Answer:
The term melting pot is an indication in sociology of a mixing of cultures into a new resultant culture. The concept comes from the United States, where a distinct culture emerged in the cities from the many cultures of immigrants and subcultures that arrived there (a great example is New York City, where African-Americans, Italians, Irish and Latinos mixed with the preexistent Anglo and German American populations of the city). For multi- and interculturalists it is considered ideal, as it creates multicultural societies. The cultures of ethnic minority mix with the main culture in the country. This culture is constantly changing due to the influx of new immigrants and numerous internal cultural processes. Thus, for example, the entertainment industry combines different traditions and customs that are now part of the American ideology, but each of them come from different cultural backgrouds.
The United States provides a typical example of a “melting pot” integration strategy. In the course of the immigration of people from all over the world with different religions and traditions, the process developed with the first colonies of European countries and the encounter of Europeans and North American natives. In addition to the Europeans, Africans also came to America as slaves and also brought their traditions and religions with them, which, however, were suppressed by their masters and could only remain secret in isolated cases. Hispanophone groups from Cuba or Puerto Rico also came from the south, as did many Mexicans who previously inhabited the later states from California to Texas.
Due to the expansion of the trade relationship of the United States, influences from Oceania and especially the later state of Hawaii were added. The large railroad companies trying to build the first route through the Rocky Mountains attracted many workers from Asia, especially from China. However, they were only able to live out their culture to a small extent, since they received only a fraction of the usual wages and the working and living conditions in railway construction were very hard. Together with the Irish who fled their country from hunger, Italians, Germans, French, British, Scandinavians, Spaniards and Portuguese also contributed to the development of the religious and social structures of the United States.
