Immigrants continue to come to the United States and apply to become citizens. There are so many each year that congress has passed laws limiting the number who can be admitted permanently in any one year.

Each cultural group has made significant contributions to the development and social customs of the United States. For example, while English is their official language, many words of other countries and cultures have been added to our vocabulary. Yam (African), cookie (Dutch), pretzel (German), tobacco (Native American), and ranch (Spanish) are words describing things we think of as being "American".

What is American? What is an American? These are not easy questions to answer. Certain people see the United States as a " melting pot," which means that the characteristics of different groups and individuals have blended together to form the country and culture we share. Others see the United States as a "salad bowl," which means that the different groups and individuals have retained many of their unique characteristics. There is truth in both points of view. Each recognizes that the United States is a product of its rich cultural diversity.