Traditional american values beliefs

The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity Today, the US is the most diverse country in the world  Racially, ethnically, culturally,

American Culture

Chapter 2: Traditional American Values and Beliefs

The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity

 Today, the US is the most diverse country in the

world

 Racially, ethnically, culturally, religously

 The US has always had some diversity

 Native Americans

 Spanish settlers

 French missionaries

 Black slaves British colonists

The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity

 Diversity = Pluralism (more than one)

 The high diversity in the US meant that

people had no choice but to accept it

 Many Americans see their diversity as their

strength

 Pluralism is recognized more today than it

was in the past

 How did the American national identity

develop with so much diversity?

The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity

The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity

Answer:???

 “we share a common set of values that make

us American… We are defined by the rights

we have… Our rights are our history, why

the first European settlers came here and

why millions more have come here since.”

– John Zogby

The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity

“The land of opportunity”

 The values of the people who went to America for a new life developed into the traditional

values of American today:

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 Early colonists came to America to escape oppression at home (Europe) by kings,

governments, churches etc

 British colonists declared independence in 1776

 In 1789 the constitution was written which separated church from state

 Titles (Lord, Duke, Sir) were forbidden to prevent an aristocratic society from

developing

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 This created a “climate of freedom” where the individual was most important

 Individual freedom (i.e you can do anything you want to do) is the most basic American value

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 Freedom: the desire and the right of all

individuals to control their own destiny

without outside interference from the

government, a ruling noble class, the church,

or any other organized authority

 This “freedom” has attracted many

immigrants to America

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 However, to achieve “individual freedom” they needed to be “self-reliant”

– Financial / emotional independence from parents

 Americans believe they should take care of

themselves and solve their own problems

They owe nothing to any man, they expect nothing from any man; they acquire the habit of always considering

themselves as standing alone, and they are apt to imagine that their whole destiny is in their own hands.

-Tocqueville

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 Most Americans believe they must be reliant to keep their individual freedom

self- i.e if you rely on someone else, you don’t have any freedom

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 Sometimes, people are forced to rely on others

 This is generally not a long term arrangement

 Being too reliant on others means a loss of

freedom, and sometimes a loss of respect

 Even when dependent on others, people must

‘appear’ to be self reliant

Individual Freedom and Self-Reliance

 Financial support (charities, welfare) to those

in need is generally for a short time only

 It is expected that people will take care of

themselves

 Financial support is common, but not

admired

 Many believe it is a bad example that will

weaken the American character

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

 Immigrants to the US believe that everyone

has the chance to succeed

 People are free from excessive political,

religious, and social control

 One reason is the lack of a hereditary

aristocracy

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

 No formal class system exists in the US

 Many people believed that in their native

countries, their social class would determine how successful they could be

 In America, they would not have to compete

with rich and powerful noble families

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

 Many immigrants were very successful in the

US – regardless of their background

 This lead to the idea of equality of opportunity

The more I advanced in the study of American society, the

more I perceived that … equality of condition id the

fundamental fact from which all others seem to be derived.

-Tocqueville

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

We… wish to allow the humblest man an equal

chance to get rich with everybody else When one starts poor, as most do in the race of life, free

society is such that he knows he can better his

condition; he knows that there is no fixed

condition of labor for his whole life.

-Abraham Lincoln

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

 The downside of equality of opportunity is

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

 Pressure of competition is part of all Americans’ lives

 Competition is encouraged at an early age

(especially in sports)

Equality of Opportunity and Competition

 Americans are under a lot of pressure to

compete throughout their working lives

 When they retire, many lose their prestige

and respect

 People who don’t compete well are seen as

misfits

Material Wealth and Hard Work

 People came to the US to raise their standard

Material Wealth and Hard Work

 “Materialism” – to place a high value on

material possessions (cars, jewelry, etc)

 Americans are perceived to be very

materialistic – even though they may value other things more highly (family, faith etc)

 Why are Americans materialistic?

Material Wealth and Hard Work

Answer:

 Material wealth dictates social status in the absence of hereditary aristocracy or titles of nobility

 Quality and quantity of possessions became

a measure of success

Material Wealth and Hard Work

 However, to achieve material wealth

Americans must work hard

 It took a lot of hard work to develop and profit from the abundant natural resources of the US

 Material possessions were seen as a natural reward for hard work, and as an indicator of someone’s ability

Material Wealth and Hard Work

 Today, it is more difficult for an average

American to become very wealthy because

of changes in the economy

 To compete internationally, many people must now work longer for less

 They have become the “working poor”

workers with a low standard of living

Material Wealth and Hard Work

 Most Americans still value hard work, but it is becoming more common for people to

receive welfare

 Families are limited to how much welfare

they can receive

 Many employers no longer provide benefits (health insurance etc) to their workers

The American Dream

 The behavior and values have remained

constant:

Americans still love their country and believe that they can accomplish almost anything A recent poll found 91 percent who agreed with the statement, “Being an American is a big part of who I am.” Only 11 percent said they would like to emigrate elsewhere… Frenchman

Clotaire Rapaille captured this unique aspect of American patriotism:

“America is not a place It is a dream.”