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A look at the history of the United States indicates that this country has often been called "a melting pot", where various immigrant and ethnic groups have learned to work together to build a unique nation. Even those "original" Americans, the Indians, probably walked a land bridge from Asia to North America some thousands of years ago. So, who are the real Americans？ The answer is that any and all of them are！ And you, no matter where you come from, could also become an American should you want to. Then you would become another addition to America's wonderfully rich "nation of immigrants". The United States is currently shifting from being a nation of immigrants of mainly European descent to one of immigrants from other parts of the world, such as Asia and Latin America. The number of recent immigrants has skyrocketed. They desire to escape economic hardship and political oppression in their native countries as well as the desire to seek a better education and a more prosperous life in America, "the land of opportunity". Although there are frequent conflicts between the cultures they have brought with them from the "old country" and those found in America, most immigrants learn to adjust to and love their adopted land. Americans have also learned much from the customs and ideas of the immigrants and are often influenced by them in subtle and interesting ways. Immigrants bring their native cultural, political, and social patterns and attitudes, varied academic and religious backgrounds, as well as their ethnic arts, sports, holidays, festivals, and foods. They have greatly enriched American life. | 
