Culture of the United StatesThe culture of the United States of America, also referred to as American culture, encompasses various social behaviors, institutions, and norms in the United States, including forms of speech, literature, music, visual arts, performing arts, food, religion, law, technology as well as other customs, beliefs, and forms of knowledge. American culture has been shaped by the history of the United States, its geography, and various internal and external forces and migrations.
History of immigration to the United StatesThe history of immigration to the United States details the movement of people to the United States from the colonial era to the present. Throughout U.S. history, the country experienced successive waves of immigration, particularly from Europe and later from Asia and Latin America. Colonial-era immigrants often repaid the cost of transoceanic transportation by becoming indentured servants in which the new employer paid the ship's captain. In the late 19th century, immigration became restricted from China and Japan.