Your cultural heritage is determined by a mixture of factors. In this paper, I want you to examine the factors which have influenced your view of family, gender roles, work ethic, morality, religion, economics, and politics as well as food, clothing, and choice of leisure activities.

For many people (but not all), the dominant cultural influence is the ethnic background of their family. Ethnic background can affect a person in both obvious ways (family recipes and holiday traditions) and in more subtle fashions (moral or political positions). Other people are more strongly influenced by regional factors than ethnic ones. Whether you grew up in a city, on a farm, or in a small town will impact your view of the world, as will the area of the country (or world) in which you live. Social class, religion, and education level also play a role.

This is a good opportunity to talk to members of your family about the cultural values which have been passed on to you from your parents and ancestors. Which of their attitudes and lifestyle features have you adopted? Which have you rejected? How have you modified others to make them applicable to your life in the 21st century? By examining the influences on your life, and the way in which you view the world, you will be preparing yourself to learn about how others have been influenced by their families, regions, and surroundings.

This paper must be typed. It should be about 2-3 pages long, and double spaced. The paper is due on the first day of class in Salamanca.

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