What Does it Mean

to be an American?

Table of Contents:

Section 1: American Individualism

- Concept Introduction

- 18-19th Centuries

- 20-21st Centuries

Section 2: Melting Pot

- Concept Introduction

- 18-19th Centuries

- 20-21st Centuries

Section 3: Land of Opportunity

- Concept Introduction

- 18-19th Centuries

- 20-21st Centuries

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“What Does it Mean

to be an American ?” A Collaborative Project Created by

Mrs. Holsten’s English 11 Class

This e-zine is the product of student research and

analysis of historical and contemporary

perspectives on elements of the

American identity.

We hope that you enjoy viewing our work!

Image Credit: Map of the United States by Charles P. Varle, 1817

http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/

Collaborative Writing & Design Teams

Cover Design by Jordan

Section One: American Individualism

Anna

Cooper

Chris

Ross

Section Two: America as a Melting Pot

Trey

Cory

Jordan

Hollan

Section Three: America: Land of Opportunity

Leah

Dennis

Bailey

Caitlin

Emma

Concept Exploration

http://www.cynic.org.uk/holidays/

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American Individualism, for some, may invoke an image of a self-made man left alone when young, clambering up from the slums, and making the decision to do something with his own life. For oth-ers, it may be the image of a poor immi-grant leaving his homeland and coming to America with his family in the hopes that they may start a new life in the New World. In the past, American Individualism was the idea that any person, no matter their age or status, could start a life in the New World. Because of this, America be-came the ideal haven for new life and op-portunity for many settlers, immigrants, and religious groups. This whole ideal of American individualism came about in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War when the English colonies decided to sev-er their ties to the motherland, and be-come an independent nation based on the ideas of freedom, opportunity, and pros-perity.

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Exploration in 18th-19th Century American Individualism is rooted in the ideal of self expression as well as

the desire of a young nation to gain autocracy and independence. By the

late 1700’s, the English colonies in America had reached a point where

they no longer needed or desired the rule of the mother country. After dec-

ades of economic exploitation and repression of many individual rights, the

colonies made the radical decision to sever their ties with England and to

become an independent nation where all people would be equal and capa-

ble of enjoying the basic rights that would ensure their happiness and

prosperity. In the Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, the thir-

teen colonies list their grievances against the king, and offer their appeals

to England. In the opening line of the Declaration of Independence the col-

onies state, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are cre-

ated equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable

Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

This shows how the ideal of American individualism was based in the colo-

ny’s desire to not only gain their independence, but also to ensure a fruitful

future for the inhabitants that lived within the country.

After winning its independence from England, the young nation of America

was faced with the issue of individual rights for the new citizens of the

country. The debates that followed the Revolutionary War were based

around the ideal of individualism because most of the issues pertained to

the rights and liberties of the people. In the Constitution, which was drafted

in 1791, the United States government includes a Bill of Rights which lists

the basic rights of every citizen. In Amendment I of the Bill of Rights, it is

stated that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of

religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof...the freedom of speech, or of

the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to peti-

tion...” This list of the rights of the people provides a stronger base for ide-

al of individualism as people are free to do what they want and not be re-

stricted by any government to practice these freedoms.

When people first started coming into America, they were all in the same

position; they were introduced into a new place, with new people, and new

opportunities. It was up to them to choose what they wanted to do with

their lives as individuals. In 1855, Walt Whitman wrote a poem called “I

Hear America Singing”. In this poem, he describes different occupations

that people have in America and how it makes them their own individual.

They are “each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else” (9),

which shows that they each have something special that belongs to just

them and no one else. By listing all the occupations, Whitman is explaining

how everyone is America starts as equals, and it is up to them to choose

whatever path they want.

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Exploration in the 20th and 21st Century

The ideal of American Individualism has been kept alive

for the most part in society. The ways that individualism is

expressed today, however, are quite different. This trans-

formation in the idea of American Individualism is due to

the changes that our society has gone through since the

1800’s. For example, America is no longer undergoing

westward expansion which essentially gave rise to the

feeling of independence and adventure that was present

with every new settler and common-man that decided to

make the trek. Nowadays, every citizen living in the United

States is considered equal. Discrimination, for the most

part, is dying out, and everybody, regardless of race or

gender, has equal rights and opportunities to do what they

wish.

Even though the American people have managed to hold

on to some aspects of American Individualism, there has

definitely been a weakening of this ideal since the 1900’s

due to continuing social struggles and economic inequali-

ty. The widening gap in the class structure has limited per-

sonal expression, and has forced individuals to give up on

their dreams of prosperity and success. In the poem, “Let

America Be America Again,” Langston Hughes writes

about the dying out of individualism in America due to un-

employment and less equality for minorities. In the poem,

he states, “Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me?

