American Values : The United States

2235 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: On American equality

Final Essay on American Values The United States was founded on six essential values liberty, equality, the pursuit of truth, respect for dissent, self-reliance, and tolerance. Each of these values is not only evident today but is necessary to the future success of the United States. The philosophy of our democratic representative government was established based on ancient concepts, and execution of these values. However, as a society we do not always incorporate these values in our decision making process. This is evident in the debates regarding our racial and ethnic history, equal rights (women), immigration, and the role of religion. While, the Constitution of the United States would not have had the breadth and depth without the vast experiences, respect for dissent, and tolerance that the founding fathers displayed, as a society we do not always display the same qualities. This essay will cover how the six essential values should guide us in the debate of racial and ethnic history, equal rights (women), immigration, and the role of religion. Historically, as a country we have ignored many of the values that our nation is based on when it comes to our racial and ethnic past. Liberty is the state of being free, to enjoy the social, political, or economic rights and privileges, the power of choice (Liberty, n.d.). Liberty should not be limited by sex, race, or ethnic background. “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me.” (Douglass, 1852) to think that a former slave would be asked to speak at an event regarding the 4th of July, a holiday meant to celebrate our freedom, something that we deprived Mr. Douglass of. Legal equality and... ... middle of paper ... ...lusion, each value of the six values has continued to build on one another to give us the government we have today and guide us in the journey of racial/ethnical rights, women’s rights, immigration, and religion in government. Tolerance opens the door for the patience to respect ideas that are different from our own, these ideas can be expressed through the freedoms allowed to all individuals, by exploring those ideas we can pursue the truths necessary to make informed decisions that will continue to allow us to be self-reliant. These values will guide us to continue to make progress not only in these four debates but also in the numerous other issues facing our country. It is important to understand that these values build a foundation, a map, a moral guide to help each one of us broaden our perspectives, positively interact with others, and thrive in diversity.

Show More
Related

  • Frederick Douglass Rhetoric In A Platonic Framework

    1107 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.” Citizens of the United States of America grow up hearing these words echo in their ears. They see it in advertising, campaign speeches, the news, and any patriotic material. But this statement, this theme that those patriots cling to has not always been true for everyone. Frederick Douglass elaborated on this underlying contradiction and moral failure of the United States. Specifically, his speech, What, to the slave, is the Fourth of July?, demonstrates the concepts of the True and the Good as established in the Platonic framework as he pursues both concepts by proving their opposites to be true for the United States.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Douglas's Speech By Frederick Douglass

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    This is the same distance that divides American society, and therefore he ensures that the difference in perspectives and attitudes toward the 4th of July that exists between both sides is present and felt by his listeners. He expresses hope on the fact that the American nation is still young, and therefore its character hasn’t been established yet, nor its future has been carved in its totality. Douglass sees this as a chance for American society to change and to abandon slavery and discrimination for once and for all. However, he also mentions, through various metaphors, that if abolition doesn’t occur in America, then the country will either be benefited or destroyed by it, or it could be morally drained (“Great streams are not easily turned from channels, worn deep in the course of ages. They may sometimes rise in quiet and stately majesty, and inundate the land … they may also rise in wrath and fury, and bear away, on their angry waves, the accumulated wealth of years of toil and hardship... As with rivers so with

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Douglass And Stoowe

    67 Words  | 1 Pages

    After analyzing both of Douglass and Stowe arguments many can relate to it. They want to end slavery because everyone is created equal. This was one of the cause into the Civil War. The nation was more black in 4th of July because they did not have rights like the whites one. They did not had anything to celebrate because they did not gained freedom or rights.

    Read More

  • Civil Liberties And Civil Rights

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    To open this discussion, I would like to start with the civil liberty of freedom of religion. This liberty was identified in my original Constitution essay through the mentioning of the separation of church and state clause. The reason for my including of this liberty, and my stressing of its importance, is that I feel that the government interprets this liberty in a one sided fashion because of the incorrect interpretation of the already in place separation of church and state clause. I also include it because I believe that recently the attacks upon religion have metastasized and tha...

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass 'What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July'

    282 Words  | 1 Pages

    The first section of Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech praises American father’s past accomplishments for freedom, “Feeling themselves harshly unjustly treated by the home government, your fathers, like men of honest, and men of spirit, earnestly sought redress… Your fathers were wise men, and if they did not go mad, they became restive under this treatment” (462). In this first section, Douglass’s main purpose is to briefly narrate the historical event and remind the audience why they are celebrating it. However, he is also trying to convince the audience to keep listening and have them understand his point of view, of which will be brought up later in the speech. By praising the founding fathers, Douglass

    Read More

  • The Bill of Rights

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    We live in the 21st century, where most Americans mind their own business but take for granted our God given rights. Not only God given rights but also those established by our founding forefathers. This paper will illustrate and depict the importance of the original problems faced when adopting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It will discuss the importance of the first amendment, the due process of the 4th, 5th, 6th, and the 8th amendments. Last but not least the importance of what is known as the “second Bill of Rights” (14th amendment).

