Food is an indicator of cultural identity and change. In fact, many scholars consider food an expression of national identity. Considering the example of what many consider the most traditional American national dish, answer the following question using key definitions related to this topic and included in the course textbook, including but not limited to cultural diffusion and its two major types: expansion diffusion and relocation diffusion (including the most relevant example of relocation diffusion: “The Columbian Exchange”), globalization, acculturation, etc.:

Using the example of Hamburger and French Fries (USA), can this traditional American dish be considered an expression of globalization?

Any geographically-based essay must answer three broad questions: Where? Why? (and how?), and, So what? (or, why is this important?). For example, where is located the center of domestication of the plants and animals (ingredients) included in a hamburger (cattle (beef, cheese), wheat (bread), lettuce, tomato (fresh, ketchup), onion, mustard) and French Fries (potato)? Why (and how) were these ingredients introduced to the country where this dish was developed (USA)? The “So what?” or, in other words, “why is this important?” question is an overview of the principle elements that can explain how this recipe was developed in this country and must include a conclusions paragraph of your analysis. To find out the origin of the ingredients that make up this dish you should use the map Center of Plant and Animal Domestication included at the end of this document (Getis et al. 2008).

Your answer should reflect knowledge of the topic applying the concepts learned in our course, and, most importantly, using your own words. It is not allowed to work in teams. Explain your answer in NO less than 500 words and no more than 800 words. Essays that are less than 500 words in total will lose points. The word count does not include your name, PID, the title of your essay, Bibliography, or if you copy the question posed in your work.

Remember that you must cite the course textbook in your essay, as well as in a separate Bibliography page (textbook complete citation available in the course syllabus). In case you use an external source, you must cite this/these source/s in the text, using parenthesis at the end of the sentence using quotation marks if it is a direct quote, include the last name/s of the author/s, year of publication and the page number (i.e., Neumann 2013: 63). If you are using an external source writing this information in your own words, then you must cite at the end of the sentence, using parenthesis, the last name/s of the author/s and the year of publication (i.e., Neumann and Price 2013). All sources cited in your essay must also be included in a separate page on a Bibliography/Reference section at the end of your essay. See note at the end of this file regarding plagiarism issues.
You must post your answer to this question by uploading your work to the Turnitin.com link provided before the deadline to receive full credit.

NOTE # 1: Late work will be accepted but will incur in a 10-point deduction per week it is late and starting on the following day after the deadline (Sunday at 12:00 AM). No late work will be accepted after Thursday, July 26.

NOTE # 2: Your answer must be your own, original thoughts. If you plagiarize your thoughts from a website, journal, or any other source, not only you will be sad because you cannot write the small number of words of your own, but because you will also earn a failing grade in the course.

NOTE # 3: You must format your work according to the required Technical Aspects described in the course syllabus: a) 12-point font (Arial, Times New Roman, Garamond, or Book Antiqua); one-inch margins all around; double-spaced; and, number the pages. Any written assignment that does not include all the required technical aspects will receive a 10-point deduction in their grade.

Please do not forget to reference the map as stated in the 3rd paragraph of the directions. The reference for the map is listed in the bibliography below.

Course Textbook: Geography: Realms, Regions, and Concepts by Harm J. de Blij, Peter O. Muller
Wiley, 14th Edition, 2010

Bibliography:
Getis, A., Getis, J. and J. Fellmann. 2008. Introduction to geography. New York: McGraw Hill.