The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when

we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay?”

Hughes is emphasizing how individualism and the idea of

self expression has become more difficult for many to

achieve because, in actuality, the nation is not as equal

and accepting as it once seemed. Because of this lack of

freedom, it is difficult for people to pursue their desires

and individual goals in life.

http://thenatureofmind.typepad.com/

Many past presidents have been an example of individ-

ualism in America. In 1928, Herbert Hoover was nomi-

nated from the Republican Party for the Presidency. In

his speech for the closing campaign, Hoover explained

how America was based on “rugged individualism and

self-reliance”. He believed that the government should

take a step back in individual’s lives and businesses and

let them play their roles themselves. In his speech, Hoo-

ver states that, “we have builded up a form of self gov-

ernment and a social system...founded upon the con-

ception that only through ordered liberty, freedom and

equal opportunity to the individual will his initiative and

enterprise spur on the march of progress.” (Herbert

Hoover “Rugged Individualism Campaign Speech). This

means that the individual has treasured the values of

freedom and equality and made sure the government

that was built represented those qualities. He did not

want the individual to have to be reliant on the govern-

ment, and he feared that this was happening because of

too much unemployment and poverty. Hoover worked

hard to keep the individual’s image and make sure that

American individualism still played a big role through his

presidency and after.

Nowadays society provides a greater amount of equality

for all citizens. There is less racial discrimination than

there was in 1900’s and greater opportunity for people

to pursue their goals and express their themselves as

individuals. In the poem, “America” by Tony Hoagland,

the topic of self expression and individualism is empha-

sized as a student recalls his dream about society and

its suffocating grip on him. The student describes how

he feels about this constricting society when he says,

“Buried alive, captured and suffocated in the folds Of the

thick satin quilt of America.” Even though American so-

ciety does provide a great level of acceptance and free-

dom of expression, it sometimes contains an excess of

commercialism and a flood of useless information that

prevents many people from truly living as individuals

within America.

Exploration in The 20th and 21st Century

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America as a

Melting Pot

America started out as a

place where many ethnicities sought religious refuge as well as economic success and equal op-portunity. Today we have become even more diverse in relation to race, ideas, and beliefs.

America is often compared

to a melting pot because of its fo-cus on pluralism. We have people from many races, ideas, and cul-tures who work together in hopes of creating a better country.

The concept of America as a melting pot started in the 19th century with immigrants and people of all walks of life coming to America for a new start and a chance to thrive in this new country without social stratification. This American so-ciety was held together socially through the first and fifteenth amendments which allow free speech and prevent the govern-ment from creating one estab-lished religion. The amendments also protect the citizen’s civil rights which include practicing any religion and guaranteeing suffrage regardless of race. Alto-gether the idea of America as a melting pot is embedded in our historical documents such as the Bill of Rights.

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When the first settlers arrived at Plymouth Rock, they came to

this unknown land seeking refuge from religious persecution. As they

slowly began to settle this land, they came to the conclusion that the New

World would be a place free of the religious persecution that they suffered

back home. More and more people came to America; however their reason

for coming became more diversified. Not only did people come to the New

World for religious safety, but also for economic opportunity and the

chance to create a fresh start. This trend continued for years and evolved

further when immigrants came to the United States in the 19th century.

As immigrants from various countries came to America, the

United States became the epitome of a land with many different races

unified by the common interest of opportunity. However, as the colonies

in America grew, they began to seek independence from England. Upon

declaring America’s independence, England and the rest of Europe felt as

if we would fail at unifying the nation because of the various races Ameri-

ca held, which is emphasized by J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur when he

states, “Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of

men.” This shows how the many cultures come together to share beliefs

and ideas, ultimately they “melt” together creating a whole new culture in

which they share. When America defeated England in the war of 1812 and

in the Revolutionary War, we further established our dominance and

showed the world that we could thrive on our own and be a nation united

despite the menagerie of racial backgrounds that the people of this new

country of America possess.