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Frederick Douglass Speech

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    Frederick Douglass starting his speech to talk about the fourth of July he started with rhetorical questions and the reason for the questions was to give the audience the real meaning of what the fourth of July really is to them and to get the audience attention so that they listen and understand what the slaves have gone through especially during the fourth of July. He did not choose to give the speech on the day that they were treated badly, He gave the speech to show and tell the audience that he does not what to be a part of that celebration where on that day they were not free. He’s wondering why they’re being treat that way and what they have done to the Americans that they’re treating them like they’re not humans. Frederick also in his speech stated that the fourth of July celebration is not for him because why would he celebration a day where he was held as a slave and treated like he was not a human. The questions helped Douglass to connect with his audience because the questions were to make sure that the audience was paying attention to his speech and what he was saying. One question he asked to get his audience attention was “What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence? (Douglass

    Read More

  • Frederick Douglass Speech About The Fourth Of July

    213 Words  | 1 Pages

    The second quote is from a famous Frederick Douglass speech about the fourth of July and what it means to enslaved African Americans. Douglass explains within the quote that the fourth of July holiday was not meant for African Americans. During the signing of the declaration of independence slavery was strong and all throughout the thirteen colonies of the United States. Douglass states the hypocrisy of this holiday because the men who wrote the declaration of independence and spoke of liberty and the pursuit of happiness were mostly slave holders. He also explains how these same men who were glad to rid their selves of their oppressors in England were the same men oppressing and doing far worse to African Americans. Douglass

    Read More

  • Slavery Is The Fourth Of July Analysis

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is a constant reminder of how different whites and Negroes are seen as on a daily basis, he continues with “Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us….The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn” (Douglass, p. 4). Douglass goes on to express his opinion about other key points about American Slavery and how cruel it is, as well as how the Fourth of July exemplifies these cruelties. As an abolitionist and a former slave, it is clear that Douglass has strong opinions about slavery in the south; it is wrong. Although this

    Read More

  • Time To Assert American Values: Article Analysis

    207 Words  | 1 Pages

    In “Time to Assert American Values” the article relies on information that comes from the mouths of reporter and commercial ads, “So, the argument goes, when Americans express outrage over a punishment that permanent scarring-in this case,caning-they are committing an act of cultural arrogance” this means that they will throw a fit over something that goes wrong in another country but when it comes to crime in America we simply take them to jail and give them tv to watch but we would get mad if the other country take pride in making those who do wrong pay for wat they did. On the other hand we don’t have control over other countries so whatever they do we can only negotiate with the leaders to come to an some kind of agreement, like how many

    Read More

  • Being An American Value Essay

    2291 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the year of 1775 through the year of 1783, the Revolutionary War was going on in America. The meaning of being American is like what we know now, but can be a little bit different from what we think being American meaning is. Being an American at the time of the Revolutionary War was the fight for the freedom that they rightfully deserved and for religious freedom. Even though they ended up making a mess of it, by having the same things that the British did. Like having the witch trials and so much more that many don’t really realize.

    Read More

  • The Five Principles Of Government

    390 Words  | 1 Pages

    Although the country has faced numerous changes and difficulties since its beginning, the United States still stands as one of the world’s most successful constitutional government. According to historian, David Barton, this is in part because of the five principles of government found in the Declaration of Independence. These principles state that there is a Creator, that every person has inalienable rights, that the government’s main purpose is to protect these rights, that there are moral laws established by God, and that below the moral laws, decisions are to be made by the governed. Out of these five principles, the one that speaks to me the most is the idea that governments must protect the natural rights of its people.

    Read More

  • Explain The Three Important Political Values In America

    299 Words  | 1 Pages

    The three important political values in America political are liberty, equality, and democracy. That many political believe that liberty is for personal and economic freedom from government control. Which American's believe that liberty want to keep us safe and protect our privacy, keeping taxes low, sustain a healthy environment. Also the equality is one of the hardest political in America because most believe they should share equality of opportunity which each person should be given a fair chance to use his or her talents to reach their fullest potential. However no two people are truly equal, they are considered by law but they may be poorer than others, some may have cultural backgrounds different from the majority of all Americans have

    Read More

  • America's Core Values Essay

    1472 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout its history, the US has held its core values close and has not failed to show them off. The main values that the US is known for is liberty, equality, and justice. Time and time again the United States has succeeded in upholding their core values of liberty, equality, and justice, through many difficult times in its history. America’s democracy and its core values are successfully promoted through many events from WWII to now.

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of American Values Essay

    719 Words  | 2 Pages

    The American culture is characterized by republicanism which primarily governs the administration system. The large American population is the source of diversity since many individuals from different backgrounds are all united under the same flag, the American flag. Despite the degree of diversity in culture in America, citizens are always united under the same rules regulations and legislations. Therefore, there are common traits and values common amongst American citizens; these shared values are the source of American unity. However, not all common values reflect an individual`s personal values, which may differ depending on various factors such as background and culture.

    Read More

More about American Values : The United States

Open Document