read More

  • Racial Segregation in Beauty Pageants

    946 Words  | 2 Pages

    The United States of America supposedly encompasses resilience and advocates equality. Apparently, the United States of America abides for progress on racial discrimination and understands, accepts, and respects all races. But in reality we are not united with all races; thus we just make up America, not the United States of America. President Barack Obama affirms, “....there is not a black America and a white America and latino America and asian America - there's the United States of America” (Obama). In pursuance to evolve into the United States of America, as opposed to a disembodied one, we need to act like the unrestricted, free willing, and affirmative country that we say we are.

    Read More

  • Should English Be The Official Language Essay

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    The age old question that many ask today is “what is an American?” America is continued to be called the “melting pot” of the world. This statement refers to the combination of different cultures and ethnicities throughout the United States. The diversity of America should not take away from the history and foundation it was found upon. ...

    Read More

More about The Melting Pot Myth

Open Document