Australia and the United States: Parallel Histories and Cultural Similarities and Differences

Australia and the United States

Parallel Histories and Cultural Similarities and Differences

It can not be denied that there are a lot of cultural similarities and differences between the United States and Australia . These two countries both have originated as British penal colonies . After being penal colonies of Britain , these two nations became federal states

Obviously , the United States and Australia are very large countries . The world map can prove this , because it clearly shows the land mass of these two countries . Aside from this , what caused a cultural similarity between

the two is the effort of each country to adjust when it comes to the topography and climate of central and northern Europe and Great Britain . These two countries had to settle a huge mass of land which is entirely different from the aforementioned colonizing countries (Tarlock 5

The United States and Australia define their nation according to the cultural and political values of Great Britain . While these two countries are transforming into multi-ethnic societies , both believed that they had to be defined by British values (Tarlock 5

The United States and Australia had to survive in a community where an aboriginal population never penetrated mainstream culture . Survival of such pre-settlement was confronted by these two countries , and it was a struggle for both of them since the aboriginal population was never legally , economically , socially or culturally incorporated into the mainstream community (Tarlock 6

That being said , the United States and Australia practiced and observed law to maintain each country 's cultural society and identity . Australia for example , had a law that benefited its indigenous people while the United States , on the other hand , protected the rights of their Indians (Tarlock 6

What , then , makes these two countries culturally different from each other ? The answer comes from one key concept : geography . Geography is the main reason why there are cultural differences between the United States and Australia (Leicester , Modgil 81

The United States ' interior is very dynamic and varied compared to that of Australia . The United States had so far successfully distributed its population equally on all of its large land mass (Leicester , Modgil 81 .Australia , on the other hand , has tropical and Mediterranean climates Its land mass precluded intensified settlement which occurred outside Australia 's coastal regions . Australia also has a population that still embraces the gentle climate of the coast in the northern Queensland coast and of Australia 's capital cities . Australia uses its large land mass for environmental reserves , mineral extraction and grazing while the United States obviously do not (Leicester , Modgil 82

How each country treats its indigenous people is different , too Australia 's treatment of its aboriginal populations is less complex than that of the United States ' since the Europeans who settled in the United States appreciated the American Indians (John xiii

In the American History , the title tragic players ' must be given to the Indians because they are considered central players in the history of the United States , too . The United States and...