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Critique of Declaration of Independence
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Analyze the declaration of independence
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What is Americanism? The first American had to fight to solidify the birth of the concept of Americanism. However, old colonist did not come to assimilate or to adopt the culture of American Indians. After their victory, the founding fathers trough the declaration of independence claimed that “men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights....". This pleading of the declaration of independence may be interpreted as God exists and humans as its endowed creation are not to be ruled by any government. In the early decades of the 1900’s, different approaches of Americanization were displayed. They were specific ideas of what a country should represent. After its independence America had become in a country made up by people
Prior to the “Era of Good Feelings”, America was characterized as a nation where people did not recognize themselves in union but instead identified themselves according their region. During this period America became more integrated (politically, socially and economically) and a sense of nationalism prevailed. In the years following the War of 1812 America 's status on the world stage strengthened, the economy grew and became more prosperous due to the market revolution, and new forms of transportation and their improvements connected the country in ways that had not been seen before. Despite this rise in nationalism, there were also some elements of sectionalism that had existed since colonization.
During the Progressive Era, our country was going through many changes and those changes have had numerous effects that are still apparent today. Theodore Roosevelt and Randolph Bourne both had very differing opinions about how citizens should be seen by themselves and their governments. The main difference between Roosevelt’s and Bourne’s theories on citizenship is the amount of domination and empowerment that was posed to the people. Roosevelt had thought that the people of American should only identify as American, even if they were born in another country. Bourne’s opinion was drastically different form Roosevelt’s by believing that the people of America should embrace their own cultures and share it with the rest of the country. Using Randolph Bourne’s “Trans-National America” and Theodore Roosevelt’s “True Americanism” this essay will show that over time Bourne’s idea of empowering the diversity of citizens has been more successful than Roosevelt’s idea of having a society that was more dominated by a the need for everyone to be the same.
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.
A History of the American People, written by Paul Johnson, as well as A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn, is a different sort of manner in which to better understand the events that happened from the creation of the United States, to the 21st century. While both authors tell the story of America in a similar fashion, they each put their own “brand” of sorts on it. Johnson, being British upper-middle-class, was never taught American history as a student, and this made him have a sort of child-like sense of wonder about America. He writes, “…I eventually came to American history completely fresh, with no schoolboy or student prejudices or antipathies.”
In 20th century America, after the Second World War, the nation emerged as a dominant figure in the dynamics of the world. The American people began to develop a certain identity that became known to all around the world. People craved to experience the American identity and have a chance at reaching the American dream. The American dream embodied the American ideals of freedom, social mobility, and ability to succeed and live a happy life. Ultimately through Montana 1948, by Larry Watson, the American identity is explored through the many facets of the emerging 20th century American idea: an American dream.
When I think of Americanism the first word that comes to mind is Freedom. We as Americans are entitled to freedom of speech and freedom of choice, which means we can say whatever pops into our heads whenever we want to. However, the power of speech is often overlooked as most Americans
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
Alan Trachtenberg, professor of American studies at Yale and author of The Incorporation of America, argues that the system of incorporation unhinged the idea of national identity that all American’s had previously shared. As a result, incorporation became the catalyst for the great debate about what it meant to actually be American, and who was capable of labeling themselves as such. Throughout his work Trachtenberg consistently tackles the ideas of cultural identity and how those ideas struggled against one another to be the supreme definition of Americanism. This work not only brings to life the issue of identity, but it attempts to synthesize various scholarly works into a cohesive work on the Gilded Age. It demonstrates that concepts developed during the incorporation of the time period have formed the basis for the American cultural, economic, and political superstructure.
American culture has completely encompassed the world. Even the smallest symbols of America are seen throughout international countries. The United States has become the center of technological advancements, and inventions to, in theory, better the lives of its people. As these ideas spread all over the world. On the contrary the effects are majorly negative, as these effects only change people into to becoming more “american” whether than embracing the beautiful culture they were brought up in. “Americanization” is continually altering the lives of foreigners for the worst.
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.
The United States is an immense country, with many residents and citizens descending from immigrants who have influenced many customs, traditions, behaviors and ways of life. Unlike many old world nations, the United States does not have a homogenous population or a traditional homeland. However, American culture can be interpreted as being largely based in Western Europe with influences from the Native Indians, Africans, Asians, and elsewhere.
"From the first day that the United States won its independance, thoughtful Americans have attempted to define the new national identity" that decolonization invited. Becoming an independant political nation forced citizens to suddenly devise a "community and character" (Finkelman, 63) worthy of this newborn America. It was believed that, once free from Birtish fetters, a unique American character would emerge automatically. But this was not so, and it was left up to the artits, politictians, scientists, businessmen and women, and every other citizen to contrive the American identity. Those who were most accomplished at scrutinizing the American identity and what it was, were the many authors and writers of the 19th century.
At this time Americans resorted to nationalism which is as Merton E. Hill stated in 1931
The American Ideological Consensus is that “…the American people have shared much of the same ideals, the same basic principles, and the same patterns of belief” (McClenaghan 104). When America filled itself with ideologically homogenous people, their beliefs started to define our nation and became American identities. If asked what they think of America, peoples of other nations would say that the roads are made of glass, opportunity is in the air, and civil rights are plentiful. These accounts maybe accentuated; however, the underlying message is that the American people have more freedoms then the peoples of other nations do. The most widely known American identity is freedom, and even though that American identity has been tried and tested throughout much of its history, it can still be said that America is a land of liberty.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote American Scholar during the period of transdentalism in 1840-1860 which emerged after romanticism. Transcendentalism dominated the thinking of the American Renaissance, the period before the Civil War where new literary and philosophical forms flourished, and its resonances vibrated through American life well into the 20th century. In one way or another our most creative minds were drawn into its thrall, attracted not only to its practicable messages of confident self-identity, spiritual progress and social justice, but also by its aesthetics, which celebrated, in landscape and mindscape, the immense grandeur of the American soul.As Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, (1948) states that independence is the freedom to organize for own life and making own decision without any help from other. Constitution is the formation of laws that makes human fall under one country with independence. According to Emerson’s (1834) observation, American Scholar was diverged from European roots which means America gained independence. People believed that everything in the world, including human beings is the reflection of divine soul. People used their imagination and believed in self-reliance and the individualism. However, American Scholar reflects value of equity, freedom and moral individual and power or the rights of the people to the extent that America is the independent country or constitution as a new nation under the authority of divine God.