MY CULTUREBy Aidan McNabb

I am going to be comparing my culture to my Scottish ancestors.

Language The three major languages of the

Scottish people are English , Lowland Scots, and Gaelic. Of these three, English is the most common form as a first language.

I have always spoken English since I was born in the United States.

Religion The main religions of the Scottish people

are Catholic and Protestant. My religion is Baptist. As a Christian, I

believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and I believe that He died on the cross for our sins.

Food The Scottish people ate game, dairy,

fruit, fish, and vegetables. There was a lack of spices because spices from abroad were very expensive.

I eat mostly American food, but I enjoy Mexican, Chinese, and Italian foods as well.

Clothing The Scottish wore kilts. Kilts are knee

length pleated skirts in which each plaid represented a different clan.

I, on the other hand, DON’T wear kilts. I wear American style clothing. I wear blue jeans the most.

Housing The most popular form of housing in

Scotland were tenements, and still are today. They are known for their large rooms and high ceilings. There are also many castles there that belonged to royalty.

I live in a brick house in a neighborhood right in town. We live on a corner lot and we have a large fenced in backyard.

Ethnic Background Scotland had several different ethnic

groups. The Picts, the Gaels, the Britons, and the Angles. Culturally, these peoples are grouped according to language.

There are many different ethnic groups in the United States. My ethnic group is white, American. In my country, my ethnic group is considered to be a majority group.

Music Scotland is known for its traditional

Scottish folk music, which included the bagpipe.

The music I listen to is American music such as Christian, blues, alternative, and hip hop.

Art Scottish art is similar to British and European

art. It began with early carvings and artifacts, particularly, ornamental objects and religious carvings.

There are many different forms of art in my culture, everything from drawings and paintings to digital graphics and pictures. My favorite art is landscape art.

Literature Some of the earliest literature known to

have been composed in Scotland includes Brythonic (old Welsh), Gaelic, Latin, and Old English.

I study American literature in my ELA class. This includes short fiction, poetry, and contemporary American literature. My favorite book series is Leven Thumps.

Family History My family on my mother’s side are of Scottish

and English descent. There are some interesting facts about my family. One is that my great-great-great-grandfather was a doctor in Oklahoma. My great grandfather was a retired Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. My great-great-grandmother and her family appeared on the television show “This is Your Life.” She was being honored for having all five of her sons serving in the armed forces at the same time. She even received a Ford Edsel for appearing on the show. Another interesting fact is that my grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother were all three generations of florists and owned their own flower shops.

Family Traditions Some of the traditions my family follow are the

White Elephant game we play around Christmas time. We also have a huge family get-togethers sometimes. Whenever we get together, we say a prayer and give thanks. We also take a family vacation every summer. We have many family traditions.

Holidays The major holidays we celebrate are

Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Easter, and 4th of July.

Government My government is a limited government.

It is a representative democracy, which means we elect our representatives and they make and enforce the laws. When you turn 18, you are able to vote in the elections.

Daily Life/Routine I wake up and eat breakfast and then get

ready for the day. On Monday through Friday I attend school. After school, I come home and do my homework. I like to relax after that and play outside. I eat dinner with my family and then spend get ready for bed in the evening. On Tuesday’s, Thursday’s and Saturday’s, I go to Jiu-Jitsu practice. In my free time, I hang out with my friends, play with my dog, and watch T.V.