The American Cultural Identity There is one thing that has remained constant throughout America’s history: resistance. After America was built from the ashes of an uncontrollable colony, it has continuously improved thanks to the tireless efforts of many people who did and still do resist discrimination based on race, gender, religion and sexuality. Even before America declared its independence in 1776, it was considered to be the “The Land of the Free.” Then it was used because of the Puritans who came to this country to escape religious persecution, now it is used to describe the freedom all people are guaranteed. America hasn’t always been free for everyone. The Founding Father’s had one goal in mind when they forged the path for a new nation: to rid themselves of the oppressors of their freedom. The reason they felt that they were being oppressed was that they were taxed without having a representation in government. Instead of allowing the anger to hinder them, many colonists were motivated to rebel against this force that was oppressing them. The colonists came together to to fight for what they believed in. The American Revolution was the first modern revolution, this created an example for other nations to follow. This new way was used as a template for other nations that later held their own revolutions (Overview of American Revolution). Many European countries were astounded at the way The Founding Fathers implemented the ideas of the enlightenment into their
America is commonly characterized as the greatest country in the world, the glorious “land of the free and the home of the brave”, “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”. This idealization of the American identity conveniently focuses on what people want to hear and blurs out most everything else. In reality, Americans do not live up to the dreamscape created by our views, and we never really have. America is no longer characterized by its freedom and democracy, nearly every first world country can afford that luxury. Nor are we set apart by the great opportunities given to our people, for those are far from universal. We aren’t equal, we aren’t unified, we aren’t kinder or smarter or richer than any other country across the board. It’s easy to find the shortcomings of American culture, all the things we aren’t, but the things we are have proven to be more elusive. First, let’s examine the nots.
It was the first revolution to majorly succeed and change how people saw their countries, it was the American Revolution. The American Revolution was the first successful revolution against a European empire that provided a model for many other colonial peoples who realized that they too could break away and become self-governing nations (New world Encyclopedia, 1).The American Revolution was vital to history because ideas seen by other countries started a chain reaction. Many ideas were taken into account when the Americans revolted against Europe and all of these played important factors throughout history. Ideas about liberty, equality, representation, and natural rights were first seen as properly put into action to change old systems in the American Revolution. As the American Revolution was the first to succeed and earn freedom, it greatly affected countries all around the world on how they made freedom and equality a part of their government
There is a Mexican man that enters with the rest of his family. They eat beans, rice, flour tortillas and etc. The family does there every day routine, the dad wakes up at six- thirty to go to work in his truck. The children go to school and the mother stays at home. The things a person does in their all has a reason which goes all back to culture. Culture is what makes up everyone different from one another. Texts such as “What is Cultural Identity?”, “Where Worlds Collide” and “Two ways to Belong” supports that depending on one’s culture it effects one perspective on the world and others.
The American Revolution was the beginning of a new country, and in result, a new people. The society of America was drastically effected, and it became very different from the other european countries. The new thinking of the citizens, and the political leaders resulted in a change in the social, political, and economic make up of American society.
Explain how ideas about democracy, freedom, and individualism in the colonial period found expression in the development of cultural values, political institutions, and American identity during and after the Revolutionary War.
The American identity is the cultivation of many different factors. To understand how we got to where we are today we must look back into history and examine the lifestyles of our ancestors. The values they held and the way their families functioned shaped the American identity as we know it today.
The Land of the Free is a very ironic way in describing America. Freedom no longer means to be free but to be safe, and in order to be safe, according to the government, some of our freedom had been taken away. Documents like NSC 68, created by United Stated National Security Council, and the Patriot Act, passed by Congress, were created for America to help the people live safe. After certain events in history America had to take action to prevent any future enemy attacks on US soil.
Americans have not only defined themselves by their religious, ethnic and racial identity, but also by their individual freedom and common values. America has become a nation where its people can fight for what they believe in. Our founding fathers have formed America to be “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. Being apart of the American culture and living on the land founded by our leaders specifies the meaning of the American Identity.
The American Revolution gave the colonists their desperately desired independence from the British. It was more than a simple retaliation to British imperialism. It was the first time that any group of people had battled for independence on the grounds that the colonists did, such as constitutional rights and the rule of law. So powerful was it that it inspired other countries in the world to follow a similar path. Their mere victory was in itself a success and it had its other achievements, but it did not come without its failures as well.
Is the American Identity still alive? Has it died? The issue concerning the American identity is has it died. Many claim that new cultures, new races, and new traditions have degraded the American identity. Although some people that the American identity has been lost because of new cultures and traditions, the American identity is still alive because those factors have not changed any original American traditions or the way they are celebrated.
Freedom at its start in America came from the pressure to leave England. To escape the bonds of an unjust King colonist sailed the Atlantic hoping to find a new home. During that time in England, many British citizens were facing religious and social persecution. This is what prompted the movement to establish the colonies in America. The colonists were free to set up a new world in their own image. However, the colonists were still under unjust rule even though being an ocean away from their homeland. Upset with their freedom being restricted the 13 colonies banded together to declare their independence to escape confinement from British imperial rule. After winning the revolutionary war and gaining one step of freedom from England it was time to set up a new kind of government.
American identity has been created by many events throughout the course of history. This country was founded on the clashing and mixing of many different cultures and lifestyles. One of the most important periods of time for this country was during the period of conflict between Americans and Native Americans over land rights. Americans had an idea of manifest destiny and that this land was theirs for the taking. The Americans were going to walk through anyone who opposed them in this quest for land. The treatment of the Indians during this time period was harsh, cruel, and violent to say the least. It is in this treatment that Americans came to view the Indians as a ?racialized other? and
In the excerpt from “The Crisis of American Nationality” Susan-Mary Grant describes the northern viewpoint and its strong disapproval of southern ideology and how it “took on the attributes of a sectional” identity.
Cultural identity refers to the feeling belonging to a certain culture that is attributed to the upbringing of an individual in the given culture. Cultural identity gives a person the sense of belonging and belonging towards their culture. Modern cultural studies show that cultural identification has taken a new face. Various cultural identifiers can be used to identify the culture of an individual. These identifiers include nationality, language, location, gender, religious beliefs, history, and ethnicity. Culture is important in shaping the identity of an individual. The efforts of people trying to preserve their cultural identities can bring about hatred and division in the society. This is likely to happen especially in large cities
Cultural identity is the basis in which identification is used to express different aspects pertaining to identity and heritage. A person's cultural identity may be created by social organization, as well as traditions and customs within their lives. The two aspects that construct my cultural identity are the frequent chores I must complete every day in order to fulfill my behavioral expectations, and the youth group I attend weekly. These aspects are important to my family and me. Therefore, my identity has an immeasurable effect on my upbringing into this multi-cultural world I live in.