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The American Self is the common character and values of American people which evolved depending on governmental philosophy, religious belief, and economical aspiration from beginning of its formation to the present. Any of the change in the above factors would contribute to the evolution of the American Self. Over time, the American Self changed from communalism, whole hearted religious faith, and interest in material goods to individualism, self interests, and greed.
The American Self depended on the governmental philosophy held by its early colonial leaders, the Founding Fathers, and the later elites who governed the nation. The Puritans were theocratic; the early Puritans based their governmental philosophy on their religious view to Augustine. Augustine advocated the original sin and the sin is inside of the self. "Because of the innate depravity of humankind, nobody, not even authorities of the community was trusted to act selflessly for the public good."[42] Therefore, the Puritans allowed church members to vote for officials, and "members of society were responsible for keeping each other in line."[42] Much alike to the Puritans, the Founding Fathers based their idea on Greeks and Roman city-sites, and they "knew that the self could not be trusted..." [42]. According to this philosophy, the founders built America "by allowing communities to be self-governing, and with the federal government monitoring from a distance."[43] Thus, politically, the American Self in the beginning was communalism. As time went on, by the Revolutionary era, communalism revealed its sinister side. "Communities were too parochial, elites grumbled, and, as Alexander Hamilton often pointed out, dangerous to the preservation of the Union."[4...
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...for others and the benefit of the society. Spirit drove people to love their neighbor and help the poor. However, as time passed, so did the American self. "Egotism, ruthless, business practices, promiscuity, workaholism--their overarching commonality is a sigh of a forgotten inner life."[47] And, the words of Jesus became "I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink."[47]
During the three centuries, the Americans' governmental philosophy changed from communal living to more federalism. The religious faith shifted from internal to external, and devotion to God changed to a greedy search for material good. People's value was changed and it is still changing and redefining the American self.
Work Cited
Maddox, Robert J., comp. American History. 18th ed. Vol. 1.
N.p.: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2004. 42-47.
Both constitutional and social developments greatly changed the United States to a revolutionary proportion between 1860 and 1877. The new amendments and the fight for civil rights altered the previous way of life and forever changed American society. Inequality, fear, and corruption sent the United States into turmoil that would transform the country and lead to a revolution of change.
In early America between the years of 1825-1850, America was rapidly changing and reforming the way people lived. Societal problems and major discrepancies that had previously been overlooked began to rapidly gain awareness. The main idea of the reforms in the United States at this time was the relatively new sense of Democracy. Reform sought to maximize these benefits in light of Democracy and for this reason came up with many changes in which greater good can be found through freedom, justice, and equality of all people.
Around the year 1800, there are some significant political, economic, and social changes. These changes affected Americans significantly. Americans in nineteenth century described that freedom is the most important character of their country. Freedom was connected with economic and democracy but it is also influenced by the slavary system.
The years after the civil war left one half of America, the north, satisfied and the other half, the south, mostly dissatisfied. Therefore the last third of the nineteenth century, 1865-1900, was a time period in which America was mending, repairing, improving, reshaping, and reconstructing its society, economy, culture, and policies. Basically it was changing everything it stood for. This continual change can be seen in the following events that took place during this time. These events are both causes and effects of why America is what it is today. These are some examples: the reconstruction of the south, the great movement towards the west, the agricultural revolution, the rise of industrialism, the completion of the transcontinental railroad, and America's growth to gaining world power. All of these are reasons and events that characterize America as being an ever-changing nation.
While the American Dream of the post-war ‘40s and ‘50s was the same core ideology as the American Dream had always been, it expanded its previous definitions to include a uniform “American Way of Life”. Will Herberg argues that the true common religion in the United States is not western monotheism but this way of life that we have. He cites the fact that a majority of people at this time don’t let their religious beliefs affect their decisions about politics and society . He infers that there must be another force behind the country’s unity and it is our way of life. This way was more linear in definition than in the past and was reinforced by the pressure that the Cold War produced. Popular media reflected the conformism that was prevalent
As the United States developed over the years the lives and lifestyles for the Americans
There may be a thread or fundamental truth that runs through the entirety of American literature. From the earliest American writings to present day publications, American writers are almost always concerned with individual identities in relation to the larger national identity. Even before America won its independence from Britain, Americans struggled with this concept. Look at Jonathan Edwards’s Personal Narrative, written in 1739, or The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin, written in 1791. Edwards is looking at his relationship to God, other Americans, and the land itself, wondering what is the best way to serve all three oft these entities. Franklin is attempting to create an identity for himself through his, almost assuredly exaggerated, life stories, while cultivating a new American identity for other to follow through his philosophies of success. Struggling with one’s identity within a larger national identity may be as American as apple pie.
