Mexican Culture Vs American Culture

Food is a major part of every culture, some very different and some very similar. American and Spanish cultures are very different because of eating habits, meal times, and how people interact over food. There are several differences between American and Spanish food, but there is one similarity: it brings people closer together like nothing else.

Hispanics have greatly influenced U.S. culture. Their contributions have impacted just about every aspect of society and they have become a part of our nation’s diversity. Hispanics are typically defined as people from Spanish speaking countries or directly from Spain. According the to U.S. Census Bureau (2015), Hispanics make up more than 17% of the population with 55 million living in the United States.

Culture is the overall moral belief, customs, language, and attitudes a person is brought and raised into. Daily, we are exposed to diverse and different cultures everyday which allow us to learn the different values and traditions each culture possess. The importance of observing and learning different customs is beneficial because it can help us better adapt and prevent misunderstandings when we communicate and interact with others. Hispanics and Americans are two huge cultures that have been sharing the same living space for years but are an example of two different civilizations. While both, Hispanics and Americans, share many similarities they both differ in recognition of religion, language,

While Texas leader Stephen Austin initially had no contempt toward Mexicans, the Anglo-American citizens in the area did. The American Texans of the 1800’s defined Mexicans as “a race alien to everything that Americans held dear” (De Leon 4). This sentiment would serve as the primary catalyst to the Texas secession from Mexico. When Austin began colonizing the area, he envisioned a place in which Anglo-Americans and Tejanos, Mexicans living in Texas, could live together. Eventually, though, the public opinions of North American settlers in the territory and in Washington would make him realize that the goal of unity between the two groups was impossible.

Frequently, we do not put too much attention to our own cultural values and traditions until we are exposed to a different culture, and start comparing. In order to have a more productive and fruitful life I believe we need to become more self-aware and more sensitive to the culturally and ethnically diverse community we live in. Two cultures that have been sharing the same living space for centuries are the Hispanic and American culture. In this paper I would be analyzing each culture giving a brief background and pointing out some aspects in how they differ, like the perception of time, family, orientation, and others. American culture has a couple of aspects in which it differs from the Hispanic culture, which for the

Mayans, Aztecs, and Spanish-Mexicans; these are the stepping stones to the Mexican people of today’s world. Each had their own way of doing things and built upon each other in every aspects of life. The food customs and what is consumed has not changed in as much what is now considered a delicacy and what is considered normal in their culture. These customs compared to the Western culture seem naive, native, and uneducated. Where did these customs come from? What traditions are kept? What needs to these met? These questions will be answered in the following paragraphs.

At my understanding, the term Hispanic is wrongly used when referring to a race. Being Hispanic is, of course, to belong to an ethnic group, but it is much more than that. It is not about the color of your skin or your hair, but about culture, tradition, and manners. All started with the Spanish and Portuguese colonization of South and Central America. From Europe came the adventurous men, full of ambitions and courage. These attributes blended with the strength and energy of African slaves and the Native Americans, and this mixture led to the born of this new culture that we called Hispanic.

Mexican culture dates far back as the 13th century. This is when the Aztecs were prevalent in northern mexico. Aztecs were a people who were all about war and honor. They made many enemies going to war with smaller tribes and brutally killed their enemies. In the 16th century the Aztecs Empire crumbled due to the invasion led by Hernan Cortez. Disease, superior weapons, and aid of the Aztec’s enemies were all contributing factors to the Aztecs downfall. Fast forward September 16th 1810 when Mexico gained its independence from Spain Mexico's identity started to develop. Mexican culture is defined by many things, its food, its language, its clothing, its art. However, There is one aspect that defines Mexican culture and that is family life. Mexicans have a very rich family life that defines the culture. The way that family is organized and the way each member acts can be traced back to the very beginning. It's a mixture of the indigenous peoples culture as well as the Spaniards culture. The indigenous peoples pass on their ideas of honor and machismo and the Spaniards pass on their ideas of catholicism, and family value and structure. I fit into this because I grew up on these ideas and my family still practices some of these ideas today.

Culture can be seen from the interaction of many things such as history, activities and developments. It is also represented in the form of people live. Living in two different countries is a unique experience that gives you a new way of thinking. In my case I have lived in Colombia and now in the United States. Despite bearing some minor similarities, the differences between this to countries are notable in geography, festivities, economic and food.

Latino Americans are facing issues with their identity because of their ethnic and racial backgrounds due to our education institutions in America. These issues result in a separation of their American and Latino culture creating two different identities but not enough of American or Latino identity to fully feel part of either culture.

As I begin this essay comparing two separate cultures I feel it is necessary to first describe what exactly culture is. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society." It includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, norms of behavior such as law and morality, and systems of belief.

American culture is heavily influenced by the Hispanic culture because when Hispanic people move to America they bring their culture with them. Their culture has influenced our religion, cuisine, social media, etc. Hispanic people make up 15.8% of the population in America so it is no surprise that they are the leading minority group to have influence on American culture.

The culture of Mexico reflects the country’s complex history and is the result of the gradual blending of native culture with Spanish culture and other immigrant cultures. Mexico’s culture revolves around and is most prominent in music, food, and celebrations. The combination of beliefs and customs creates the unique Mexican culture.

Culture, according to the textbook, is defined as learned behavior; a way of life for one group of people living in a single, related, and independent community. Some major elements of culture include language, religion, values and attitudes, manners and customs, material elements, aesthetics, education, and social institutions. Language is the basis of interaction and communication among people. The two primary types of language are verbal and nonverbal communication. Religion is a very important cultural aspect when it comes to learning and understanding a new culture. Values are basic beliefs or philosophies of things that most people in a society consider to be true. For instance, American Jews, like their countrymen, place a high value on freedom and autonomy. But Jewish life is based on values like authority, community, and eternity. Thus, American Jews sometimes find some odd differences between the American society values and the Jewish values in which they live. Culture includes some main characteristics which are culture is learned, shared, based on symbols, integrated, and dynamic. For example, a child born in China but was brought to America after birth may not develop traits characteristics of Chinese. He may learn behavior pattern characteristics of American children, including language.

Mexican culture is one that is very family centered. This means that for the most part, this culture goes to