Don't Call Me Crazy!Paulina AcuñaAnthropology: The Many Ways of Being Human Peanuts have become an important part of American culture and will most likely remain so. Everywhere you turn, you're likely to come across a sign that says: Warning: May Contain Peanuts. Although peanut allergy is one of the most common allergies known to man, peanuts continue to be an important part of consumer culture. Thanks to the work of scientist George Washington Carver, there are more than 300 uses for peanuts, for example: peanut butter (Smith 32). Peanut butter is believed to be the “all-American food.” Peanut butter is found in at least 75% of American cuisines, and Americans eat more than a billion pounds of peanut butter a year (Smith 74). Americans love peanuts, whether at home or during a sporting event or plane trip. But peanuts have not always been loved by everyone, once considered a suitable snack for slaves; Since then, the popularity of peanuts has increased and has become a dominant feature of our everyday culture. Even though “nut” is in their name, peanuts are actually legumes. The difference between peanuts and other nuts like walnuts or almonds is that the peanut grows underground. Legumes are a subspecies of plants that are edible seeds in closed pods. In the United States, peanuts are the most popular nut, accounting for 67% of all nut consumption (The Peanut Institute). Peanuts have existed for almost 3,500 years and are native to South America, predominantly Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. This plant was originally cultivated by natives of the New World during the 16th century. Since this was a time of European expansion, peanuts were brought to Asia, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and Africa. It was mainly Portuguese explorers who transported peanuts to West Africa. There it found its way to becoming one of the most popular snacks in Africa thanks to the