淺析美國早期移民文化學(xué)生姓名：學(xué)生學(xué)號：院（系）：年級專業(yè)：指導(dǎo)教師：OnEarlyAmericanImmigrationCulturesContentsAbstract……..................……...…………..………IKeyWords…………….I摘要………….…………..……………….………..…Ⅱ關(guān)鍵詞………………ⅡIntroduction…………………….……...1I.BackgroundInformationofAmericanImmigrationCultures……….…..…………...2A.ABriefIntroductionofEarlyAmericanImmigration.....……….…………...2B.ABriefIntroductionofEarlyAmericanImmigrationCultures…..……………2II.TheSpiritsandValuesofAmericanImmigrationCultures…………...……….4A.EmphasisonFreedom,IndependenceandCooperation…….…………...…1.Freedom,IndependenceandIndividualism………..….…….……………......42.Cooperation………..….…….…………..…....5B.EmphasisonPioneering,InnovativeandAdventurousSpirit....………………6C.EmphasisonEqualityandCompetition………..………………71.Equality…………………................….…….…………..…....72.Competition………..….…….…………..…...8D.EmphasisonPragmatism……………..….…….…………..…....9E.MaterialismandMoneySupremacy…..….…….…………..…...9F.Tolerance………….…..….…….…………..…...10III.ReligioninAmerica……….……….………..….......11Conclusion……………….……….…..13Acknowledgements…………….………………..…..14Bibliography……………….…...…….15AbstractThemaincontentsofAmericanculturearethepursuitofdemocracyandfreedom,theadvocatingofpioneeringandcompetitionandthestressonpracticalitiesespeciallyonindividualvalue.Asweknow,unlikemostothercountriesintheworld,Americaisprimarilyanationofimmigrants.TheancestorsofAmericansemigratedfrommanypartsoftheglobe.TheformationofAmericanculturehascloserelationwiththeseimmigrants.TheseimmigrantstooktheirownculturetotherichNorthAmerica.ThemixedcultureandthelifeofAmericanformauniqueAmericanimmigrationculture.EarlyimmigrationculturelaidasolidfoundationfortheformationanddevelopmentofthemainstreamofAmericanculture.KeyWordsImmigrant,immigrationculture,Americanculture摘要美國文化的主要內(nèi)容強(qiáng)調(diào)的是追求民主自由，崇尚開拓競爭，講究理性和實(shí)用，尤其強(qiáng)調(diào)的是個人的價(jià)值。眾所周知，美國是一個移民國家，他的祖先來自世界各地。美國文化的形成就與這些移民有著密切的關(guān)系。這些來自世界各地的移民帶著自己的文化傳統(tǒng)來到北美這片肥沃的土地。各種文化的交融和北美的生活的疊加創(chuàng)造了美國獨(dú)特的移民文化，而早期的移民文化為當(dāng)今美國主流文化的形成奠定了堅(jiān)實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)。關(guān)鍵詞移民,移民文化,美國文化IntroductionThemaincontentsofthispaperwilldiscusstheformationofearlyAmericanimmigrationculture.ThepopulationoftheUnitedStatesincludesalargevarietyofethnicgroupscomingfrommanyraces,nationalitiesandreligions.PeoplearoundtheworldrefertotheUnitedStatesasa“meltingpot”.Inhistory,peoplefromdifferentcountriesintheworldrushedtoAmerica.Immigrantsbroughtwiththemtheirnativecultural,political,andsocialpatternsandattitudes,variedacademicandreligiousbackgrounds,aswellastheirethnicarts,sports,holidays,festivals,andfoodstotheUnitedStatesofAmerica.TheyhavegreatlyenrichedAmericanlife.AftertheseimmigrantssettleddowninthenortheastpartofAmerica,theyfoundtheenvironmenttherewasveryrough.Butthewiseimmigrantscontinuedtomovetothewestandfoundmuchricherland.Finally,theyfoundalandofdreamandalandoffreedomandalandofdemocracyandalandof……ThemixedcultureandthelifeintheNorthAmericacreatedauniqueculture－Americanimmigrationculture.What’stheAmericanimmigrationculture?Howisitformed?ThedetailedClassificationandprocessoftheformationofAmericanimmigrationculturewillbelistedinthispaper.