Abstract This five-page undergraduate paper compares African-American, Haitian-American, and Jamaican-American Family structure. The discussion includes births, weddings, deaths, elderly family member treatment, and adult children living with parents across each group.
Abstract Ethnic-Americanization seems to be a process whereby a member of an ethnic group ceases to be, say, "Cuban" and becomes Cuban-American. The primary identification is American, rather than Cuban, although the cultural influence remains strong. This paper looks at the three stages in the process and how Cuban-Americans and Haitian-Americans utilize this process. The paper questions how "diversity" has become a part of the American civic culture and how Americans have celebrated this diversity. Despite the process of Americanization and the celebration of diversity, bigotry still exists in American society. This paper also explains the conflict between blacks and whites, anti-Semitism and the hostility toward immigrants in the U.S.
From the Paper "It seems as though history, or time itself, has made diversity part of American civic culture. The diverse people simply kept coming to the United States. They are here. They became part of American culture and American culture became defined by that multiplicity of races and ethnicities that comprised it. It is a difference that is significant, although the world is gradually becoming more globally mixed. Still, in many parts of the world, the only real diversity is tribal, rather than racial or ethnic. For example, in Saudi Arabia, the culture is very homogenous. In Japan, there is very little ethnic difference, and that has been suppressed."
Abstract This paper describes the war that existed in the Philippines after the Spain's defeat at the hands of the United States during the Spanish-American War. As a direct result of the war, the Philippines were given to the United States and the Filipino people who originally believed that they were fighting a war for freedom and independence against the Spanish begin to turn against American troops who they view as simply another occupying force. The first part of the paper gives a background to the Filipino insurgency and its main leader, General Emilio Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo's tactics of fighting a guerrilla war against American troops is examined, as well as the effectiveness of these attacks on shocking the American public back home. Feeling betrayed by America who promised the Filipino people freedom after the Spanish were defeated, Aguinaldo embarked on a series of deadly attacks on American soldiers in the Philippines. As a result, American troops responded with equal brutality in their reprisals with very little organized military command holding them back. Diaries are heavily cited in this section of the paper, giving primary sources that tell of how desperate the American soldiers were at the time and how they needed to racially dehumanize the enemy in order to commit such vicious acts of reprisal. The second part of the paper deals with how the American press responded to the war. Numerous newspaper articles and other criticisms of the war are given as examples, some written by the early 20th century's most prominent figures such as Mark Twain. The general point of this section is to show how deeply divided the American public was over the war in the Philippines and how many felt that it would lead to American involvement in other world affairs. A direct parallel is also drawn to the Iraq War in modernity. Finally, the paper ends with a detailed account of how individual soldiers from both sides viewed the conflict. The Filipinos clearly viewed the insurgency as a necessary action in order to preserve their promised independence, while many American soldiers were disgusted and frustrated with why they were in the country to begin with, and often responded violently towards the natives since they began to view them as subhuman. The psychology of warfare is briefly discussed, as soldiers often dehumanize the enemy as a means of justification of their own violent behavior. The end of the insurgency is also discussed, with American troops brutally putting down the rebellion and establishing a tight control over the entire area for decades.
From the Paper "On April 11th, 1898, the President of the United States William McKinley went to Congress and asked the elected body to declare war on Spain for their role in oppression overseas and to accommodate public opinion that was strongly anti-Spanish due to the sinking of the United States battleship Maine only a few months earlier that was blamed on Spanish agents. Congress eventually sanctioned the war, and the Spanish-American war commenced with several battles over Spanish colonies such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The war itself was over fairly quickly, as hostilities were ended only a few months after war was officially declared. The involvement in the former Spanish colonies clearly demonstrated that America had shifted to a strong imperialistic attitude when it came to the Western Hemisphere and indeed the world in general, and would be forced to endure all of the benefits and tribulations that came from being an imperialistic power."
Tags: aguinaldo, american, emilio, filipino, history, philippines, spanish, war, wars
This paper traces the evolution of America's identity using elements of the musical 1776. It concentrates on the Founding Fathers and their drive for freedom and the large role that an American identity played in independence.
960 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 34.95
Abstract This paper uses extensive information about colonial America and discusses the issue of an American identity. Analysis of the film 1776 and Thomas Paine's Common Sense is used to demonstrate the strength of this identity. The thesis is as follows: As the film 1776 clearly demonstrates, during the American Revolution an American identity was stronger than it had ever been.
From the paper:
"Early American colonies were viewed as very individual and indeed in many instances had much closer ties to England than they did with each other. However, ties with England began to fray due to the poor of the colonies by England. Early examples of this were the Navigation Acts of 1660, which regulated commerce and ensured that ?everything went through England.? From this time, an American identity began to form. As tensions between England and the colonies grew stronger other factors arose to further the development of an American identity. "Choice" in shopping and material possessions and the "standardization of consumer behavior" (similar goods being available throughout the colonies ) enhanced unity throughout America. As the film 1776 clearly demonstrates, during the American Revolution an American identity was stronger than it had ever been."
