American Ways chapters 1, 2, 10 PDF

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Summary of 'American Ways'. Chapters 1, 2 and 10....

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M.V.

American Ways [ CITATION Dat14 \l 2067 ]

1.Introduction: understanding the culture of the United States Life in the United States 1. Questions about different countries What is life like in their country? What kind of houses do they live in? What kind of food do they eat? What are their customs? 2. Hardest questions What do people believe in? What do they value the most? What motivates them? Why do they behave the way they do? 3. Influences on the answers Immense size of the US -

Climates, lifestyles

Great ethnic diversity 4. Great ethnic diversity First Then 1500s 1600s – 1776 (US independence)

Native Americans (North America) first European settlers Spanish settlements (Florida, Southwest), French territories (centre of North America) Northern Europeans (esp England) - Their values and traditions: dominant traditional culture of US

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M.V. A Nation of Immigrants 5. History of immigration 1815: 8.4m  1915: 42.5m (esp at the end of 19th and beginning of 20th century) -

Chinese (40 000), Japanese (30 000) Central, eastern, southern Europe (all the rest)

Different languages and cultures came with it -

Most of them assimilated to dominant American culture

6. The melting pot 1908 -

1m new immigrants Israel Zangwill’s play ‘US is a melting pot’ o Dominant American culture survived + absorbed many immigrants + changed because of it

7. Immigration patterns in the 1900s Most immigrants: beginning and end of 1900s -

By 1910: 15% foreign born 1921: limiting immigration 1924: Immigration Act o Immigrants: 1m/ year  150 000/ years o Quota system  Favoured: northern and western Europe  Limited: everyone else o Exceptions  Refugees (Hungary, Cuba, Vietnam, Combodia)

8. Changing the immigration laws 1965 -

End of quota system Legal immigration o 60s: 300 000/years  90s: 1m/ year Illegal immigration o +0.5m/ years Intention of changed law: help family reunifications o Result: many non-European immigrants  90s: 90% Latin America, Caribbean, Asia

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M.V. 9. Immigrant numbers of the 21st century 2010 -

13% of population = foreign-born Several states + nation’s capital: foreign-born residents > natives

10. Immigration patterns in 21st century Still changing colour & ethnic mix of the American population -

Americans < European descent: decreasing 2000: many immigrants < Latin America  Spanish is increasing o Hispanics: largest minority of US o Hispanic influence: political (voters, leaders) economic (schoolkids, businesses, Spanish-language media) o BUT:  #Hispanic-Americans grows (kids)  #new Hispanic immigrants has declined  Poor economy  Tighter border restrictions (less illegals, pop. in US declined) 11. Asian immigrants -

2010: #Asian immigrants > #Hispanic immigrants 6% of total US population 2011: minority babies > white majority babies Majority minority o more than half op population is from minority groups o Several states + nation’s largest cities

Cultural pluralism in the United States 12. What will be the new role of immigrants in their new country? Take the traditional values and culture of Americans? Mix? New? -

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Historically o Immigrants’ children = bilingual + bicultural o 3rd generation often ≠ bilingual + bicultural  American by culture  Exception: in established communities that share language/ culture Established communities o Where new immigrants arrive o School systems: bilingual programs + multicultural curricula o Driver’s license in 30 languages o Cultural pluralism!

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Not so popular from 1900-1950s

13. Increased diversity of the American population Many racial & ethnic categories (2010 census) -

Americans o Many: maintain their ethnic heritage and cultural traditions o Many interracial marriages  Racial acceptance (e.g. Obama for president: bi-racial) 14. Language used to describe racial and ethnic groups – sensitive! Politically correct: ‘P.C.’ -

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Black o African-American Natives to North America o Native American, American Indian o Navajo, Hopi… = tribes Spanish speakers o Latinos (instead of Hispanics) o Cuban-American, Cuban, Mexican-American, Chicano, Mexican (country of origin)

