Long before the French claimed Laos as a colony, other powers had struggled for control of the country. By 1300, the Lao had founded several principalities. In 1353, King Fa Ngoun of Luang Prabang, managed to unite the principalities along the Mekong River into the new kingdom of Lan Xang and introduced Theravada Buddhism as the state religion.

Laotian music is an important part of religious ceremonies. The Laotians have no system for musical notation, so music is taught through listening and the musician must memorize all music. There are two different types of orchestras in Laos. There is the Seb Noi orchestra which contains the khene (a bamboo instrument with sound similar to the accordion), the so (a two stringed viol instrument), the nany net and the khong vong (an instrument with 16 cymbals arranged on a semicircular frame). This orchestra is accompanied by choral or solo vocal music. The Seb Gnui orchestra is strictly for royal or religious processions and has no khene or stringed instruments. Phone also stated that the piano has become very popular, but only the rich play.

Laotian literature is usually presented orally, but is preserved in written form. There are many variations of different stories, since a performer may change it according to inspiration. Courtship, Phones said, is an excellent opportunity to excel at recitation. At festivals "courts of love" are set up. In these courts, sex segregated rows of young people exchange poetry and song to demonstrate interest and affection for one another. The Sin Xay is considered the greatest Laotian poem. It is fifteen chapters long and is known for its philosophical as well as literary excellence. Songs are usually poetic stories about heroes and love. But, most stories are religious and instructive as well as entertaining.

Buddhist holidays mark important events of the agricultural cycle as well as the human cycle of birth, marriage, child rearing, and death. Most holidays tend to last for several days and nights. One of Phone's favorite festivals is Baci. It is a ceremony of prayers and wishes and is performed for a variety of reasons. Pastries, broiled eggs, cookies, liquors, bananas, and money are placed in the middle of the table as an offering to the spirits. A priest lights candles and then everyone joins hands in prayer. After the prayer food and drinks are served and a party begins.

There are a lot of differences between Laos and America. Most people in Laos do not attend school and if they do it is usually not past third grade. Complaints are avoided and the people feel that nothing can be done to alter the ways things are. Open disagreement or shows of anger are considered disrespectful. New Year's is typically celebrated on April 13th at the beginning of the Buddhist year. There are some similarities like the love of family and of fun. Laotians and Americans both love food and parties. We both like stories and try to get as much entertainment as we can. Divorce is similar in both countries and so is the remarriage after the death of a spouse.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2471
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)