From the time the Europeans discovered America, there were always people of multiple nationalities living in America. However, in the time following the Revolution leading up to the Civil war, the people living in America became more, well, American. American culture as a whole became more developed. However, in the years preceding World War I, Immigration into the United States rapidly rose. From this point, America started developing into the melting pot it is today.
America is a melting pot in that there are a multitude of people of multifarious nationalities living here. These people have brought aspects of their culture here to America with them. In Charlotte, if you go to a specific area of the city, you can easily find Chinese Dim Sum, Vietnamese BBQ, and lots of Mexican restaurants within walking distance.
Just as not all ingredients mix together, America is still struggling to accept and incorporate all the nationalities, partially due to stereotyping and discrimination, and just plain ole' superiority. Some nationalities and cultures are looked down upon, which can cause massive amounts of tension. Another example: Mexicans and Latinos. Due to the mass influx of illegal Mexican and Latino immigrants, some Americans look down upon these people. Centuries of superiority starting in America's age of Imperialism have engrained the idea that other nationalities should follow our cultural traditions, and racial tension will always exist, but hopefully with time, these tensions can be lessened.
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