Much of our knowledge and use of customs from other countries result from immigrants who brought customs to the United States. Everything about the way groups of people live is called culture. What qualities make each culture unique? They could include language, attitudes, customs, daily routines, and styles of dress. Take the "Exercise on Cultural Diversity" at www.educ.indiana.edu/cas/tt/v2i2/exercise.html to test your knowledge of different cultural myths.

When describing cultures it is easy to focus on the differences when in actuality there are many similarities. People all around the world have the same basic needs. These are:

1. A place to live
2. Food to eat
3. Ways to protect themselves
4. Practice religion in some form
5. Ways to express themselves
6. Family system

Cultural diversity means people are all different in one way or another and these differences make cultures interesting. These differences could be due to the climate, what is available to eat, what fibers are available to make clothes, etc. The boundaries between culture today are not as distinct as they used to be for a number of reasons, mainly due to advanced methods of communication and travel. Culture is a source of pride for many families. It's part of their history and many families want to preserve it.

Writing Assignment

Write a one-page paper titled "Family Customs I Want to Preserve".

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