In the article What Is an American? J. Hector St. John

Crevecoeur writes about the American culture and the many values Amer-

ica has, the qualities of its citizens, and the many races that make up the

United States. Here Crevecoeur describes this new America as, “English,

Scottish, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans and Swedes. From this promiscu-

ous breed, that race now called Americans have arisen”. By listing the

multiple cultures that America possesses, he emphasizes how diverse

America is and how the people known as ‘Americans” were not necessarily

from America. Later in the late nineteenth century, an even bigger flood of

immigrants came to America through Ellis Island. The idea of immigrants

coming across the sea to see a giant statue representing liberty and free-

dom inspired a poem by Emma Lazarus. This poem “The New Colos-

sus” represents the Statue of Liberty’s purpose when it says, “Give me

your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” This

poem explains how the Statue of Liberty represented America as a wel-

coming place to all people, despite social status and race, and gave them a

chance to be free, have equal opportunity and find a fresh start. This is

exactly what America had done in the late nineteenth century when mil-

lions of immigrants entered through Ellis Island seeking a fresh start and

new opportunities that America promised them. This sudden influx of

immigrants further heightened the diversity of America.

Even though America was known for its diversity, slavery

proved to be an issue until the late 1800’s. In the 1700’s there were few

attempts to end slavery. Vermont outlawed slavery in 1777 and the North-

west Ordinance prohibited slavery east of the Mississippi and North of the

Ohio River in 1787. Even with these efforts there were still many who

weren’t willing to give up the lifestyle in which slaves had aided. The

south, for example was a main supporter of slavery because of the farms

that blacks worked on for free, creating a larger profit. However the 1800’s

proved to show more involvement in the abolition of slavery. New Jersey

created a gradual emancipation act which would begin to slowly end slav-

ery in that state, and in 1820 the U.S. congress considered the slave trade

to be piracy and the Missouri Compromise was put in place to prohibit

slavery in the Northern part of the Louisiana purchase. While these efforts

were effective, there were still some who fought against the abolition of

slavery. In 1850 the Fugitive Slave law was put into effect which meant

that any escaped slave did not have a right to a trial by jury which was

considered unfair in regards to the US constitution. Shortly after, William

Garrison criticized the constitution because of its declaration of the equal-

ity of man, while blacks were still not counted as equals. Finally in 1870

the Fifteenth Amendment was passed in order to guarantee the rights of

its diverse citizens. The Fifteenth Amendment states ,“The right of citizens

of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United

States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of

servitude.” This amendment was giving rights to its citizens regardless of

race or color which leads to later freedoms in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Exploration of the 18th and 19th Centuries

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In its early years, America was thought to be a diverse coun- try be-cause of its ac- ceptance of Italians, Irish, English, Dutch, Indians and Ger-mans but America itself still had issues con- cerning slavery of black Ameri-cans. Today we have become even more of a melting pot due to additional races such as Asians, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and Lati-nos. More importantly slavery was abolished completely by 1865 with the Thirteenth Amendment which said, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude... shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” This quote from the US constitu-tion disallows slavery in all parts of the US and slowly leads to equality for black people. Altogether the United States has become a

more diverse “melting pot” because of the culture and freedom of black Americans. Black Americans in America did not start getting treat-ed more equally until the 20th century. While the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments were put in place for free-dom of blacks, and protection of their right to vote, blacks were still not treated as equals until around the 1930’s. In “I,Too,” Langston Hughes, an African-American writer in the 1920’s, wrote “When company comes. Nobody’ll dare say to me, ‘Eat in the kitchen,’... They’ll see how beautiful I am... I, too, am Ameri-can.” This quote shows how in the 1920’s Hughes could see change coming to America in the sense that he would no longer be told to eat in the kitchen while the rest of the company ate a dinner table because he would be equal to whites. Additionally this quote, proves that he knows how people would eventually see his beauty despite racial differences because we are all Amer-icans. Without a doubt the fight to end racism shows how Amer-ica has grown into a more accepting and diverse community known to be a “melting pot.” As a prime example of equality, the 21st century has proven its acceptance of black Americans when Barack Obama, a black American, was elected as President in 2008,. Altogether, despite the cruel things blacks had to endure, America has ultimately learned from its race driven mistakes that will prevent future discriminatory acts against people of different races, ethnicities, and social statuses. In present America, the many cultures we possess help

us grow as a community because of the variety of ideas that its inhabitants create. In the BBC article ‘Melting Pot’ America the BBC news journalist writes about America as a melting pot. Here the journalist says, “but the melting pot imagery has been contested by the idea of multiculturalism, the "salad bowl theory", whereby the immigrants retain their own national characteristics while integrat-ing into a new society”. This raises the point that America is not actually a melting pot because beliefs and ideals are not being traded, but are simply held onto by the individuals out of fear of them being rejected and scorned by the rest of the world which could lead to these individuals being personally attacked for their beliefs. In this idea of America as a salad bowl, we are not a melting pot of mixed ideals, but a place where people keep their beliefs to themselves and become afraid of opposing beliefs and sharing their own beliefs which is the exact opposite of what people wish America to be.

