CHAPTER 5: THE FOUNDING MYTHS OF AMERICAN SOCIETY

Despite its diversity in terms of population, cultural religious, and ethnics origin the USA was built upon a few common principles that have insured the unity of the nation those creating what is known as the American character.

1/ The American dream

The first settlers come to America to have a better life; many of them were persecuted in their country of origin especially for religious reason. America appeared as the New World where everything was possible, a land of opportunities in which a new man, the American who enjoyed freedom and happiness. America has been seen as the promise land for centuries. Americans believe that they have a god given mission to spread the democracy, liberty and happiness all over the world. This strong belief of America as god given land has given rise to the concept of The American dream which is the belief in equal opportunity, in prosperity and in better life for all, regardless of their social or religious origin, their culture or position. Yet the American dream is not just about freedom and equal opportunity, puritan values are emphasized and advocate such as hard work, personal merit and a moral ethic. Americans believe that god rewards those who deserve it, that is to say those who work hard and those who are righteous. This material and money are considered as god given rewards which is why Americans dont feel ashamed of having money because it means that you are a good Christian and a good American. The American dream is still alive today, though many people have attacked and rejected it the last decades because the US has become a consumer society. Today the American dream mainly consist in having a good job , a good salary, having access to education and health insurance , and being able to save money for once retirement (= retraite). Merit and hard work has still the leading principle of the American dream.

2/ From the Melting-Pot to the Salad Bowl

The US has always been a nation of immigrant because of the idea of the American dream, emigrants come from all over the world, with their language, their culture and their religious believes. In order to built unity American invented the theory of the Melting-Pot = whatever their origin believes or culture, emigrants became American, new men in the New World. The goal of the Melting-Pot theory was to erase differences and to unite the nation by creating the American community with specific features. So according to this theory people of different culture and religion lose their original identity when they come to America and become new men American. The process of assimilation had to be quick and required a common language. At the end of the 19th century some states past laws to establish English only instructions in all schools.
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Authorities wanted to Americanize new comers as quickly as possible. Yet thing got complicated because groups emerged and emphasized their differences .They were proud of their religion, culture, raise on national origin. They said they will not American only but American and something else, turning the US into a multi cultural society, maid of hyphenated Americans. For example: African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and ItalianAmericans. Yet even this trend tends to disappear because more and more African-Americans called themselves Black or Black-Americans, people from South America called themselves Hispanics or Latinos and Indian-Americans called themselves Indians or Native Americans. Because of this new trend the Melting-Pot theory is being replaced be the theory of the Salad Bowl or the kaleidoscope. Salad Bowl: each ingredient retains its own flavor and doesnt melt with the other while being part of the coherent whole Cultural communities preserve their practices, religion and original tong. Some even decide to live in areas in which only people from their own community live. In some states especially in the south bilingualism prevails, everything is written both in English and in Spanish, which provokes negative reactions on the part of WASP American who believe that their culture as American is in danger. Anti- bilingual group have been created such as English only, US English or English First. In 1998 California voters adopted proposition 227 which established English only instruction, in all the schools of the states. Hispanics children had to learn English. Over the years 23 states have establish English as the official language.

3/ The Frontier
The first European immigrants settled on the north eastern coast of the new world in the 17th century. Then gradually settlement moved west ward because the American continent was huge and seemed boundless (=sans fin). Many adventurers decide to leave the civilized colonies to discover and tame the wilderness. Pioneers went west ward to start a new life gradually settling the entire continent. The Frontier had a huge role in US history because it created the perfect American character the Pioneers a lonely individualistic , courageous, hard working , fearless , clever man who could rely only on himself to survive in the wilderness in habited both by ferocious animals and Indians . The law of the jungle prevailed on the Frontier. You had to eliminate your enemies or be eliminated. Only the fittest to adapt were able to survive in the wild west. Pioneers bought cheap land or took land from Indians and starts new communities. Communication and transportation were made easier thanks to the first transcontinental railroad that was completed on May the 10th, 1869.

Moreover in 1849 many people went to California in search of gold. The Gold Rush accelerated the migration to the West .Thousands of Forty-Niners crossed the continent hoping to find gold and become rich but disillusionment was widespread among pioneer because most did not find enough gold to become rich. In 1890 the US census Bureau wrote that the Frontier had come to an end. The American continent had been entirely explored and settled. The Wild West no longer existed, the rule of law prevail everywhere. Some Frontier characteristic and value: The Frontier had a huge significant in US history both economically and psychologically. Several features of the American character were born out of the Frontier and those features are pragmatism individualism and self reliant. Americans believe in the power of the individual to control his or her own destiny. Its called the can-do spirit. They also strongly believe that acting is better than thinking. American are proud of their do it yourself mentality, they think they can rely only on themselves to have a pleasant lives. American tends to distrust political authorities especially the federal government. When they have a problem Americans do not ask for the federal government help. They sort things out themselves. This is what is often referred to have American individualism. Americans take their fate into their own hand and whenever a problem arises they try to find a solution themselves.

4/Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny is linked both to the idea of the Frontier into the American dream. These notions are religious undertone. In the 18th and 19th centuries Americas manifest destiny which was dictated by god was to expend the territorial. Americans had to control the whole American continent and tame the wilderness. It was there domestic mission has. Today Americans believe they are another mission, also a divine one and their mission is to export secure and preserve democracy all around the world. Americans considers themselves, god chosen people and believe their civilization should serve as a model for others countries. According to Americans every citizens of the world should enjoy freedom and live in a democratic society. Derived from manifest destiny is the notion of American exceptionalism, because they were chosen by god to lead the world towards a perfect form of society, Americans believe they have a superior civilization. That is why Americans are so patriotic. They are proud of being American and show their pride by displaying the American flag in front of their houses or on their cars n or by wearing red, white and blue close. That is also why many people in the world regard Americans as arrogant braggarts. We need to understand they are educated, to believe they are different from and superior to others. At school children learn that god is the leader of the world.