Tags: 1776, american, common, fathers, founding, independance, revolution, sense
Reviews both American non-fiction and American fiction works of art to support the notion that the American spirit is reflected in both types of literature.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 4 sources, 2002, $ 44.95
Abstract One of the most poignant quotes in American literature comes from Donald Briscoe, who stated that "To understand American Literature, it is necessary to examine both its fiction and its non- fiction because the key to the American Spirit can be found in both." This paper assesses Briscoe's quote through addressing two works of American fiction and two works of American non- fiction with the intent of proving how the spirit of the American people is reflected in both types of literature.
Abstract This paper examines the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II by comparing this action with the freedom experienced by German-Americans during the same period. The author questions the inherent racism of Americans that enabled such an occurrence to be legally sanctioned, while German-Americans lived their lives freely, although Hitler and Germany were also enemies of America during World War II. The paper then presents a detailed background of the Japanese immigrant experience in America, contrasting this with the American ideal of freedom and the reality of racism. The experiences of African and Native-Americans are also considered. The paper then describes the actual Japanese internment, which was unprecedented event in American history. The paper further states how the Internment still has an effect on the psyche of the Japanese-American population today. The author concludes that the internment of Japanese-Americans during the Second World War was one of the great tragedies of American history.
Outline:
Introduction
Background: The Japanese Experience in America
Prejudice Unleashed: The Internment Experience
Conclusion
From the Paper " Naturally, the situation was worse the further removed from the Anglo-Saxon ideal a group might chance to be. After the Civil War, the newly reunited nation demanded a huge supply of cheap labor to build its rapidly expanding railroad network. In the West, this labor was provided, to a large extent, by settlers from Japan and China. Labor Contractors, generally Japanese or Chinese themselves actively recruited these workers and brought them to America. They helped to lay the foundations of America's industrial prosperity. White American racial attitudes combined with a nationwide railroad strike in 1877 to create the necessary conditions for a crackdown on Asian immigration. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was soon followed by other, stricter acts, in 1892, 1902, and 1904. And as White America saw little, if any difference, between Japanese and any other Asians, the anti-Chinese immigration laws were followed by a Japanese Exclusion Act in 1907. By 1924, the United States had imposed an almost total ban on all immigration from East Asia, ..."
Tags: Japanese-Americans, internment, World, War, II, immigrant, experiences
Abstract This paper argues that the Americans provoked the Mexican-American War of 1846 - 1848. The writer details the events leading to the war and then explains why it was the fault of the Americans that the war took place. It examines the impact of the war on the Mexican citizens and the effects of relationships between the two countries until today.
From the Paper "Throughout the history of the nation we have weathered many storms. This latest round with Afghanistan is just one more. In most cases we do not start wars. We are content to live in peace and just oversee the way things go around the globe, however there have been exceptions and the Mexican American War was one of them. While both sides were at fault in that war it was the American side that started the process, which built on both sides until it finally cumulated in a war."
Tags: war, american, mexico, Texas, Rio, Grande, independance
A paper which explores the way American society has emerged through the granting of rights and liberties to various groups and classes of Americans through the years.
Abstract A study of the progress of the granting of rights to various races and classes throughout American history. The paper shows this progress by examining the relevant literature that bears on the history of rights and freedoms -- Ben Franklin's ?Autobiography,? Frederick Douglass? ?Narrative of an American Slave,? Michael Shaara's ?Killer Angels,? John Locke's "Second Treatise of Government" and the American Constitution. The paper shows that these documents have contributed greatly to the fact that individual liberties and rights have increased steadily since colonial times.
From the Paper "But here, Franklin develops the early system of checks and balances in government. The King may not act without colonial assent, and the colonists may not act without royal asset. Once assent is given on either end, it is not retractable. Rights, then, are permanent in Franklin's assessment. The King, once he acts, may not go back on his word and retract rights. However, there is a sort of double standard, as naturally the colonists may continue to ask for more rights on top of the ones that the king has already granted. This logic leaves a balance of the power tilted towards the colonists and their Assemblies rather than towards the King: the very start of our progress of individual rights and freedoms."
Tags: African, Americans, internment, camps, Japanese
Abstract This paper discusses how American culture highly regards individuality compared to many other cultures and for this reason, it is more difficult to distinguish the dominant values, beliefs and traditions of American life, because the lives of Americans differ so much, depending on their race, class and beliefs. It examines how the authors Tracy Ore, John Langston Gwaltney and Lillian Rubin in their three different articles each add a unique perspective to the values that dominate our culture. It also looks at how they provide valuable insight on the American dream and how different groups experience it, due to the cultural differences that America has labeled them with.
