American Beliefs, Values, and Symbols

Flashcards about American beliefs, values, symbols, and stereotypes.

What is Freedom?

At the center of all that Americans value.

According to the founding fathers, what are each person's basic unalienable rights?

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

What does the Bill of Rights (1791) include?

Includes provisions for freedom of speech, press and religion

According to Thomas Jefferson, what is important regarding an individual's identity?

An individual's identity should be held sacred and his or her dignity and integrity should not be violated

What did transcendentalists encourage people to do?

Trust in themselves and their own consciences and to revolt against routine

Individualism is understood as what?

Economic self-sufficiency

What was needed for survival in the frontier experience?

Individual resourcefulness was needed for survival.

What is the Frontier?

Transition zone were explorers pioneers and settlers were arriving

How was survival in the wilderness best achieved?

Survival in the wilderness was best achieved by robust individualists

What was necessary for survival for pioneers?

Inventiveness was necessary for survival

What is the 'do-it-yourself' spirit also known as?

Also known as volunteerism in American community and political life

What does volunteerism involve?

Helping people through privately initiated, rather than government-sponsored agencies.

What does Volunteerism reflects American's?

Optimistic pride in their ability to work out practical solutions themselves.

Historically, how did Americans regard their country?

A land of limitless wealth

Who did the abundance of untapped natural resources on the American frontier attract?

Farmers, game hunters, fur trappers, gold and silver miners, lumberjacks, cattle ranchers.

As a nation of immigrants, what assumption have Americans always shared?

Americans have always shared the assumption that a practical solution to a problem is to move elsewhere and make a fresh start

Mobility is a sign of what?

Sign of optimism not aimlessness

what is the distinct interpretation of patriotism?

Concentrated on the particular historic event of the nation's creation and on the idea of freedom which inspired the nation's beginnings

How has the nation's progress been measured?

measured by the taming of the frontier (westward expansion) and industrial expansion

Progress is personally measured as family progress over generations through what means?

Immigrant society progress through hard work the attainment of the vision of one's grandparents

What is the American dream?

Americans hope for a better quality of life and a higher standard of living then their parents

How is the American dream popularized?

Rags-to-riches stories and in the portrayal of good life in advertising and TV shows

What is the Salad bowl theory?

Salad bowl: all the ingredients are mixed together, but they never lose their shape, form or identity  together the ingredients make up a unity

What is the melting pot theory?

Melting pot: all of the ingredients mix and blend together losing their identity and yield a bit of what they were to become a new reality

What does each star/stripe mean on The Great Seal?

Each Star/Stripe-Original thirteen colonies

What does the Olive branch mean in The Great Seal?

Olive Branch-America seeks peace

What does the Eagle mean in The Great Seal?

Eagle-Symbol of strength and power

What does the thirteen arrows mean in The Great Seal?

Thirteen Arrows-Prepared to defend Liberty

What does the tablet read in the Statue of Liberty?

It is a reference to the Declaration of Independence.

Who is Uncle Sam?

Is the cartoon embodiment of the government of the United States of America