In present America, the many cultures we possess help us grow as a community because of the variety of ideas these individu-als create. According to Malcolm Forbes, a man who controlled a successful business magazine doubling their profits once he took over, diversity explains how working with people from different, races, ethnicities, and social statuses can be like an art when put to-gether because of the different opinions and ideas they each come up with to ultimately produce a better solution or idea as a whole. This would prove to be better than a group of similar people, because the lack of difference in opinion might leave their minds closed to new methods and ideas. This further clarifies the idea of America as a melting pot since it explains how when independent people are put together they can influence each other to become more diverse and open to new ideas and traditions.

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Melting Pot Development in the 20th and

21st Century

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America

The Land of Opportunity

THE OPPORTUNITIES WE

SHARE

In America we are granted the freedom of social

equality and mobility. If one chooses to work hard,

they can pursue any realistic dream they have, and

achieve their goals. America is not based on a caste

system; rather people from any social standing or eco-

nomic class can advance and achieve in our society. A

man or woman born at the very bottom of the eco-

nomic ladder can grow up to become a successful

businessman or political figure. One of the most im-

portant aspects of our society is the ease of access to

public education, which allows everyone to have

equal opportunity to get further in life. We are

known as the land of plenty, with many different re-

sources and many different markets, allowing anyone

to make an impact in their life. “Opportunity” is a

word that means options; anyone can succeed if they

try hard enough.

http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/great-images-of-art-for-world-history-and-

Putting our history into

perspective

Ever since the discovery of the New World in 1492 by Christopher

Columbus, immigrants have flocked to America in the hopes of starting a

new life. Early colonization of the New World started in 1584, and this led

to large numbers of Europeans flocking to the New World, seeking free-

dom from religious persecution and tyrant kings. By the 18th century,

America was focused on moving towards independence from the United

Kingdom. As the pilgrims and settlers began to explore this new world,

they began to envision the great opportunity the country held, from its

expansive fields for farming, to its plentiful natural resources, as well as

its potential trade posts.

In the 17th century a large number of European citizens immigrat-

ed to the New World in hopes of starting a new life. As colonization was

at its peak, John Smith, the leader of the Virginia colony, wrote an article

promoting the New World. He wrote about how the land of the New

World was being built upon the idea of opportunity, and this appealed to

many of the hard working individuals of Europe. Economic mobility was

not prevalent in Europe at the time, and moving to the New World provid-

ed new economic opportunity for settlers. The New World had much to

offer, although getting there meant risking one's life, and Smith under-

stood this, “Who can desire more content, that hath small means; or but

only his merit to advance his fortune, than to tread; and plant that ground

he hath purchased by the hazard of his life?” Smith made it clear that by

moving to the New World, these individuals were taking a risk. But he

encouraged taking upon these risks, for the New World would reward

them. All one had to do was have a strong work ethic and land to be

prosperous in America. At the time of this publication, land in America

was readily available at a cheap price. This was a great opportunity for

many Europeans who were stuck in the remnants of the feudal class

system of Europe. It gave the poor and unwanted of Europe a chance to

have a new start on life.

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As the New World began to grow and expand in the 18th century, so did the need for freedom and independence from England. As a result, the Declaration Of Independence was written and signed in 1776, which ceased the rule of King George III over the New World. America was born, and so was a new government. The Bill of Rights was written as a rule of the new land in 1791. It showed America as being a land of opportunity, being based on the ideas of life, liberty, and the pur-suit of happiness. Our founding fathers wanted to ensure citizens the opportunity to do as they please. As a result, America focused on giving more rights to its citizens rather than taking them away, as described in our Bill of Rights, which states, “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liber-ty, or property, without due process of law,” (Fourteenth amendment). The Four-teenth Amendment shows that no one American can be denied his rights of life, lib-erty, and property, giving its citizens more opportunities to prosper throughout America by pursuing their interests without fear of persecution or government intru-sion. The Bill of Rights gives American citizens their rights so that they can have more opportunities.

By the 19th century, many of the European empires had collapsed; this drove eco-nomic and population expansion in the new nation of America. The famous poet, Emma Lazarus wrote “The New Colossus” in 1883, in hopes of promoting the build-ing of the Statue of Liberty. Many people were leaving Europe and its economic hardships and moving into the new independent country, America. Lazarus wanted these immigrants to be welcomed by the statue. Being an immigrant herself, she created a hopeful image of America by explaining how the land is open to all new-comers. America is portrayed as a land of opportunity for being welcoming to all na-tionalities and class ranks. The upbeat tone of the poem shows that everyone who comes to America will have a chance, and no matter what, Lady Liberty would be there to greet the newcomers: “From her beacon-hand/ Glows world-wide welcome, her mild eyes/ command/ The air-bridged harbor that twin-cities frame”. Lazarus’s words not only create hope for the country by saying “glows world-wide wel-come”, but portrays the idea of opportunity and a new start on life for all foreigners or for anyone who lives there. Also Lazarus explains that other countries can “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” America is built off of the ethical work values of an individual, not social status. If one is look-ing for opportunity, they seek America for the freedom and equality she has to offer. People will be able to “breathe free” and relax with the comfort of knowing that they have an opportunity to accomplish whatever they desire. Immigrants have a chance to succeed in the new independent country, America, who stands with open arms.

