How to Cite: Liu, S., & Alley, F. (2019). Learning from the historical culture of American people for the current society. Linguistics and Culture Review, 3(1), 32-47. https://doi.org/10.37028/lingcure.v3n1.14 Learning from the historical culture of American people for the current society Siyung Liu Tianjin Foreign Studies University, Tianjin, China Fatihiya Alley San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California Abstract---We learned more about the contribution of cultural history towards the current society for the American people. In the most general sense, historical culture is a holistic meta-historical concept that opens the investigation of how people deal with the past. The term “historical” refers to past events, including thoughts and ideas. The term “culture” comprises shared attitudes, values, and perceptions of a group of people. Cultural history is not simply the study of high culture or alternatively of peoples' past rituals. It is best characterized as an approach which considers the domain of representation and the struggle over meaning as the most fruitful areas for the pursuit of historical understanding. history is the aggregate of past events while culture is the arts, customs, and habits that characterize a particular society or nation. Cultural history brings to life a past time and place. In this search, cultural historians study beliefs and ideas, much as intellectual historians do. These are reflected in the products of deliberately artistic culture, but also include the objects and experiences of everyday life, such as clothing or cuisine. Keywords---American, culture, historian, perception, society. Introduction Bortolini, Salzano, Thomas, Stuart, Nasanen, Bau & Hill (2003), studying history is important because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present. Studying history can provide us with insight into our cultures of origin as well as cultures with which we might be less familiar, thereby increasing cross- cultural awareness and understanding. Lindert & Williamson (1985), in addition to its intrinsic value, culture provides important social and economic benefits. With improved learning and health, increased tolerance, and opportunities to come together with others, culture enhances our quality of life and increases overall well-being for both individuals and communities. Fleming, Evans & Chutka (2003), cultural history combines the approaches of anthropology and history to look at popular cultural traditions and cultural interpretations of historical experience. Cultural history involves the aggregate of past cultural activity, such as ceremony, class in practices, and the interaction with locales. Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, Linguistics and Culture Review © 2019. Corresponding author: Alley, F. [email protected] Received: 18 May 2019 / Accepted: 09 June 2019 / Published: 27 August 2019 32 33 religion, cuisine, social habits, music, and arts. The word "culture" derives from a French term, which in turn derives from the Latin "colere," which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture. In summary, some of the common elements that make up individual cultures are symbols, language, values, and norms. Duarte, González & Maldonado (2008), a symbol is anything that is used to stand for something else. People who share a culture often attach a specific meaning to an object, gesture, sound, or image. Culture Historians often ask questions about the past in order to understand the present. Culture Historians use a variety of methods to help them answer questions about what happened in the past. Culture Historians examine evidence and draw conclusions as they answer historical questions. It is a way of recreating the past so it can be studied in the present and re-interpreted for future generations. Since humans are the sole beneficiaries of history, it is important for us to know what the purpose of history is and how historians include their own perspective concerning historical events. Learning about other cultures will make you more motivated to visit and find out what it is really like. Being curious may also help you better understand and accept cultural differences that may be a challenge without visiting the country of the cultural difference that you are learning about. Martinez (2014), historical context can be defined as the political, social, cultural, and economic environment related to historical moments, events, and trends. Historical artifacts and sources were created within particular worlds and are tied to the political, social, and economic conditions of those worlds. Cultural changes are set in motion in three ways. McEachron (1939), the first is the invention, the process of creating new cultural elements. The third cause of cultural change is diffusion, the spread of cultural traits from one society to another. Cultural learning is the way a group of people or animals within a society or culture tend to learn and pass on information. Learning styles are greatly influenced by how a culture socializes with its children and young people. Cultural learning is believed to be particularly important for humans. Discussion Wiebers & International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms Investigators. (2003), the United States of America or commonly known as the US or U.S.A is a constitutional federal republic located in the northern American continent. The country, also known as Uncle Sam, has thousands of cities in Washington D.C. The United States has a land area of 9,629,091 and is the third-largest country after Canada. Astronomically, the United States is located at 24 ° N - 70 ° N and 172 ° E - 66 ° West. The United States is bordered by Canada to the north, Mexico to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the West. The United States has 50 states. 48 states of the United States are located in the mainland of America. The other 2 states, Hawaii and Alaska, are located separately from the mainland of America. Hawaii is an American state in the form of an archipelago located in the Pacific Ocean region. While Alaska is located on the northwestern tip of America's mainland. The United States has a very diverse climate because the American territories of the American continent are meridians (Olafson, Corwin & Summit, 1993). Cultural Development Clapperton & Clapperton (1993), the United States was first occupied by an Asian resident who crossed the Bering Land Bridge to Alaska around 15,000 years ago. Native Americans settled and lived there for thousands of years before the arrival of European colonists beginning with the landing of Christopher Colombus in 1492. The expedition undertaken by Christopher Colombus in 1492 quickly spread to the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi River, the Grand Canyon, and the Great Plains. In 1540, Hernando de Soto 34 made a massive exploration into the southeastern region of the American plains. And in the same year, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado explored the American plains from the plains of Arizona to Kansas. Figure 1. The first settler of the Americas In 1607, the British settled in Jamestown, Virginia which was the first settlement in the United States. Furthermore, the United States continued to be visited by the British, Spanish, French and Dutch (Walter, Bauld & Brock, 1976). But unfortunately, the development of the British colonies on the plains of the United States was not good for Native Americans because many Native Americans died due to various diseases. And finally, they must lose their country. Hennekens, Drowos & Levine (2013), the 17th century Dutch colony was centered in New Netherland which was centered in modern-day New York City and the Hudson River Valley, but in 1644 it was seized by the British and left behind a legacy that only lasted long in political life. The United States, which includes openness in democracy and pragmatism in the field of trade, is a rural traditionalism characterized by Rip Van Winkie and several major politicians such as Martin Van Buren, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt. Figure 2. Regional development 35 The French colony in 1534-1764 was based in New France. Here, there are a few permanent settlers from Quebec and Acadia. However, the Wabanaki Confederation became a military ally of New France through four French wars with Indians against the British who were joined by Confederate allies Iroquois. In 1765 the British Parliament upheld its authority over the colonies in the United States by setting a new tax which in enforcing this authority, Wilkin, Arthur & Dean (1997), the British Parliament had the right and right to collect taxes from the colonists in the United States by claiming that the colonists were residents of Britain (Britain). Tax collection on these colonists is illegal tax collection because this tax collection is carried out without people's representation. Figure 3. Revolutionary War Lambert, Martins & Ogborn (2006), on September 5, 1774, thirteen colonies in the United States held a continental congress in which the contents of the congress were related to tax increases made by the British Parliament without people's representatives and the British blockade (Britain). Conflict after conflict between Britain and the United States heats up until finally on April 19, 1775, there was an American Revolutionary War marked by a revolt of the United States militia against British troops in County Middlesex, Massachusetts. Stacpoole, Wright, Baumgartner, Bersin, Buchalter, Curry & Lachin (1994), in 1776, thirteen colonies in the United States declared independence from the United Kingdom (Great Britain) and established the United States after the Declaration of Independence was issued on July 4, 1776. This Declaration of Independence document was partly written by Thomas Jefferson and this document explains the justification or justification to break away. In the 1800s, the United States experienced many problems and rebellions. Among them, slavery and civil war. The United States acquired many territories and began to be industrialized.