Celebrating Those Things That Are Uniquely American (That You Might Not Think of First!)

There is no other nation on the planet where July 4th is a special day. We spend the day with friends and family grilling burgers and hot dogs, maybe swimming, and capping off the day with an awesome fireworks show. And while we are doing all of those fun things, most Americans make an effort to remember the solemn meaning of the day. The idea of America is simple: freedom and liberty for all. But the other idea was that people would come here from all over the world and create a uniquely American culture. Here are just a few things that you might not immediately think of when someone says "America."

American Nationalism 🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/EwV1OGJZXW
— 🇺🇸 The American Culturist 🇺🇸 (@MericaCulture) June 28, 2025

Americans love sports. In places like Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the American South, football is a religion, a way of life. One of the best things to come from that love of sports is tailgating. Packing up the snacks, the portable grill, and a cooler full of, as Rush Limbaugh would say, "adult beverages," and hitting the stadium parking lot. So what if you don't actually have tickets for the big game? Thanks to technology, you can tune in on your tablet or even your phone, put some bratwursts on the grill, and cheer on your team with your fellow fans. Even the weather doesn't stop Americans from tailgating. We just add another layer of clothes. Chances are, you won't see European soccer fans in a stadium parking lot bellied up to the grill. Only in America.

The automobile may have actually been invented in France and Germany, but there is no doubt that Americans took that ball (we were just talking about sports) and ran with it. What emerged is Americans' love affair with cars. But not just the car itself, a whole subculture was born. Before the interstate system began in 1956, the most well-traveled road in the nation was Route 66. It ran the length of half the country, from Chicago to Los Angeles. But Route 66 was way more than a road. It was the roadside attractions, the restaurants, and motels that made it one of the foundations of American car culture. In St. Louis, we could boast of the Coral Court Motel. An art deco legend, complete with a garage attached to each room for those intimate no-tell motel liaisons. With cars came cruising, car-hops, and beautiful timeless machines like the '57 Chevy, '65 Mustang, and one of the best, the Corvette. It doesn't really matter what year Corvette, they are all magnificent. If I sound a little biased, my dad owned a black 2002 Corvette. It was the closest thing to perfect I've ever seen.

Black 2002 Corvette #Corvette pic.twitter.com/RRTZo7wwUY
— Mid America Motorworks - Corvette (@CorvettePassion) December 29, 2024

ALSO READ: The Transgender Movement Was Never Going to Survive American Culture

But the thing that might be best described as "hiding in plain sight" is just the glorious jumble of food, music, and language that makes us all Americans. Our melting pot has brought us tacos and burritos, egg rolls and Kung Pao chicken, fettuccine and lasagna, pierogies and bratwurst. If you are in St. Louis, make sure you try some toasted raviolis and gooey butter cake. From the southern blues and gospel music of both black and white Americans, we have created rock 'n roll, jazz, and country music. And while people in many other nations might speak English, we speak "American." If you are in Boston, "wicked" is a compliment. But if you are in Alabama, and someone says, "Bless your heart," don't thank them. They think you're an idiot. In California, you might be taking that classic car out on the "freeway" for a spin. And here in the Midwest, when someone asks for a soft drink, regardless of brand, they might ask for a "pop." In St. Louis, "hoosier" has an entirely different meaning than in Indiana. We are questioning your level of sophistication, not if you are actually from Indiana. Oh, and in St. Louis, if we ask you where you went to high school, just humor us, it's what we do.

Celebrating America means celebrating everything that makes it what it is and makes us who we are. Oh sure, America is not a perfect place, and we have our disagreements, and there are even those who are protesting something or other today. But I have to think that the vast majority of us are only celebrating just how lucky we are to be Americans.

Using only food, where are you from?
Toasted Raviolis and Gooey Butter Cake. Midwest fats are never beating the allegations. https://t.co/U4vHQGb3Vu pic.twitter.com/lrUZ3Oj65Q
— Kσηrαd vs Babylon ♱ (@Konraddin) February 24, 2024

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