Our History...

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Opportunity is Argued Today

America has come a long way since the days of our founding fathers, with new technological innovations and a growing population. We as a nation have been built upon our freedoms and endless opportuni-ties. A belief that a dream, idea, and ingenu-ity can take an individual far is essential to our American values. However, over the re-cent years we have faced tough economic times, and many people have called Ameri-can opportunity into question. This question over American opportunity is being debated daily in politics.

Terry Paulson, who has a PhD in psycholo-gy, argues that America is still the land of opportunity. Paulson is a professional speaker who focuses on optimism and work improvement. Paulson states that, we as a nation, are a land of plenty and that there is opportunity everywhere you look. It is the individual who chooses his own personal success and how he is going to live out his ambitions. Paulson looked at a study from the Clinton and Bush era and concluded that the income of “those in the top 20 per-cent increased 10 percent. Those originally in the bottom 20 percent saw a 91 percent increase in income. In short, there is no per-manent overclass, and once-poor Ameri-cans do improve their position over time” With these statistics, Paulson is showing that we are given the right of economic mo-bility. We are able to move up and down the pay ladder, creating better lives for our-selves and our families. As a result, accord-ing to Paulson, we are gifted with economic movement, and with hard work and time we can achieve.

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Likewise with Terry Paulson, Steve Moore agrees that America remains a land of opportunity. Steve Moore, senior economic writer for The Wall Street Journal, has had years of experience and education in the American economy. He recently pub-lished his book Who’s the Fairest of Them All which argues that America has always been the land of opportunity, and is still considered that today. He proclaims that Americans who are willing to work hard, and invest in their education, are capable of being successful in America, and will be rewarded. “Just because you’re born rich doesn’t mean you’re going to be rich and just because you’re poor doesn’t mean you’re going to be poor,” said Moore in an interview with Newsmax. Moore’s stance on the issue of opportunity is that if we apply ourselves and take action, we will achieve individual success. This is, again, the concept of economic mobility, that the American system has created all kinds of liberty for its citizens. Moore addresses the idea of our nation’s system: “There is no other system that has created the most kind of opportunity — the most kind of increases in living standards and jobs — than the American free enterprise system.” He is saying that we have been gifted with eco-nomic freedom in this country. As a nation, we have high living standards, and we are free to choose the field of work we want to invest ourselves in. These qualities are unique to our nation and Moore believes that these values cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Joseph Stiglitz, who is a Nobel Prize winning economist, seems to have a much dif-ferent opinion on the idea of American opportunity as compared to Moore and Paul-son. Stiglitz writes that opportunity in America no longer exists, and that our national economic system benefits the rich at the expense of others. Stiglitz has expressed his views of American opportunity in the article “America is no Longer Land of Oppor-tunity”. Stiglitz explains how nowadays, the split of lower, middle, and upper class is larger than ever. In 2008, we had the lowest unemployment rates that America has had since the Great Depression. In the article, Stiglitz argues that wages have been low and says, “But the median income of Americans today is lower than it was a dec-ade and a half ago and the median income of a full-time male worker is lower than it was more than four decades ago.” This statistic suggests that there is inequality and a lack of opportunity. Economic mobility is hard to achieve with the low wages the American workforce is receiving. Stiglitz called into question the notion of America as a land of opportunity, describing its presence to be dim in todays society.

The debate over whether America is still the land of opportunity it once was when our founding fathers declared their independence is arguable. Both sides make great points when asked the question. Paulson and Moore both use evidence of eco-nomic mobility in their claims for America still being a land of great opportunity. On the other hand, Stiglitz uses the statement of low wages for employees to go against Paulson and Moore, saying America is the land of opportunity no more. Both sides have valid explanations, and everyone will have different viewpoints on this question of American opportunity.

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Works Cited

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America

Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,

All, all alike endear’d, grown, ungrown, young or old,

Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,

Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,

A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,

Chair’d in the adamant of Time.

Walt Whitman

Image Credit: Headwaters of the Rio Grande, 2007

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