Does the US still have British influence in its culture still to this day?

30 comments

1. There’s more fans of their monarchy here than there.

2. Sure. It’s not necessarily a result of being former colonies.

   We share a language. Common heritage. We’ve had strong relations for 70 years. British music, TV and other culture makes it to the US.

   British culture is probably our strongest European culture, but we also have influences from Mexico, Korea, India and other major trading partners.

3. Yes. The country was founded by the British. Their influence is evident in our system of laws and common values held by Americans. Comedians such as Monty Python influenced comedy globally, including here. British bands like the Beatles influenced our music scene in lasting ways, even if it’s not as evident in genres like pop. The British have even influenced some of the food commonly eaten here. We are distinct culturally from the British, and the influence is more subtle, but the effects of their culture on ours are still very clearly here.
   Edit: They also probably aren’t the biggest influence and are far from the only influence, but the long lasting effect on the culture here is fairly undeniable

4. Sure, but it’s cyclical and not always the main influencer like it used to be. The “London Look” gets popular every few years fashion wise and there are always British bands and musicians coming over.

5. I’ve never actually been to Britain yet but it seems that Canada and Australia have much more British influence than we do.

6. A lot of British music artists are popular here. One could argue that is a bit of a circular influence though.

7. Well the language, for one..

8. Yes. We are fundamentally the same people that founded the colonies. So man straight lines can be drawn.

9. Well we speak English for one thing

10. Mhm. We literally have incredibly similar technology, the same language, and have been close allies since the 1800s.

11. Modern Britain not really other then a couple of shows/musicans. Our language, political, and legal system is all British.

12. Doctor who is fairly popular in the United States

13. Mongrels was canceled too early and needs at least two more ‘series’.

14. The line between an Americanized UK and British America is very thin when it comes to modern culture

15. More in East Coast than in rest of the country. AKA New England states. There are a lot of places, cities, counties, rivers, streets that still have English names. Not so much in Utah, or Missouri. It’s mostly the names of things. Not a lot of British influence in government or our daily life.

    Just as Texas, California, Nevada have Mexican influence. Louisiana has that French/ Creole influence. And everywhere has Native American names, lakes, rivers, and other natural areas.

16. When it comes to religion, Protestantism is more widespread than Catholicism.

17. Yeah just look at our superheroes in movies

    Superman and spiderman are both played by British actors

18. The stupid royal family is in the local tv news all the time here. But there’s lots of stupid non news in these shows, so what am I complaining about🤷

19. ‘Ello Gov’ner! Fancy a spot of tea with your biscuit?

20. Yes, and we are lucky to have been a former English colony. Rule of law, property rights, language, etc. are a great cultural inheritance.

21. Certain social customs definitely seem Anglo. It depends on the area but Id say so.

22. Oh helllll yeah. Partially depending on location and heritage, but we read heck British literature in school, British food from when our ancestors immigrated is still popular.

23. Our majority spoken language is English, beating out German, scots irish Gaelic, spanish, french/creole and any native American languages.

    Biggest and longest term influence by far

24. Americans are English who have thrown off the Norman Yoke once and for all!

25. We fucking l o v e TopGear and The Grand Tour.

    Clarkson, Hammond and May are very well respected and known here in the states from what I’ve seen.

26. We’re all cunts. Brits and Yanks. The lot of us.

27. The first CD I bought was Led Zeppelin

28. Yes, and we demand you take James Corden back.

29. yes

    we still speak English, we’re divided into counties, our law is still just English law (it’s basically English law with a little extra flavor), baseball and football share origins with English sports (cricket and rugby), the colors of our flag, our religious denominations (most of our Protestant denominations are specifically of British origins), and then some. In terms of contemporary things, most foreign actors, authors and bands any given American can name will be British. We all listen to “pomp and circumstance” by Elgar when we graduate high school, and in high school we all study Shakespeare.

    TLDR: yes

30. It’s hard to pinpoint outside of the obvious since we’re both such secular/modern cultures. Protestantism is the primary religion in the country, respect for position holders and honors is big, outside of elected officials (judges, military officials, even business leaders) but freedom of speech/opinion trumps those expectations. New England still has some culinary vestiges and their accents are a little similar. An infatuation with classical Latin/Greek culture like the British.

    Plenty. One big difference is the acceptability of alcohol usage. Brits are very open to getting drunk and Americans are a lot more upright about when and who should be getting how intoxicated.