Traditions are usually eternal, but many of them appear to have remarkably particular origins. In America, traditional activities as well as large-scale festivities seem to have developed out of a combination of history, immigration, and lifestyle changes. Others can be traced back to Europe, and others are apparently created at home, influenced by circumstances, their community, and popular culture. It may be possible to make these traditions seem more meaningful and somewhat surprising by looking into their possible origins. These are some of the common traditions of America and the legends that are commonly attached to them.
The reason people in America eat turkey during Thanksgiving
It is possible that turkey came to be a focal point of Thanksgiving partially due to the fact that the wild turkeys were quite common in early North America. Historians have postulated that large birds were also viable in terms of nourishment for a large number of people, thus possibly contributing to the gradual adoption of the turkey as a representative of the holiday.
The history of Fourth of July fireworks
Independence Day fireworks can have European origins of celebrations of conquests and royal occasions. The colorful displays may have been an early American leader promoting them to celebrate independence with spectacle but the colorful displays appeared to still be a popular method of expressing national pride.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Megaholiday parades seem to have developed out of traditions of immigrant festivals and department store promotions during the first half of the twentieth century. Through radio and television, the Macy’s parade might have acquired fame, as they must have contributed to making it a national event.
A culture of wearing caps and gowns by graduates
Caps and gowns could have their origins in medieval European universities, where robes were worn by the scholars to keep warm in unheated halls. It seems that the style has transferred to American education, where it has, over time, become a ritual of academic success.
The way black friday became a shopping ritual
“Black Friday” could be a phrase applied by merchants and urban leaders during the middle of the twentieth century. With the growth of holiday shopping, the stores may have marketed the holiday more, which could have contributed to the creation of the large-scale sales that are in effect today.
The Groundhog Day case study
Groundhog Day seems to be connected with European folklore of weather, particularly with the German traditions imported by the immigrants. This notion about the behavior of an animal as a predictor of a seasonal change appears to have been adapted in Pennsylvania and subsequently made common knowledge.
The reason why baseball is the national pastime
Baseball got this title in the nineteenth century when baseball was rapidly distributed between cities and small towns. It was perhaps encouraged by some writers and newspapers as a uniquely American one, and thus the phrase “national pastime” became widely spread.
The presidential turkey pardons tradition
Sparing a turkey on Thanksgiving Day has apparently evolved over the course of the twentieth century. Although previous presidents have been given ceremonial birds, the concept of officially pardoning one might have been developed later on as a humorous yearly affair.
Homecoming and school spirit traditions
The American universities may have initiated homecoming celebrations as a means of bringing back old friends to football games. Pep rallies, parades, and dances appear to have come after them, and it became a well-established school culture.
County fairs and agricultural foundations
County fairs were probably the expansions of the agricultural exhibitions, during which farmers would exchange crops, animals, and methods. With the growing community size, such events could have increased the slides, games, and shows, and over time, they became the bustling fairs of today.