15. National identity: binding together all Americans – despite the great diversity Being an American -

Americans = all people that live on the American continent o Canada, Latin America… North Americans = Canadians + Mexicans + citizens of the US o NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement o American in this context = nationality of USA inhabitants

Making generalizations about American beliefs Not all Americans share these beliefs; different degrees; different lifestyles to practise them The traditional, dominant cultural values -

Note: not moral or religious values Alexis de Tocqueville o 1831: visits America to observe the American form of democracy  Small farmer and business, settling of western frontier (pre-industrialization)  Period in which new traditional values were established (40y after US Constitution) o ‘Democracy in America’ 4

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Democratic government system Effect of democratic system on how Americans think, feel, act About traditional basic American beliefs, values, character traits  Motivation of Americans and their institutions: affects religion, work, play, family, politics, education, business o Observations still visible today!

2.Traditional American values and beliefs The context of traditional American values: racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity 1. Diversity in the US: from the beginning of history Native Americans

North American continent

Spanish settlers

Southwest & Florida

French missionaries/ fur traders

Along Mississippi River (Louisiana)

Black slaves

< African countries

Dutch settlers

New York

Germans

Pennsylvania

British colonists

Hudson Bay British culture = basis of American language + political and economic systems

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Diversity (= pluralism) accepted  strength o Esp among young people o Cultural pluralism is an important context to set the national identity o John Zogby quote p.31 + map

2. Historically: the land of opportunity System of values -

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Three pairs: benefits + price for these benefits o Individual freedom & self-reliance equality of opportunity & competition material wealth & hard work Three pairs (idem): rights and responsibilities Determined the culture of USA and its people 5

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M.V. Individual freedom and self-reliance 3. Individual freedom Why settlers established colonies -

Wish to be free of control in European societies o Kings, governments, priests, churches, noblemen, aristocrats - Result: success o 1776: independence from England  USA: new nation  Powers in hands of the people o 1787: Constitution  Separation of church and state  No titles to nobility (prevent development of aristocratic society) o Result = individual freedom  Desire and right to control their own destiny  Attracts immigrants (still) 4. Self-reliance Cost of individual freedom: self-reliance -

Take responsibility for themselves o Financially + emotionally Or: seeming self-reliant is a ‘must’ to have power/ respect If in need for any support o For a short time (a not admired situation)

Equality of opportunity and competition 5. Equality of opportunity Everyone has the chance to succeed there -

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Attracts immigrants Great uniformity of life conditions o Social class in which you are born does prevent you from climbing social ladder European societies Each individual should have an equal chance for success o Not: everyone is equal! o Ethical rule o ‘fair play’ aspect is part of the belief in equality of opportunity  Wealthiness doesn’t determine whether you win/ poverty … you lose! o Abraham Lincoln quote p.34

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M.V. 6. Competition Everyone should take the responsibility to compete with others -

Pressures of competition o Childhood  retirement: (learning) to compete successfully o Competitive sports  Makes Americans energetic  Brings along an emotional strain  Society gives prestige to people who compete well  Retired people: no purpose, no competition, no prestige  Unsuccessful competing groups fall out of American society

Material wealth and hard work 7. Material wealth Immigrants wanted to raise their standard of living -

USA: many natural sources o Opportunity for personal economic success ‘going from rags to riches’ Attached to material things o Due to economic success o Not: materialism (= offensive) o Aside from other values (e.g. religious) o Why?  Express social status Europe: hereditary aristocracy, noble titles  Puritan work ethic: link with godliness

8. Hard work Price for material wealth -

Convert undeveloped natural sources into material possessions o hard work is rewarding: value material possessions o tangible evidence of hard work and people’s abilities belief in the value of hard work o preferable: not living on welfare  independent how much hard work results in an improved standard of living? o US economy  Service/ information-based (used to be industry-based) o Today: more difficult to get rich in America  Economy weakens (bc US competes in global economy)  Outside assistance needed (government etc) (bc jobs pay too low)

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M.V. American Values and the State of the American Dream 9. Values and dreams Declining economy  is American Dream dead? -

