In 1908, playwright Israel Zangwill referred to America as a melting pot. Zangwill's concept of the United States as a country where people of all cultures and nations are free to come and contribute to a common American culture remains a popular concept-even more than a century after its introduction.
More recently, the concept of the American mosaic asserts that American society consist not of melting pot in which people and cultures mix together to form a larger American culture, but as a mosaic in which ethnic groups come to the United States and coexist with other groups but maintain significant cultural and social distinctions among themselves.
Post a discussion that explores these themes by demonstrating how various cultures and ethnicities have contributed to modern American history and culture. Select one (1) ethnic group, and include the following in your discussion:
- Explain a specific contribution this group made to American society or culture.
- Evaluate the concepts of the melting pot and the American mosaic.
- Which concept more accurately reflects the experiences of the ethnic group you chose?