http://benschmidt.org/HIST1234/?p=537 HIST 1234 at Northeastern University, Fall 2014 Mon, 24 Nov 2014 04:26:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.18 http://benschmidt.org/HIST1234/?p=537#comment-40 Thu, 30 Oct 2014 12:36:46 +0000 http://benschmidt.org/HIST1234/?p=537#comment-40 While it is true that many first-generation immigrants end up speaking their native tongue and don’t quite assimilate, I think an important point about immigration is that, within one or two generations, those immigrant cultures do become assimilated into American culture. Today, someone descended from an Irish immigrant and someone whose family immigrated along with William Bradford are both just as American. Same with the Asian-Americans who immigrated in Bourne’s time (though they may be subject to more racism). While they assimilate, though, they don’t just conform to whatever American culture, to the extent that it exists, but they change the American culture as they assimilate. It is that change which I believe makes American culture what it is.

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