There are some things in life which seem so synonymous with the USA that you couldn't imagine for one second they were invented anywhere else. From certain sweet treats and food favourites through to aspects of the country's history and culture, they all seem quintessentially American. But what if we told you some of those Stateside favourites didn't originate there at all - but have their origins in the UK? Read on to find out about some seemingly all-American things - which were actually invented by the British... (Picture: Getty Images/Photononstop RF)

1) A.1. Steak Sauce

Kicking off with a sauce that's positively ubiquitous in the US - and which no self-respecting steak should be without. But did you know that A1 actually has its origins here? The sauce was actually created in 1824 by Henderson William Brand, who was a chef to King George IV, with one myth suggesting it got its name after the monarch loved it so much he proclaimed it to be 'A1'. It was sold commercially as a condiment for 'fish, meat, fowl and game' from 1831 onwards, before being sold in the US from 1906, after the name and formula were trademarked there. Curiously, it's now pretty hard to find in the UK, having been phased out of supermarkets in the late 1970s after it fell out of favour (Picture: Getty Images)

2) Apple pie

We've all heard the phrase 'as American as apple pie', right? Well technically it's inaccurate since the Brits definitely have first dubs on the invention of a pie with apples in it. In fact, its origins date all the way back to 1381, with website Food52 revealing the dessert was born out of culinary traditions from France, the Netherlands and the Ottoman Empire. It was subsequently brought to the colonies by the English, Dutch and Swedes during the 17th and 18th Centuries. Although it's worth noting that the recipe varied from one place to the next. According to Smithsonian magazine, early apple pies contained no sugar and the pastry crust acted more as 'coffin pastry' - an inedible container which was not meant to be eaten (Picture: Getty Images)

3) The Liberty Bell

This one's a bit of both. If you've ever been to Philadelphia, you'll no doubt have stopped by the Liberty Bell, a symbol of American independence which is still one of the city's biggest tourist attractions. But while the bell was commissioned by a US organisation - the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly - in 1751, it was in fact made at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London. The bell cracked soon after it arrived in the US the following year, with a pair of local craftsmen, John Pass and John Stow, recasting it in 1753 using the metal from the original bell which was made in London (Picture: Getty Images)

4) Fried chicken

Could there be anything more American than fried chicken? Well yes, apparently. Because while meat-eaters in the US get through a considerable amount of chicken (around 80lbs per person per year according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service), it wasn't Americans who invented that whole frying thing. In fact the first recipe for fried chicken is thought to date back to a 1747 cookbook, The Art Of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse, which is actually Scottish in origin. Although the recipe is not specifically called 'fried chicken' it does refer to deep-drying breaded, seasoned poultry in fat. The expression 'fried chicken' was first recorded in the 1830s, and often appeared in US cookbooks in the 19th Century, although the recipe is thought to have been influenced by both Scottish and West African versions of the dish (Picture: Getty Images)

5) Halloween

Dressing up in a spooky costume and going house to house trick or treating is a big deal on Halloween in the US - and the traditions have spread to the UK too, turning Halloween into a much bigger deal than it once was in Blighty. But is it a US invention? Actually, no. Historic UK explains that the celebration can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the start of winter - and which was traditionally celebrated in England, Scotland and Ireland in the 16th Century. The practice of trick or treating also dates back to the 16th Century, when it was known as 'guising', with people dressing up and going from house to house at Halloween, putting on a performance to be rewarded with food (Picture: Getty Images)