Before the 20th century, individual progress was the definition of the American identity. Success was zero-sum; the people that did progress had authority over the people that didn’t, and people had this overwhelming desire to strive to the fullest as an individual. Several developments throughout American history demonstrated the desire to succeed and progress in America before the 20th century. Slavery, industrialization, and the great depression are events that had an immense impacted the American identity in the 1920s by transforming it from an identity built on a greedy desire to strive and progress as an individual to one that strives to progress as a nation in whole.
It all started in the 1800’s and 1900’s when change started happening for all Americans, and it came as a surprise as they watched it all unfold. Agriculture wasn’t considered an option for most people as the rise of Industrialization made its mark on America, started by Andrew Carnegie in 1875, he created steel which would help change the way people could get across rivers. Equalities have changed the way men and women think of each other, considering men didn’t think highly of women back in the 1900’s. Immigration, which has changed today with the political debates, and people not accepting people for who they are, then when they did in the 1900’s. Lastly, what we consider the American Dream, and it is a Dream that has taken a drastic turn as what we thought was the greatest gift you could receive, is now overlooked as something we just have, rather than something we have earned.
During the post Civil War time period, 1865 to 1945, the United States of America was a rapidly changing country. There were many different reforms taking place in the economic, political, and urban systems. The American industry was rising. New inventions, westward expansion, and new federal laws were making the country a melting pot of cultures from around the world. Also during this time period the nation experienced the progressive movement, economic collapse, the great depression, and President Roosevelt’s New Deal. This paper will discuss the evolution of the United States in westward expansion, urbanization, and politics, as well as the rise of American industry, the economic collapse of 1873, and the causes of the great depression.
Early America was a place for anyone to live their life the way that they wanted, as it is now, but back then this was a new concept. Much of this idea comes from the freedoms obtained by living here. Many other countries in the world had many freedoms, but not as numerous as they were in America shortly after the country was founded. Americans during the late 1700's and early 1800's embraced their freedoms and became leaders and expanders, and what we now consider the founders of many present-day cities and towns. One thing that has been present throughout the generations of people living in America, is the desire to set themselves apart from other nations. This want was supplied to the American people in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. These two documents gave the American people everything they needed to set them apart from the rest. Based on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, America was able to create an identity including freedom, religion, and individuality that is very unique to this country.
Typical American by Gish Jen demonstrates the different struggles that a traditional immigrant family encounters. The book being discussed will be explained by means of historical influences and biographical influences during Jen’s life that affected the novel. This essay will also contain a critical analysis of the book and an analysis of the critical response from others.
America was affected by a wave of religious shifts throughout its history, being a firmly religious culture to becoming a leader of scientific progression on a global scale and maintaining its religious roots. As shown, America changed from being a religiously dedicated nation to becoming a nation with religious roots with tolerance of other beliefs.
As a new nation looking to characterize itself, America followed two opposing mindsets, those of Calvinism and transcendentalism. Calvinism proclaimed that the self of man was bad by nature and was only saved by the grace of God. Transcendentalism declared quite the opposite, that man was blessed with the special ability to deduce God’s residence in the world. Calvinists believed that human urges came from an inner evil, while transcendentalists thought they were moral insight that came before common society’s unjustified code.
This governing belief is celebrated by liberal parts of American society. At the time of the country’s founding a huge majority of its people were followers of the Christian faith. So, while separation of church and state was accepted at a small level, there was hardly ever any need to enforce it. Since more waves of colonists arrived on the country’s shores, bringing with them their native religious and cultural inheritances, this principle found a more common application in problems of public disagreement. Although liberal politicians and reporters really appreciated this separation. Also, among the group of scholars now recognized as the founding fathers of the country, there were different opinions and disagreements. Some were pro-slavery