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Theculture ofTexas is shaped by significant migration from theAmerican North and TheWest, and differs from its eastern neighbors in theDeep South. It is considered diverse,[1]encompassing many differentsubcultures. It includes regional and cultural influences from theGerman Texans,Tejanos,Cajuns,Irish,African American, andWhite Anglo-Southern communities established before therepublic era andstatehood.
Texas is divided into five major regions;East Texas,Central Texas,North Texas,South Texas, andWest Texas. These regions are defined by urban centers and varying cultural characteristics. TheTexas Triangle, formed byHouston,Dallas-Fort Worth andSan Antonio, is an interstate corridor between the three major Texan cities closest to the geographic center, each representing distinct cultural areas.
Texas is bordered by thewesternprairies, theDeep South, andMexico, incorporatingHispanic,African andAnglotraditions. Texas also includes communities with origins inGermany,Czechoslovakia,Poland,Mexico,Southern African American andWhite Southernpopulations, as well asNative Americans. Texas is placed in theSouthern United States by theUnited States Census Bureau.[2]
Texas has the most farms and the highest acreage in the United States.[3][4] The state is ranked No. 1 for revenue generated from total livestock and livestock products. It is ranked No. 2 for total agricultural revenue, behind California.[5] At $7.4 billion, or 56.7 percent of Texas's annual agricultural cash receipts, beef cattle production represents the largest single segment of Texan agriculture. This is followed by cotton at $1.9 billion (14.6 percent), greenhouse/nursery at $1.5 billion (11.4 percent),broiler chickens at $1.3 billion (10 percent), and dairy products at $947 million (7.3 percent).[6]
Texas produces the most cattle, horses, sheep, goats, wool, mohair, and hay in the United States.[6] The state also produces the most cotton in the United States, which is the number one crop grown in the state in terms of value.[5][7][8] The state also grows significant amounts of cereal crops and produce.[5]
Texas holds a strongranching tradition which has had significant influence on Americancowboy culture, particularly inrodeo. The state is strongly associated with the image of thecowboy shown inwesterns and incountry music, for which it is known for both nationally and internationally. The state's numerous oil tycoons are also a popular topic in pop culture, seen in media such as the TV seriesDallas.[9]
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In 1997, House Concurrent Resolution No. 21 was adopted by the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas, declaringrodeo as the official sport of Texas.[10] The annualHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the world's largest known rodeo. It is held over 20 days, from late February through early March. The event begins with trail rides that originate from several points throughout the state, all of which convene atNRG Park for a barbecue cook-off. The rodeo includes typical rodeo events as well as concert performances from major artists and carnival rides. The Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo last three weeks in late January and early February. It has many traditional rodeos but also a cowboy rodeo and a Mexican rodeo that both have large fan bases.[11]
TheState Fair of Texas, one of the largeststate fairs in the United States by attendance, is held inDallas each year between late September through mid- to late October atFair Park. Two majorcollege football games, theRed River Rivalry between theUniversity of Oklahoma Sooners and theUniversity of Texas Longhorns, and theState Fair Classic between theGrambling State University Tigers and thePrairie View A&M University Panthers are played at theCotton Bowl in Fair Park during the fair. The event is known for its fried food, especially corn dogs. The State Fair is also home to theTexas Star, the tallestFerris wheel in theWestern Hemisphere, andBig Tex, a 55-foot-tall (17 m) cowboy statue.[12]
Other state fairs held in Texas include theNorth Texas State Fair inDenton, theSouth Texas State Fair inBeaumont, and the East Texas State Fair inTyler.
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The history of Texas, particularly of the old independentRepublic of Texas, is intimately bound up with its present culture. Frontier Texas! is a museum of theAmerican Old West inAbilene. Texas is also home tomany historical societies, such as:
In Norway, "Texas" is used as slang for something chaotic and uncontrolled, as influenced from popular Norwegian depictions of cowboy culture and Western literature associated with Texas. "Der var helt texas! (That wastotally texas!)" has mostly pejorative connotations, but can also refer to a party out of control or a runaway success.[14]
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Texas has a considerable independent body offolklore, primarily in connection with its historical ranching and cowboy cultures, theAmerican Old West, and theTexas War of Independence. TheTexas Folklore Society is the second-oldest folklore organization continually functioning in the United States. Many well-known figures and stories in American folklore are associated with Texas:
Texas has several recognizedstate holidays, including:
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The Lone Star State has helped popularize this musical style throughout the world and made the Texas cowboy an international icon that would forever be identified with country music. Although many people may think of country music when they think of the Lone Star State, Texas actually encompasses a wide variety of ethnic musical genres and regional styles.[16]
Texas has a significant livemusic scene inAustin, with the most music venues per capita than any other U.S. city, befitting the city's official slogan asThe Live Music Capital of the World. Austin's music revolves around the manynightclubs on6th Street and an annualfilm, music, andmultimedia festival known asSouth by Southwest. The longest-running concert music program on American television,Austin City Limits, was videotaped atthe University of Texas at Austin campus.Austin City Limits andWaterloo Records run theAustin City Limits Music Festival, an annual music and art festival held atZilker Park in Austin.
