▁to ▁the ▁New ▁World , ▁where ▁it ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁distinct ▁folk ▁culture ▁that ▁helped ▁Afr icans ▁" ret ain ▁continu ity ▁with ▁their ▁past ▁through ▁music ". ▁The ▁first ▁slaves ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁sang ▁work ▁songs , ▁and ▁field ▁h oll ers . ▁ ▁African ▁American ▁Spirit uals ▁Protest ant ▁h ym ns ▁written ▁mostly ▁by ▁New ▁England ▁pre ach ers ▁became ▁a ▁feature ▁of ▁camp ▁meet ings ▁held ▁among ▁dev out ▁Christians ▁across ▁the ▁South . ▁When ▁black s ▁began ▁singing ▁adapted ▁versions ▁of ▁these ▁h ym ns , ▁they ▁were ▁called ▁Neg ro ▁spiritual s . ▁It ▁was ▁from ▁these ▁roots , ▁of ▁spiritual ▁songs , ▁work ▁songs ▁and ▁field ▁h oll ers , ▁that ▁bl ues , ▁jazz ▁and ▁g ospel ▁developed . ▁Neg ro ▁spiritual s ▁were ▁primarily ▁expressions ▁of ▁religious ▁faith . ▁ ▁Fol k ▁songs ▁The ▁Th ir teen ▁Col on ies ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁United ▁States ▁were ▁all ▁former ▁British ▁poss essions , ▁and ▁Ang lo ▁culture ▁became ▁a ▁major ▁foundation ▁for ▁American ▁folk ▁and ▁popular ▁music . ▁Many ▁American ▁folk ▁songs ▁are ▁identical ▁to ▁British ▁songs ▁in ▁arrang ements , ▁but ▁with ▁new ▁lyr ics , ▁often ▁as ▁par od ies ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁material . ▁Ang lo - American ▁traditional ▁music ▁also ▁includes ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁broad side ▁ball ads , ▁hum orous ▁stories ▁and ▁tall ▁tales , ▁and ▁dis aster ▁songs ▁regarding ▁min ing , ▁ship w re cks ▁and ▁murder . ▁Fol k ▁songs ▁may ▁be ▁class ified ▁by