From the Paper "Ore makes an excellent point when she says that Americans categorize each other by race and culture. In many cases, race and culture work closely to create significant distinctions among groups within a larger society. Often, race plays a part in establishing separate cultural groups. In the United States, people are disturbed when they are unable to classify someone based on their race. If it is unclear what race someone is, they will ask one another, "What are you"? (Ore, p. 1)
According to Ore, ?the culturally defined classifications are significant in that they are structured as categories that are fundamentally different from one another. (p. 1). People expect to be able to tell is someone is black or white, for example, and are confused when someone is in between. However, while someone may be different, it is not a negative thing."
Abstract Often people have the wrong concept of an American Indian. Children 's conception of Native Americans often is developed from the media. Often Native Americans are sent to school and lose their concept of the Native American as well as the language of their people.
Abstract The 'American Dream' is the assertion that any individual can become fabulously wealthy and that fabulous wealth, in turn, produces great happiness. It pervades American society and, consequently, American literature. Its thematic impact on The Great Gatsby and "Death of a Salesman" is explored.
Abstract This essay discusses how the "American dream" is one of individual liberty, prosperity, success, and equal inclusion. Some Americans have been able to make the dream come true. Others have been less fortunate. The paper demonstrates how American industries and the United States government helped individuals and groups to turn the dream into reality in the period 1896 to 1932. Nonetheless, because of inequality, many Americans were excluded from the dream.
Abstract This paper deals with the political, economic, cultural, social and cultural changes in the United States between 1963-1992 and American foreign policy issues since 1960. In the first essay, the author examines the personal experiences of six Americans of different racial, religious, economic, and geographical backgrounds. In the second essay the author refutes charges that America is imperialist, and that American foreign policy is driven by capitalist greed.
Tags:AMERICAN STUDIES AND HISTORY, political economic cultural
Abstract A review of Wood's book, which covers the American Revolution and the radical thought that led up to American independence. It explains how Wood indicates where the Americans began to break with the British and how radical thought was common in free Britain, so it is no surprise that American Colonials would continue this type of thought in the New World. It shows how Wood's theories differ from straight history because he looks at the social and economic factors that helped leaders look, first, toward a new Republic and then toward a more radical democracy.
From the Paper "The author breaks the book down into three main sections that logically follow the steps of the revolution: Monarchy, Republicanism, and Democracy. Within this framework, the author illustrates the differing stages in the American thought process, from breaking with the monarchy, to creating a workable Republic, to finally a democracy that was created for equality for all. Wood's research shows that at this time in American history, Americans were extremely open to change, and they were accepting of anyone who wanted to live in the country. Wood writes, "The truth was, said Thomas Paine in Common Sense, that Americans were the most cosmopolitan people in the world. They surmounted all local prejudices. They regarded everyone from different nations as their countryman" (Wood 223). He feels the ideals Americans used to create their new government may seem "commonplace" today, but at the time they were "momentously radical" at the time (Wood ix). The author uses a variety of research and evidence to reach his conclusions, from papers and books to library research and peer-reviewed journals and thesis. It is clear the author used every available resource to conduct his study, and wanted this book to represent the most exhaustive research on this topic, so there would be no questioning of his results."
Abstract The book "The American Story" attempts to dispel common notions of the conquest of the new world. The writer explains that the European colonization of the new world forever changed the lives and cultures of the native Americans. Their populations were ravaged by displacement, disease warfare, and enslavement. Yet, the traditional, conservative views surrounding Thanksgiving and American history seems to be ingrained in Americans, even though virtually none of it contains much in the way of of authenticity, historical accuracy or cross-cultural perception. The writer shows that it is this distortion of history, more than any other factor, which motivated Divine to set the record straight on the conquest of the New World.
Table of COntents
I. Author's Representation
II. Theme Portrayal
III. Discussion Response
Bibliography
From the Paper "Although Divine isn't as left as many historians, he's certainly to left of the average person-on-the-street. Media has stereotyped Native American Indians as wild, aggressive savages. Americans most frequently associate American settlements with groups such as the Pilgrims who came to the New World not because of competition between religions, but to flee religious persecution by the Church of England. And, Americans are taught the kindness of the English as best exemplified by Thanksgiving, a holiday in which the colonists share their feasts with the Indians. Due to mainstream teaching of American history that only relates part of the truth, the average person is likely to have a very negative reaction to Divine's book, dismissing it as socialist-like propaganda or at least an anti-American diatribe. As Loewen mentioned, once ideas are ingrained they are difficult to change. For history to be rewritten, it must be related correctly beginning at a very young age."