InHouston, the annualFree Press Summer Fest is a major draw as well as the entertainment lineups at the annualHouston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Notable music venues for Houston areFitzgerald's,Warehouse Live, andWalter's among others. Many renowned musicians' origins are in Houston includingLyle Lovett,Beyoncé,Clint Black,The Crusaders,Lightnin' Hopkins, andKenny Rogers as well as groups includingD.R.I.,Helstar,La Mafia, theGeto Boys, andZZ Top. TheHouston Symphony andHouston Grand Opera are both attractions of theHouston Theater District.
Beyond Austin and Houston, other regions of Texas also contribute richly to the state’s musical identity. San Antonio, with its deep Mexican-American roots, is known for nurturing Tejano and conjunto music, blending traditional Mexican folk with modern influences.[17] In the Panhandle and West Texas, artists like Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison helped pioneer early rock and roll, with Lubbock and El Paso continuing to serve as creative hubs for emerging talent.[18][19] Dallas, meanwhile, boasts a thriving blues and jazz scene, historically rooted in Deep Ellum, a neighborhood once frequented by legends like Blind Lemon Jefferson and T-Bone Walker.[20] Together, these cities illustrate the incredible diversity and influence of Texas’s music landscape.
Texas literature isliterature about thehistory and culture ofTexas. It ranges broadly inliterary genres and dates from the time of thefirst European contact. Representative authors includeMary Austin Holley andKatherine Anne Porter.
Texas' two major cities, Dallas and Houston, currently houses two major Japaneseanime licensing and production companies:Crunchyroll andSentai Filmworks, which dubs anime films in the English language voiced by several major voice actors throughout Texas such asJohn Swasey,Chris Sabat,Colleen Clinkenbeard,Brittney Karbowski,Monica Rial,Molly Searcy,David Matranga and many others.[21] Many annual anime conventions are also held in the state.[22]
American football is a popular sport in Texas. In theNCAA, Texas has12 top-level or "FBS" schools are more than any other state. In theNFL,Dallas Cowboys andHouston Texan are the two Texan teams.
Baseball is also popular in Texas. TheTexas Rangers andHouston Astros are the two Texan teams in theMajor League Baseball. Atminor league baseball, Texas has three teams in the Triple-APacific Coast League and five in the Double-ATexas League.
Another popular sport in Texas isgolf, played year-round because of the South's humid climate.
Basketball is another popular sport in Texas. The state has threeNBA teams, theHouston Rockets,San Antonio Spurs, andDallas Mavericks, which have all won league titles.Fishing,marching bands andauto racing are also found in Texas. TheTexas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth is a large motorsport track, hosting both domestic and international events.
Lacrosse, originated from indigenous tribes is also played in Texas.Soccer is a popular participatory sport—especially among children—but as aspectator sport, it does not yet have a large following despite three Texas teams inMajor League Soccer (FC Dallas,Austin FC, andHouston Dynamo FC).
Ice hockey has been a growing participatory sport in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since theMinnesota North Stars became theDallas Stars in 1993. Minor league professional hockey has since grown. Texas is home to theSan Antonio Rampage andTexas Stars of theAmerican Hockey League and theAllen Americans of theECHL. Texas was also home to manyCentral Hockey League andWestern Professional Hockey League teams prior to the leagues' dissolution. Some of the organizations involved with the former leagues launchedjunior ice hockey teams in theNorth American Hockey League and the league headquarters were moved to Frisco.[23]
Rodeo is the official sport of Texas; see§ Rodeo for more information.
Media devoted to Texas culture includeTexas Monthly, a monthly magazine headquartered inAustin.
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Important aspects of Texas cuisine include,
The political culture of Texas is mainly traditionalistic and individualistic. The traditionalistic views want the social hierarchy and norms to remain the same and influence policies such as same sex marriage and abortion. These views have also contributed to the low voter turnout experienced in Texas, since Texas has a history of voter suppression, with it being cited as being viewed as an economic perk. Individualistic views focus on yourself or your immediate family or friends. This contributes to lower taxes and lack of income tax.[24]
TheTexas Folklife Festival is an annual event sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio'sInstitute of Texan Cultures celebrating the many ethnicities represented in the population of the state of Texas. Thousands attend the three-day event each year, which features food, crafts, music, and dances from ethnic groups that immigrated to Texas.
A 2015 report bynon-profit organization Mission: Readiness found that 73% of military-aged youth in Texas were physically ineligible for military service due to issues withobesity and ill-health, a rate much higher than the national average.[25]
