There are tons of things here in the U.S. that we’d always considered to be American just because we enjoy them so often. So you might be surprised to hear that the 18 things on this list don’t actually originate from America at all!
Hot Dogs
Believe it or not, hot dogs actually originated in Germany and Austria as frankfurters and Vienna sausages. As Medium reported, German immigrants brought them to America in the late 1800s, and since then, we’ve pretty much taken them as our own!
Apple Pie
The English would be furious to hear Americans trying to claim apple pie as their own, as they’re very proud of their tradition. The history of the apple pie can be traced back to Medieval England and it was popularized by Dutch settlers in the 18th century.
Hamburgers
The clue is in the name of this one. The hamburger was, indeed, invented in Hamburg, Germany. The popular minced meat patties were then brought over to America by German immigrants in the 19th century and became popular at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
Peanut Butter
The first people to grind peanuts into a paste were the Ancient Incans, but it’s a bit of a stretch to call this peanut butter. According to the history books, the Canadians were the first to make this into butter. They coined the product in 1884.
Doughnuts
Many people will be surprised to know that doughnuts were actually invented by the Dutch (they were known as olykoeks, translated to oily cakes) and brought to the U.S. in the 18th century. The Alliance for Networking Visual Culture tells us that doughnuts are no more than an American rebrand.
Fried Chicken
Southerners aren’t going to like to hear that they weren’t the first people to eat fried chicken. In fact, this way of preparing food originated independently in Scotland and West Africa. It was the Scottish who brought their methods of frying to the American South!
Ketchup
The tomato sauce we know as ketchup today was originally a fermented fish sauce from China, known as ‘kê-tsiap.’ English colonists adapted it in the 17th century to include tomatoes, and by the late 19th century, it had become a staple in American cuisine.
French Fries
Again, we can probably tell that this product isn’t American just by looking at the name. But actually, they’re not even technically from France either. French fries were brought to the U.S. by Thomas Jefferson after his time in France and then became popular as a side dish in American diners.
Pretzels
Everybody loves a pretzel at a baseball game but they didn’t come from home turf. The story goes that the pretzel was invented by European monks, either in Italy or France. Then, like many of the things we love to eat, they were brought to America by German immigrants.
Pizza
History.com explains that pizza has a long and rich history, originating from Italy in the 1800s. However, flatbreads with toppings were consumed as far back as Ancient Egyptian times, so it’s a bit of a grey area. Either way, Americans certainly did not invent pizza!
Lager Beer
The lager beer that we know and love was developed in Bavaria in the early 19th century. We like our beer a little lighter than that here in the U.S., but either way, we do have to credit the Germans for allowing us to indulge in this fine drink.
Baseball
We talked about the pretzels at the baseball games earlier on, but what about the sport itself? Well, it technically evolved from British games such as rounders and cricket, so even though we coined the term ‘baseball’, it’s really just a rebrand of those sports.
Whiskey
Whiskey was distilled in Ireland and Scotland for centuries before reaching America. Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their distilling techniques to the U.S. in the 18th century, allowing us Americans (particularly those in states like Tennessee) to develop bourbon, such as Jack Daniels.
Blue Jeans
The blue jeans revolution was a staple part of American history in the 1960s, but the product itself was invented a lot longer ago than that. Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss invented these things in the 19th century having been inspired by durable work trousers worn by miners in Genoa, Italy.
Halloween
According to Britannica, Halloween has its origins in the Samhain festival, which was celebrated by the Celts in Ireland and Scotland in ancient times. Irish and Scottish immigrants brought it to the U.S. in the 19th century, and it evolved from there.
Santa Claus
Did you know that Santa Claus wasn’t red until Coca-Cola rebranded his look for its advertisements? Before that, he was actually an amalgamation of the Dutch figure Sinterklaas and the British Father Christmas. Only in the 18th century was Santa brought over to the U.S. for the first time.
Bagels
The bagel’s origins can be traced back to Poland in the 17th century. It was invented by Jewish communities there and is still a staple part of Jewish culture today, especially since it was brought to the U.S. in the 19th century.
Golf
Believe it or not, the sport of golf is hundreds of years old. It was first played in Scotland in the 15th century and didn’t make it to the U.S. until around 400 years later. The first 18-hole course in the U.S. was established in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1893.
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