America has always been a land of opportunity ever since the pilgrims first arrived. During the infancy of America’s history, the country was under developed and would be considered a third world country today. Even though America was under developed compared to the previous motherland of Great Britain it always had the potential to exceed the many limits set upon by others. For example, Andrew Jackson, also known as the man of the people, was raised by a single mother who struggled to raise two other children and struggled with economic hardships. Regardless of his upbringings, Andrew Jackson became the seventh president of the United States in which he invited the public to his inaugural ball. Some people who migrated from other countries to America, such as Frances Trollope, failed to recognize the potential that America had. Instead of Mrs. Trollope acknowledging the promises the newly found country had, she decided to critically compare it to her homeland. Mrs. Trollope left her home in …show more content…
Trollope was very bias in her writing Domestic Manners of the Americans. She heard so many great things on this newly freed country, and expected the United States to be a completely developed imitation of its former mother country. She decided to visit the western world herself and wrote upon her experiences in the country. Upon her arrival and stay she soon realized America is not what she had expected. Trollope’s main reason in writing her book was to show a different side to the united nation, separate from what others believed. The country was nothing like she expected; she anticipated for Americans to be cultured in the exact manners that Englishmen were. She did not come into the country with an open-mind set to see other people with different mannerisms than those of her own. She did attempt to find good aspects in the country, so her opinion wasn’t completely bias. She had great respect for the newly elected President, Andrew
Edward Bok and Colin Powell consider America the land of opportunity. Edward Bok was an immigrant from the Netherlands who moved to the US and Colin Powell’s parents were immigrants who came from Jamaica. Powell was the statesman and a four-star general who became the first African American secretary of state. Both Edward Bok and Colin Powell convey an optimistic tone and develop the idea of opportunity through the use of connotative diction in contrast to the Immigration Chart and Political Cartoon which has a informative tone and supports the idea that being an immigrant in the US is a difficult challenge.
Andrew Jackson, revered as the first common man to become President, symbolized the average citizen having the opportunity to climb the ranks within America 's democratic system. However, the profits of Jackson 's administration succeed in concealing his immoral procedures and behavior. Jackson 's methods worked accordingly to the reasoning of the father of political science, Machiavelli, who said, “The end justifies the means”. He achiev...
Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.
An extraordinarily ordinary man, a “democratic autocrat, an urbane savage, an atrocious saint” Andrew Jackson provided the means for Americans to better understand themselves (Parton PBS). Over time the perception of Jackson and his demeanor has been changed. As one historian stated, “at one time, [when they looked at Jackson] they saw the frontiersmen, the poor boy made good, the classic self-made man” (Feller PBS). In modern times, Jackson has become a more unsavoury figure; namely due to his reputation for displacing Native American tribes and repurposing their land for American settlements and communities. Still, the debate over who Andrew Jackson was, or perhaps is, can be described as a contemporary one. Nonetheless, his actions, and vociferous reactions, make Jackson a very divisive figure in American politics. Cogently stated by historian “He is an inescapable American, but of what kind?” (Feller PBS).
One of the ways Andrew Jackson was different than the previous presidents was he connected with the common people. During his second election Jackson won by speaking to the middle- class. Although he was a wealthy plantation owner himself he dressed in casual clothing and did not show off his riches. Unlike his opponent, John Quincy Adams, Jackson spoke to the concerns of ordinary people. The Jackson campaign was the first to appeal to common people. Because of his new style of campaigning he became very popular and won the el...
The United States was a recently forged nation state in the early 1800’s. Recently formed, this nation state was very fragile and relied on the loyalty of its citizens to all work collectively toward the establishment and advancement of the nation states. Many members of the nation state gave great sacrifices, often their lives, to see that the united states was a successful and democratic. However, the United States, was fundamentally a mixing pot of all foreign people (excluding marginalized Native Americans). This early 1800 's flow of new “Americans” continued as people sought new opportunities and escaped religious or political persecution and famine. One notable
Some historians have argued that 1950s America marked a step back for the advancement that women made during WWII. What contributed to this “return to domesticity” and do you believe that the the decade was good or bad for women?
