In modern times, the topic of immigration has become a divisive issue, separating the American populous in two groups. One of these groups would argue that cultural identity should not be sacrificed during the immigration process. The other group shares Linda Chavez’s mindset and would argue that assimilation is an integral part of the process. Both of these opinions have merit- the former can claim that no one should have to change who they are just be accepted by others, and the second needs only to remind their opponents that the immigrants in question must have left their countries in hopes of things being different in their new home. Despite the evidence in favor of either opinion, the basis of assimilation must be evaluated on something
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This lack of a national identity is so well known that it has actually become an identity all its own. The existence of this anti-identity dates back to the mixing of cultures which began before we even earned independence. Several countries influenced the most formative years of the nation’s existence, the most well-known being England, France and Spain. Each established colonies in what was then a “new world”. The inherent separation of these colonies was a key factor in the establishment of colonial identities. Each of the settling nations had an established culture which they brought over from Europe- social customs, currency, architecture and more. These differences would serve as a means to divide the settlements until one power gained control of the entire coast. As English settlement expanded, it became inclusive of many absorbed cultures. The acquisition of new territory and, consequently, new citizens meant that from its inception in 1776, America has been a country based on the inclusion of foreign culture. As time passed the differences became less divisive, with different ethnic groups learning more about their counter parts, and using knowledge gained from them to improve their own quality of life. This unification has become global in the twenty first century, where information about new cultures is available in seconds, but the initial division remains prominent on both large and small scales. Today, an immigrant to the United States faces a choice between several distinct regional
This lack of a national identity is so well known that it has actually become an identity all its own. The existence of this anti-identity dates back to the mixing of cultures which began before we even earned independence. Several countries influenced the most formative years of the nation’s existence, the most well-known being England, France and Spain. Each established colonies in what was then a “new world”. The inherent separation of these colonies was a key factor in the establishment of colonial identities. Each of the settling nations had an established culture which they brought over from Europe- social customs, currency, architecture and more. These differences would serve as a means to divide the settlements until one power gained control of the entire coast. As English settlement expanded, it became inclusive of many absorbed cultures. The acquisition of new territory and, consequently, new citizens meant that from its inception in 1776, America has been a country based on the inclusion of foreign culture. As time passed the differences became less divisive, with different ethnic groups learning more about their counter parts, and using knowledge gained from them to improve their own quality of life. This unification has become global in the twenty first century, where information about new cultures is available in seconds, but the initial division remains prominent on both large and small scales. Today, an immigrant to the United States faces a choice between several distinct regional