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... ... middle of paper ... ...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.
The American political notions we practice today take root from early colonial times. Our political understanding had its genesis as early as the 17th century, which stemmed from the writings of intellectuals, such as John Winthrop and William Penn. Equipped with these convictions, both Winthrop and Penn brought about visions of how their respective colonies will be structured in the New World. John Winthrop wrote The Modell of Christian Charity as a platform to lead a group of Puritan refugees in the colony of Boston, Massachusetts. Also armed with his own political philosophies, William Penn’s Frame of Government of Pennsylvania constructed a settlement, which promoted religious liberty and individual conscience. Although the two founders wrote about varying principles, there were some parallels evident between their founding visions. Furthermore, by highlighting the outward distinctions and similarities of their visions, we can recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the two political structures. Ultimately, the explorations of these very elements aid in determining which community is more appealing to call home. In my case, the principle of individual
Throughout the first half of the 19th century, and especially after the War of 1812, America has taken on yet another revolution. In this time period, the country saw a rapid expansion in territory and economics, as well as the extension of democratic politics; the spread of evangelical revivalism; the rise of the nation’s first labor and reform movements; the growth of cities and industrial ways of life; a rise in abolitionism and reduction in the power of slavery; and radical shifts in the roles and status of women.
In his essay titled, “The Transformation of European Society”, Gary Nash argues how seventeenth and eighteenth century United States (U.S.) witnessed the birth of a distinct “democratic personality”. This personality had numerous effects on American society. Mr. Nash believed a society having democratic personalities exhibited the following qualities: individualization, competitiveness, and opportunity. Many factors led up to the creation of each of these traits. Americans wanted their own, distinct life, where they were not told how to act and what to think. Unfortunately, this was idealistic thinking. Reality was that they were swaying from the original goal of working towards the better of community, the Puritan way. Through the traits mentioned above in many ways could help society, they constantly went against it also. For example, many businesses, even parts of the government, were accused of being corrupt, and performing illegal acts in order to get ahead. U.S citizens were given so many options in life, many learned they could do better than what they were born to. The immense amount of land in the West led to many of these options. The land was cheap and unoccupied, meaning that it was relatively easy to gain success and achieve a higher social standing through the land. This was followed by the mindset of the “me” personality in much of American history. This also led to how competitiveness became ingrained into daily rational and overall life. A multitude of people were motivated to achieve more and become the vision of success that was driving their fellow man. Many of their visions were of owning land, and of being able to live a comfortable lifestyle. As Nash states, “living in a place where the ratio of people to ...
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.
Shortly after the War of 1812, the nation’s ideals of community began to shift to a more individualized approach, which led to numerous reforms and movements. Individualism allows one to act or think outside of what is culturally or socially accepted. This period of time became known as the antebellum period, where social and moral reforms were popularized through political reform, abolition and women’s suffrage movements. Individualism and reform impulses were interdependent upon each other, without one the other could not be as strong; therefore, the desire for individualism established the basis for numerous reforms and movements during the antebellum period of the United States.
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 United States was only a country for about 15 years before the basic way of life for people in the country changed drastically. We developed politically and economically, expanded westward and divided along sectional borders. However, these are not the only characteristics that define this time. 1790-1860 was a period of rapid industrialization, market revolution and changing social order. This was largely due to advanced methods of transportation, mechanization and the changes in women’s roles.
The 20th century brought about many changes, with several events molding society in the way we know of it today. With the Great Depression, World War 2 , and the Cold War, America faced many internal and external threats, that endangered the American way of life and forced the country to reshape it’s views to move past events that seemed, at the time, to be the lowest points.
social and political reform manifested throughout the states as the American way of life was
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.
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.
The question of what America is constantly changing, to this day America is still changing. America as a concept is as fluid as the great oceans on both sides and the mighty rivers that flow through it. An Englishman wrote the Letters from an American Farmer, under an assumed named he took after arriving in North America (Belasco & Johnson 374). America to the farmer is where, “A man is as free as he ought to be;” freedom is the key
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.
Ethics are 100% linked to a person’s individual culture. We don’t always think about it but how we feel about morals has a lot to do with the culture that we grow up in. From birth we are taught things and showed things which all add up into our views on the world. This makes us act the way we do and what makes us know what is morally acceptable. People who grow up in America grow up in completely different lives than those who live in China or any other part of the world. It doesn’t seem like it but these differences go much further than just lifestyle. A culture is much more than just the way someone acts. It includes how someone makes decisions and what their moral beliefs are. It also effects what we view as right and wrong. Cultural relativism
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