Ⅰ.BackgroundInformationofAmericanImmigrationCulturesABriefIntroductionofEarlyAmericanImmigrationThe“firstAmericans”weretheAmericanIndians;nooneknowsexactlyhoworwhentheygottotheplacewhichisnowcalledtheUnitedStates.SomescientiststhinkthattheycrossedfromAsiaonthelandbridgewhichconnectsSiberiaandAlaskatotheNorthAmericaContinent.Itprobablyhappenedabout30,000or40,000yearsago.BeforethediscoveryoftheNewWorld,AmericanIndianshadalreadyinhabitedthereforthousandsofyears.Theylivedonthelandbyhunting,gatheringInthelate15thcentury,ChristopherColumbus,anItaliannavigator,thoughthecouldreachtheFarEastbysailingwest.SupportedbytheSpanishqueen,heledhismentosailacrossthevastoceanwiththreeshipsin1492.onthemorningofOct.12,1492,ChristopherColumbusstoppedashoreonanislandinwhathassincebecomeknownastheAmericas.ThearrivalofhisshipsintheWesternHemispherewasoneofthepivotaleventsinthehistory.ITheperiodofexplorationanddiscoverythatbeganwithColumbusin1492soonbecameaninternationalracetoplantcoloniesaroundtheworld.ThemajorEuropeanstates(England,France,Spain,Portugal,andHolland)viedwithoneanotherfornearlyfourcenturiestogaineconomicadvantagesintheoverseasterritories.The17thcenturywitnessedthearrivalofGermans,Bohemians,Irish,Poles,Scots,Jews,Dutch,French,Finns,ItaliansSwedes,Danes,Slaves,andothernationalities.SlaveshipsalsobroughtblacksfromthewestcoastofAfricatoAmerica.B.ABriefIntroductionofEarlyAmericanImmigrationCulturesTheseimmigrantsbroughtwiththemtheirnativecultural,political,andsocialpatternsandattitudes,variedacademicandreligiousbackgrounds,aswellastheirethnicarts,sports,holidays,festivals,andfoods,immigrantsfromallpartoftheworldhavegreatlyenrichedAmericanlife.TheUnitedStatesisa"meltingpot"inwhichtheforeignershavesometimesremainedculturallyandlinguisticallywhattheywereintheirnativelandsevenastheymovetowardbecomingcitizensoftheUnitedStates,anditisstillacountrywhosepeopleshareacommonculturaloutlookandsetofvalueswhichareincludedintheAmericanimmigrationculture.AmericanculturewerenotameretransportationfromEnglandorEurope.Largenumberofimmigrants,notonlyfromEngland,butalsofromGermany,Switzerland,Franceandmanyothercountries,pouredin.theyalladoptedtheEnglishlanguagebuttheirownculturedidnotdisappearcompletely.TheseimmigrantsjoinedtogetherandcreatedAmericanculturewhichwasablendingofEuropeanculturesundernewcircumstances.Asweknowmostoftheearlyimmigrantswerenotreallyhappyaboutwhattheyhadexperiencedintheirhomecountries.Theywantedtotrysomenewideasandcarryoutreforms,althoughtheycouldnotbecompletelyindependentoftheoldtraditions.HardconditionsforcedthemtogiveuppartofwhathadbeendesirableandtraditionsintheOldWorld.Theyhadtoadaptthemselvestothenewenvironmentandbecamelessformalbutmorepragmatic.Theygrewlessconservativeandmoreoutspoken.Largetractsofvirginsoilpromotedthedevelopmentofcompetitionandcultivatedastrongersenseforlibertyandvariety.Theformationofanewnationbypeopleofdifferentnationaloriginsforcedsociallifetoshowmoreelasticity.Compromiseandtolerancebecameanecessity.Religionthusgraduallybecameaprivateaffair.Americanlibertyanddemocracycouldnotbeunderstoodproperlywithouttalkingintoconsiderationthecolonialtimeandthedifferentbackgroundoftheearlyimmigrants.