AMERICAN CULTURES

These were the REQUIREMENTS before the changes made with
the release of a new merit badge pamphlet during 2005.

To see the current requirements Click Here

Choose TWO groups that have different racial, cultural, national, or ethnic backgrounds. Use these groups to meet requirements 1, 2, and 3. Also complete requirement 4 and either requirement 5a or 5b.

  1. Do TWO of the following, choosing a different group for each:
    1. Go to a festival, celebration, or other event identified with one of the groups. Report on what you see and learn.
    2. Go to a church, clubhouse, school, or other institution identified with one of the groups. Report on what you see and learn.
    3. Talk with a person from one of the groups about the heritage and traditions of the group. Report on what you learn.
    4. Learn a song or dance or poem or story which is traditional to one group, and teach it to a group of your friends.
    5. Go to a library or museum to see a program or exhibit featuring one group's traditions. Report on what you see and learn.
  2. Imagine that one of the groups had always lived alone in a city or country to which no other groups ever came. Tell what you think the city or country might be like today. Now tell what you think it might be like if both groups lived there at the same time.
  3. Tell about some differences between the religions and social customs of the two groups. Tell about some ideas, or ways of doing things, which are almost the same in both groups.
  4. Tell about a contribution made to our country by three different people each from a different background such as black American, white American, native American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, or any other background of your choosing. Their backgrounds may be religious, as well, such as Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc.
  5. Do ONE of the Following:
    1. Give a talk to your troop or school class on how people from different groups have gotten along together. Lead a discussion on what can be done to help various groups understand one another better.
    2. Tell about some achievements of the United Nations accomplished by people of many cultures and beliefs working in one organization. Tell how the U.N. has dealt with some problems caused by conflicts between different groups.

BSA Advancement ID#: 17
Pamphlet Revision Date: 1995
Requirements last updated in 1995

Page updated on: May 08, 2022

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