Between 1790 and 1820 the U.S. population more than doubled due to the high immigration rates. They had come to America hoping for a better life, and to get
Oakes, James. "Chapter 7." Of the People: A History of the United States. New York: Oxford UP, 2013. N. pag. Print.
Many of our early leaders of our country like Andrew Jackson have made a huge impact in history and in our society today. Some people would disagree and argue that Jackson was a very cruel, horrid man who was nothing but selfish and greedy and he did whatever he could do to get what we wanted in life and it did not matter what the consequences were. But what they do not know is that during “The Age of Jackson”, it helped shape the national agenda that we lacked and also fix our American policies that we did not enforce. From believing that the president’s authority was derived by the people, having rotating applicants in politics, and started the power to veto, he made a tremendous impact on our society today that you would have
...impressive reputation today, exemplifying how a common man like him could become president. In Obama’s view according to Mr. Borosage, the society has descended into “a gilded age” (Robert Borosage) of inequality due to the false democracy being promoted by major corporations. He has seen poverty and the middle class American life very closely. The poor conditions he saw then drove him to re-establish a better middle class in America in which a common citizen can peacefully live his life. Obama successfully demonstrated how one’s perseverance always commands their success, hence exhibiting the true American dream regardless of the previous setting in which he was born. He is on the path to change that ignorant and harsh view of the late 20th century into a better, tolerant and more progressive society, hence outlining the transformation in the described settings.
America, “The Land of the Free”, “The Home of the Brave”, “The Melting Pot”, “The Land of Milk and Honey”, “The Land Across the Pond”, “The Western World”, “Uncle Sam”, and most importantly “The Land of Opportunity”. America is still “The Land of Opportunity” because there is much more freedom in America than most other countries. There are no caste systems to limit what someone who is in America can do. Additionally an American’s destiny is created by his/her own choices, not the choices of his/her family or peers. America is a country founded by immigrants for immigrants, and although the Land of Opportunity has suffered an economic crisis in the last decade, it still maintains its reputation for being the greatest country in the world. The United States is still “The Land of Opportunity” because there are no caste systems, one’s destiny is made by his/her choices, and American freedoms are a part of everyday life.
Born poor, poorly educated, self-risen, first westerner, the first to be elected in a grand popular poll and all in all the first living proof that in America, any one with enough initiative and will can grow up to be president. The image of Andrew Jackson is very much of a rollercoaster, to admirers he stands as a shining symbol of American accomplishment, the ultimate individualist and democrat and to detractors he appears an incipient tyrant, the closest we have yet come to an American Caesar. Overall attributed a lot of influences toward the United States through the Nullification Crisis, Bank of the United States, and the Cherokee Indian.
America has always seen as the symbolic ideal country of prosperity and equality. This is the reason why people come to America hoping to become successful, but in matter of fact we all have an equal plan field to be successful is not entirely true. For there are social boundaries that keep use limited based upon our own status. Whether we are born of a low class or of a high class the possibility of economic mobility in a sense are predetermined by two factors of social class and success together they both affecting one’s another opportunity of success. In order to achieve success, we must know that it is made up of two main concepts and they are fortune and position.
As one of the presidents during the Progressive Era, Theodore Roosevelt led the United States of America through a series of dramatic changes that interrupted the lives and ideologies that Americans during the time were more than familiarized with. Industrialization, women’s suffrage, the sexual revolution, imperialism, and “muckraking” journalism were just a few of the controversial, yet significant characteristics of this era. However, perhaps one of the largest and most vital influences during this time period came from the outside. Immigration was an issue that Roosevelt himself addressed rather perceptibly in his paper entitled “True Americanism,” which first appeared in a magazine called The Forum in April, 1894. However, it is not the idea of immigration that vexed Roosevelt; rather it was his concern and fear of the possibility that the increase in immigration of foreign people and cultures would culminate the concept of American patriotism, or “Americanism” as a whole. This paper will analyze the different elements of Roosevelt’s “True Americanism” by exploring the historical context of the document, highlighting Americanism as Roosevelt explicates it, observing the rhetoric used throughout the document, and discerning Roosevelt’s intended audience.