Ⅱ.TheSpiritsandValuesofAmericanImmigrationCulturesntheprocessofformationofanewnation,theseearlyimmigrantssharedcommonoutlooksofthespiritsandvaluesofAmericanimmigrationcultures.Gradually,emphasisonfreedom,independenceandcooperation,pursuitsfordemocracy,individualism,etc.becamethespiritsandimportantvaluesintheAmericanimmigrationcultures.A.EmphasisonFreedom,IndependenceandCMostoftheimmigrantscametotheAmericajustlookforfreedomandindependencebecausethereligionpersecution.AftertheseearlyimmigrantssettleddowninthenortheastpartofAmerica,theyfoundtheenvironmenttherewasveryrough.Itisdifficultforonesinglemantoliveinthiswildandhardenvironment,socooperationistheonlywaytochoose.1.Freedom,IndependenceandIndividualismTheearlyadventurerswereforthemostpartintenselyreligiouspeople,andthoughreligionwasnottheonlysourceofinspirationfortheirenterprise,itwasanimportantelementinasetofmotivesinwhichonecanseesignsofconsistency.ManywantedtoescapefromtheoppressivereligiousandsocialatmosphereoftheEnglandwhichtheyleftbehind.MostofthemwereProtestantsnotreadytoacceptthestructureoftheearlyadventurerswereforthemostpartintenselyreligiouspeople,andthoughreligionwasnottheonlysourceofinspirationfortheirenterprise,itwasanimportantelementinasetofmotivesinwhichonecanseesignsofconsistency.MostofthemwereProtestantsnotreadytoacceptthestructureofdoctrineandreligiouspracticeoftheChurchofEnglandwhichhadbeeninvolvedfromthereligiousReformation.InEnglandtheirbeliefscausedtheminconvenienceandsometimedanger.Freedomandindependencewerethepursuitoftheearlyimmigrants.Thepursuitoffreedomandindependencewasreflectednotonlyinreligionbutalsoineconomicandsocialfield.WhentheearlyimmigrantcrossedtoAmerica,theybroughtwiththemacombinationofEnglishattitudesandacriticismofthoseattitudes,leadingtoadeterminationtobuildanewsocietywhichwasfreeofthebadelementsoftheold,whilepreservingthosewhichseemedtothemgood.Ononehand,theywantedastronggovernmenttokeeppeaceandorder,soastoensureprivateownershipofproperty;Ontheotherhand,theywantedthegreatestpossiblefreedomforIndividualismthusbecametheirprincipleandbelief.Throughthehardshipoflifeinawild,newland,theimmigrantsgainedstrengthandfirmbeliefintherightsandlibertiesoftheindividualman.TheywantedtogetridoftheEuropeansocialpowerandaristocraticpoliticsandtocreateanindependentandfreecolony.TheirdreamswerefinallyrealizedwiththeissueofTheDeclarationofIndependenceandthevictoryofthewarofIndependence.IntheConstitutionadoptedin1789,theimmigrantswereinfavoroftheseparationofreligionandthegovernment,limitthechurch’srighttointerferenceingovernmentaffairs.Thedecisionmadebytheseearlyimmigrantshadafar-reachingimpactontheformationoftheearlysocialidentity.BecauseoftherestrictionofChurchandgovernment’srightandtheabolitionofthefeudalaristocracytheybuiltafreesociety.TheestablishmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmericahascloselylinkingwiththeconceptofindividualfreedom.IndividualfreedomwasoneofthemostbasicandimportantvaluestotheearlyAmericanimmigrants.Someforeignscholarsandresearchersoftencallitindividualism.Liberal-Americansthinkthateveryonemaydeterminetheirfate,inaccordancewiththeirwishesandtheabilitywhichwillneverbeaffectedbyanyoutsideforcesincludingthegovernment,church,thearistocraticclass,oranyotherauthoritycontrol,etc.2.CooperationAsacountrycreatedfromthewilderness,theUnitedStateshasmanyopportunitiestodevelopintheearlyyearsoftheexplorationbecauseoftheabundantofnaturalresources.Itisdifficultforonesinglemantoliveinthiswildandhardenvironment.Theearlyimmigrantsknewclearlythatcooperationistheonlywayforthemtoliveinthisbadcondition