Folklore is traditional art, stories, knowledge and practices that are passed down through generations. O en these traditions are only passed down through oral communication, which is like when grandparents or parents share an old recipe, song or story. When things aren’t written down it is easy for them to get lost or forgotten, which is what makes paying attention to folklore so important. Here are some examples of folklore in the United States. A lot of times these were real people whose stories evolved over time.
• Johnny Appleseed is remembered as a kind and generous man who brought apple trees to the Northeast and Midwest regions of the nation.
• Davy Crockett is known as a brave and strong hero who tamed the wild frontier.
• Paul Bunyan was a lumberjack with a big
blue ox named Babe. His stories o en involve him racing against machines to see who could chop down the most trees.
• e Lone Ranger is a hero in the Wild West who fought raiders and robbers to bring them to justice.
• Molly Pitcher is remembered as a female hero in the Revolutionary War. She brought
pitchers of water to wounded men on the battle eld to give them comfort.
• Bigfoot or “Sasquatch” is supposed to be a human/ape-like creature that lives in the forests of the Paci c Northwest.
• Champ is like the famous Loch Ness monster. It is a mysterious and giant creature that is supposed to live in Lake Champlain which is near the U.S. and Canadian border.
Because it comes in so many di erent forms it can be di cult to recognize folklore. e most important thing is
understanding that the
memories, stories and traditions that people share are worth paying close attention to. If no one
new learns these stories and retells them, they will eventually be gone forever.
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NY Folklore
