Question
Cultural Anthropology
Complete and submit this assignment by the due date to receive full credit.
Write a descriptive essay that summarizes the contributions of either Asian Americans or African Americans to the culture of America. Use the diagram or chart that you created on either African Americans or Asian Americans.
Answer
Contribution of Asian Americans to the American Culture
Asian Americans have immensely contributed to the American culture in different fields such as entertainment, business, technology, food, and in other fields. The earliest contribution of the Asian Americans to the American culture can be seen in the military. Since 1812, Asian Americans have been involved in a number of wars, sharing their expertise with the American military and helping in achieving conquests (Niiya,1993). Notable contributions in war include World War II, Vietnam War, Korean War, and the Iraq War. Asian Americans have also contributed in the development of infrastructure in America. Asian Americans contributed in the building of railroads and cultivation of land. During the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad in the Central Pacific stretch, Asian Americans comprised about 80 percent of the total workforce.
Asian Americans were also crucial in the development of large scale farming in the U.S., especially in California. Tenant farmers of Asian American descent were among the first to grow crops in the area. Asian Americans have contributed immensely in the field of health and medicine. Traditional Asian medicine and health practices such as Yoga, acupuncture and meditation are common in contemporary U.S. medicine. These have Asian roots. Asian Americans have been active in American Activism by pushing for equal rights for all and fair labor practices. In 1960s, Asian American Movement came into force to fight for fair labor practices (Chan, 1991). Asian Americans also transformed the American foods by addition of new delicacies. Throughout the American states, various restaurants serve the Asian American delicacies. Some of the common foods include: Indian buffets, Japanese Sushi, Korean BBQs, and other foods which have become a delicacy in the U.S.
References
Chan, S. (1991). Asian Americans: An interpretive history. Boston: Twayne.
Niiya, B. (1993). Japanese American history: An A-to-Z reference from 1868 to the present. New York, NY: Facts On File.