.Theydidalotofteamworktoexplorethefarmlandandbuildthehouses.CorporativespiritbecameoneofthemostimportantvaluesofAmericanimmigrationcultures.B.Pioneering,InnovativeandAdventurousspiritOpportunityisakindofmagicstrengththatdrewpeopletoAmerica.ItnotonlyattractedEuropenobleswhodreamedofestablishinggreatnewestatesoutofthewildernesstocometoAmerica,butalsocarpentersbakers,tailorsandotherskilledcookmenwhocouldnotfindjobintheirhomecounty.Mostofall,itattractedthepoorandthehomelessfromthefarmlandsandvillagesofEurope,itofferedpeopleachancetoliveabetterlifethantheycouldhopeintheOldWorld.Aseveryoneknowsthatthegreatsuccessisbehindthebigrisk.FromthetimeofthefirstBritishimmigrantssettingfootontheNorthAmericacontinenttothetimeoftheestablishmentoftheUniteStatesofAmerica,halfcenturypassed.ThewildnaturedconditionofNorthAmericacontinentstimulatedtheimmigrantstoworkhard.Gradually,theyformedakindofcharacterofbearinghardshipandstandinghardwork.AndtheutilizationoftherichresourcesanddevelopmentofNorthAmericabredAmerica’spioneeringspiritandthespiritofadventure.Fromtheperspectiveofculture,insomeextent,earlyAmericahasbeenaculturevacuum.AgreatnumberofimmigrantswhoweretiredabouttraditionalsystemofculturecametoAmericawithrebelliousspiritdominatedtheirmind.Mostofthemwererarelyfoundintraditionalconservativethinking,becausethedangerousandwildenvironmentforcesthemtogiveuppartofwhathadbeendesirableandtraditionalintheOldWorld.Adventureisthewayforthemtochangetheirwayoflife.GraduallythisadventurousspiritoftheAmericanpeoplehasbecomethetradition.Theyregardedajourneyofadventureastheopportunityfortheirdevelopmentandlifeasajourneyofadventuretoexploretheopportunities.ThisadventurousspirithaspermeatedtheAmericanpeopleinallaspectsoflife.Americansstressedthespiritofinnovation;theybelievethatthechanceexistseverywhere;Apartfromlegislation,theAmericansthinkthatmostofthetraditionsarethebarriersforthedevelopment.Theyarewillingtochallengetraditionandprecedent.TheUnitedStatesisunlikeChina,India,theUnitedKingdomandsomeothercountriesintheworldwhichboastlonghistoryandsplendidcivilization,therefore,Americanpeoplewouldliketoacceptthenewideasasquicklyastheycan.Americanhasthecouragetochallengethetraditionandtheauthority.Theyalwaysthinkthat"Iamexpertorauthority”ThisistheAmericancharacter.C.EqualityandCompetitionBecauseAmericawasneverruledoverbyKingorQueen,noonehasprivilegeinthisNewWorld.Onlyone’sabilitycoulddecidethewealthundertheconditionofequalopportunity.SoequalityandcompetitionarethepursuitsofearlyAmericaimmigrants.1.EqualityItiswellknownthatAmericawasneverruledoverbykings,queensandbigfeudalnobles.LandwasplentifulandlaborwasscarceincolonialAmerica,andeveryfreemanhadanopportunitytoachieveeconomicindependence.ManyimmigrantsfromEuropeancontinenttookthethoughtofbourgeoisfreedomtoAmerica.Theybelievedthatonlyone’sabilitycoulddecidethewealthundertheconditionofequalopportunity.Generally,Americansdonotenvythewealthofothersbutpraiseandappreciatewealthyman.Americanbelievesinthedictum:theextentofone’swealthshowsone’sability.IntheEarlyhistoryoftheUnitedStates,manyimmigrantscamefromEuropetosettledownintheUnitedStatesbecausetheythoughttherewouldbemorechanceofsuccess.Intheiroriginalcountries,theirpersonalsuccessmainlydependedonsocialbackground,butinAmericansociety,therewasnohereditaryclassofnobles;thesuccessdependsentirelyonindividual’sstruggle.Mostoftheearlyimmigrants’hopesanddreamswererealizedintheNewWorld.Thesetensofmillionsofmigrantshavesuccessfullyestablishedapersonalbeliefinequality.Everybodywasdeeplyattractedbythisnewphenomenoninthenewcountry.ThemoretheyknewthedepthofAmericansociety,themoretheyfoundthattheindividualequalityisthebasicfaithofthiscountry.Peoplecomingfromdifferentbackgroundkeepitunswervingly.TounderstandthetruemeaningofAmerica’sequalityofopportunityisveryimportant.Everyonehasequalopportunitytosucceed.Equalitymeansequalopportunitiesforeveryonetoparticipateinthiscontestandfinallywin.That’sthe"fairplay"(faircompetition).Itisthekeytounderstandthefundamentalvaluesofequalityofopportunity.In1860,the16thpresidentofAmerica,AbrahamLincolnexplainedthebelieflikethis:wehopethateventhemosthumblepeoplecanhaveachancetobecomerich.Likeotherpeople.Apersonmayinitiallybepoor,butinafreesocietyhecanimprovehissituation.Inthecourseofhislife,heknowsthereisnothingthatcannotbechanged.2.CompetitionTruly,equalopportunityisveryimportantforone’ssuccess.Inordertogetequalopportunity,onehastopayprices.Oneofthepricesisthefiercecompetition.Ifwetakelifeasamarathonrace,weclearlyknowthateverycontestanthastocompetewithothers,includingthestrongerandweakerandsometalents.onlywhenonewentallouttoruncanhefinallywin.Apersonmustcompetewithothers,includingthosewiththeirconsiderabletalentsofpeercompetition.Thosewhofinallywoninthecompetitionwerereferredtoas"heroes"andrespectedbypeople;while,thosewhowereafraidofthecompetitionandlostinthecompetitionwerelookeduponas“l(fā)osers",anddespisedbypeopleIntheUnitedStates,thepressureofcompetitionbeganfromchildhoodandextendedtoretirement.Facingallkindofcompetitionsisapartoftheirgrowth.CompetitivepressuresmaketheAmericansmorevital,buttheyalsomakepeopleanxiousandnervousallthetime.Whentheyretire,theycanbefreedfromthepressureofcompetition.However,anewproblemhasemerged.Theyfeelthattheyhavebecomeuselessinasocietyandtheyfeellost.ThatiswhytheelderlypeopleintheUnitedStatescannotgetthesamerespectastheygetinothercountries.D.PragmatismWhenthefirstgroupofsettlerscametotheNorthAmerica,theyfoundthenaturalenvironmenttherewassotough,andtheywereisolatedfromtheEuropeancivilization.Inordertoadaptthemselvestothenewcircumstances,theybecamelessformalbutmorepragmatic.ThepragmatismbecamethephilosophyofAmerican.BecausetheUnitedStateshasnolongandsplendidancientculture,thecreationofculturewasinthedevelopmentofNorthAmericacontinent.Todevelopthiswealthyvirgin,itisnecessaryforimmigrantstobreakalltherulesandsubjecttothesolutionofpracticalproblems.Inthishistoricalbackground,thenationalphilosophyofpragmatismwasgraduallyformedintheUnitedStates.Theyexpressedthebeliefthatusefulness,effectivenessandbenefitarethetruth."Undertheinfluenceofthephilosophyofpragmatism,Americansdonotliketheformal,abstractphilosophy.IntheeyesoftheAmericans,practicalityisthetruth,successisthetruth.E.MaterialismandMoneysupremacyAmericancultureisbasedonthematerial.Americanpeoplebelievethatcomfortablestandardoflivingistheirpursuit.Theyhaveasenseofsuperioritytothosewhoselivingconditionisnotbetterthanthem.WhenAmericanstalkaboutaperson'svalue,theymainlyrefertomaterialvaluesastheordinarystandard.OneofthemainreasonsforearlyimmigrantstofloodintotheUnitedStatesisthattheywanttoliveabetterlife,whichperhapsisthemostfundamentalreason.Ofcourse,mostoftheimmigrantsdidnotbecomerichovernight,andaconsiderablepartlivedadismallife.Butgenerallyspeaking,comparedwiththepast,theoverwhelmingmajorityofAmericanshaveimprovedthequalityoflife.Peoplearepassionate,progressiveinAmericansociety.Theymustworkhardtopursuethematerialwealth.Whenearlyimmigrantscametothisvirginterritory,theyweresurprisedbytherichnaturalresourcesofNorthAmerica.Onlyworkhardistheonlywayforthemtosurviveinnewworld.Andonlybyworkinghardcantheyrealizetheirdreams.Tosomeextentmaterialwealthistherewardsorreturnsofthehardwork.Wealthisoneofimportantwaytoproveone’sability.Inthelateofthe18thcentury,theConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesclaimedthatthenumberofmaterialwealthreflectstheabilityoftheindividualdifferences.Manypeoplearetriedtoseekcareerdevelopmentatallcosts.ItalmostbecameanAmericancreedforaninferiorpersontochangeintoamillionaire.AnditwasthedominantvalueinAmericansociety.Entrepreneursweregenerallyrespected;thebusinessmanbecameapopularhero.Everyonewantedtorunenterprisestobecomerich.F.ToleranceTheUnitedStatesisacountryofimmigrants.Itsancestorswerefromaroundtheworld.WhenPeopleimmigratedtotheUnitedStates,theynotonlyshiftedingeographicalpositionbutalsochangedtheoldcustomsandculturesoftheirhostcountriestoadaptthemselvestoanewenvironment.Peoplehavetheirdifferencesobviously.Becauseofthedifference,peoplewillnotpayspecialattentiontouniformity.Daybyday,Americansdevelopedahighdegreeofculturaltolerance.Theytoleratethedifferentopinions,differentattitudes,differentcustomsanddifferentcultures.Politicallyspeaking,thistoleranceisinthepursuitoffreedomandintheprotectionoffreedom.Inreligion,itisembodiedintheharmoniouscoexistenceofdifferentfaiths.Inlivingareas,itispresentedasdifferentethnicgroupslivingtogetherpeacefully.IntheUnitedStates,eachpersoncanchoosedifferentideas,beliefs,lifestylesandtraditionsbasically.Tosomeextent,peoplecanmaintaintheirtraditionalcustoms.Forexample,Jewscelebratetheirreligiousfestivals,Christiansalsocelebratetheirfestivals.AnotherexampleisthattheChinese-AmericansspeakChineselivingandworkinginChinatown.Vietnameseimmigrantslivingin"Saigon"dobusinessandvariousactivitiesintheirownways.InadditiontothediversepresentationsofAmericantolerance,AmericantoleranceisalsorelatedwithfrequentmovementofAmericans.Asweknow,thewestwarddevelopmentisanimportantpartofAmericanhistory.Atthattime,theearlypioneerseithertrekkedorrode,fromeasttowest,fromsouthtonorth.Wherethereareopportunities,wheretheyjustmoved.TheContinuousandhighfrequencyofrelocationmakepeoplebealwaysina"flow"state.Theyhavestrongerabilitytotolerateandacceptthevarietyoftemporaryphenomenon.Inaddition,themovementcanalsohelppeopleexpandtheirhorizons,knowmoreaboutdifferentcustoms.Gradually,peoplebegansympathizethedifferentcustoms,understandthediversityofcustomsandfinallyacceptthedifferentcustoms.

Americansaretolerant;veryfewAmericanswouldliketoimposetheirwillonotherpeople.Forinstance,ahusbandmaybeaRepublican,butheneverforceshiswifetochangeherpoliticalviewpointtosupportoftheDemocraticParty'sposition.Similarly,themothermaybeaCatholicbutsheneverforceshersontoconverthisbeliefintoMuslims.Inthedailytime,thisspiritoftoleranceisnotuncommon.Ⅲ.ReligioninAmericaManypeoplecametoAmericatosearchforreligiousfreedom.

Theirhopewastoescapethereligiouspersecutiontheywerefacingintheircountries.

TheonethingtheydidnotwanttodowastoestablishachurchliketheChurchofEngland.

Thecolonistswantedachancetoworshipfreelyandhaveanopportunitytochoosewhichreligiontheywantedtotakepartin.

UponarrivinginAmerica(thePilgrimsbeingthefirsttoarrivein1620),thejourneybeganforthesearchofthe"perfect"religionthatcouldsatisfytheneedsofthepeopleModernAmericansareinclinedtolookbackespeciallytothePilgrimFatherswhosailedinthemayflowerin1620,forasymboloftheoriginoftheirnewcountry.BecauseofthetroublesandreligiouspersecutioninEngland,agroupofpuritansfromeasternEnglandtriedtogotoHollandin1607insearchofreligiousfreedom.ButtheirattempttoleaveEnglandwasunsuccessful,theywerearrested.Until1620theyfinallysailedtotheirpromisingland.Afterthat,moreandmorepeoplewhowantedtogetridofreligiouspersecutionarrivedintheshoreofAmerica.TheybroughtwiththemtheiroldReligionisaveryimportantcomponentofAmericanimmigrationculture.Religionisnational.Over90percentofAmericanssaytheybelieveinGod.Americaisamulti-religiouscountry.Arecentencyclopediacites12,000religiousgroupsinAmerica,butthemainstreamistheProtestantdenominations.Onthewhole,itisaChristiancountrybecauseChristianityisthedominantreligionthere.Overall,religionwasanimportantaspectinthecolonizationofAmerica.

Itbecameadominantpartofthelivesofthecolonistsandcontinuedtogrowovertheyears.

EventssuchastheSalemWitchcraftTrialsofthe1690'sandtheGreatAwakeningofthe1730'sonlyincreasedtheinfluenceofreligioninAmerica.

Americahadbecomearefugeforthosewhowantedreligiousfreedomandbecameahometothemanypeoplethathadthechancetoimprovetheirlives.ConclusionTheformationofAmericanimmigrationcultureiscloselyrelatedwiththedevelopmentoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.AmericanimmigrationculturemadeagreatcontributiontothedevelopmentoftheAmericanhistory.NativeAmericaorimmigrantsfromoverseasheldthesamedreamofchangingtheirsocialclassanddesiredtomaketheirlifetimedreamcometruethroughtheirownefforts.Inordertoadaptthemselvestothenewenvironments,theybecamelessformalbutmorepragmatic.Theygrewlessconservativeandmoreoutspoken.Largetractsofvirginsoilpromotedthedevelopmentofcompetitionandcultivatedastrongersenseforlibertyandvariety.Theformationofanewnationbypeopleofdifferentnationaloriginsforcedsociallifetoshowmoreelasticity.Compromiseandtolerancebecameanecessity.Religionthusgraduallybecameaprivateaffair.WhentheimmigrantscametotheAmericancontinent,theybroughtwiththemtheirnativetraditions,customsandlivingpatterns.TheimmigrantsfromallpartoftheworldhavegreatlyenrichedAmericanlife.TheUnitedStatesisa"meltingpot"inwhichtheforeignershavesometimesremainedculturallyandlinguisticallywhattheywereintheirnativelandsevenastheymovetowardbecomingcitizensoftheUnitedStates,anditisstillacountrywhosepeopleshareacommonculturaloutlookandsetofvalueswhichareincludedintheAmericanAcknowledgementsFinally,Iwouldliketooffermysinceregratitudetothosewhospendtheirprecioustimeinreadingthisthesis.MyideaforthethesissprangfromtheenlightenmentofMrs.HuangTianhong,mytutor,towhomIowedgreatgratitudeandappreciation.Shegavemeinvaluableinstructionsandencouragement.Mo