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American Dream o Not always ‘going from rags to riches’ o Rather: ideal of upward mobility  working hard enables you and/or your children to have a better life  idealism reality: what Americans believe how they live American values o Ideals  Equality of opportunity, self-reliance  Only partly carried out  Influence(d) almost every facet of life in the US o ! Cultural values  Power the US o ! Framework/ base of American society  Rights and responsibilities among the 6 values create this base: they enable diversity to maintain national identity  6 values define American Dream  Values: tightly woven together

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10. How Americans spend their leisure time how do their values affect how they spend their leisure time? Sports and American values 1. Sports organised by society -

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Reflect the basic values of society Try to strengthen the values of society in people’s minds and emotions Example of equality of opportunity o Harry Edwards: learn + and – of a competitive system o Men and women American ideal of competition o Develop the habits you need to compete successfully in later life  strengthens American society as a whole  E.g. future success of business/ military/… Competitive ethic o Hard work, physical courage o Organized sports = inspiration for traditional American values  ‘national religion’ patriotism & national pride, religion & symbols  Scandals

Competition carried to an extreme? 2. Criticism about organized sports -

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Corrupting power o Excessive desire to win o Weakens traditional American values strengthens  Fair play, following the rules, accepting defeat with dignity  Tradition of honorable defeat: consoling reward Disorder and violence o Head injuries (can cause brain damage) Eliminating competition in sports & society would result in laziness o hard work, accomplishment o ‘Organized sports = foundations upon which society is founded’ Professional sports: more money, less loyalty (team) Danger of academic failure o Hard to combine competition w/ studying (e.g. no money = sport scholarship) Student’s choice o academic degree < big money, success? Performance-enhancing drugs 10

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M.V. o Ethically wrong; illegal o ‘performance more important than character’ Recreational activities 3. The individual’s spontaneous need to get away from a competitive world Recreational activities -

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On a local level, paid for by local governments (partly) o Local Parks and Recreation organisations  Outdoor facilities (playgrounds, parks), classes… o Attended by whole family + groups of friends Work hard, play hard o High level of physical activity  Physical fitness, marathons, (charity) races + social events Self-improvement o In high/little/ no physical activity recreations o Participation in cultural activities  Improves mind/ skills  Museum, theatre, music, dancing, painting, weaving… o Community education and recreation programs  Classes: computer, cooking, foreign language, art… Respect for self-reliance and adventure/ danger o Adventure travel  Multi-billion business!  Mountain biking, rock climbing…  Life-threatening risks: ‘enjoy the danger and physical challenge’ Soft adventure o Comfort (e.g. safari: real beds, hot shower…) Outdoors activities o Fishing, birding, observing wildlife

Health and fitness 4. Many Americans don’t try to be fit Overweight -

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Poor eating habits + sedentary lifestyle Statistics o 2000: 2/3 overweight, 1/5 obese o n°2 preventable cause of death o 2011: 1/3 obese Newspaper, magazines: full of advice o Too much information, much is contradictory  Diets encouraged by government: 11

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M.V. high in carbohydrates, now in fat  high-protein, low-carbohydrate

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Uniform labelling of nutritional content Combination of social, cultural and psychological factors o ‘culture of overindulgence’ o Fast food (cheapest, busy lifestyle, eat on the run) Federal legislations o Schools: healthier lunches, encourage more exercising (M. Obama) Higher obesity rates when poor o Mississippi  most obese rates (says CDCP)  kids: 1/3

The impact of television, video games and the internet 5. The irony Women now are slimmer -

Commercials make teenage girls insecure about body o Develop eating disorders

Activity level of Americans decreased -

‘couch potatoes’: people are the ‘eyes’ Limitless choice programs Most frequent spare time activity

Children -

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Shortened attention span Effect of multitasking on their minds and bodies o Brains are being rewired o Meaning: lack of exercise!  = 2/3 high school students Effect of quality of tv/ games/… o Fear for too much sex, violence o Dilemma: censorship  right to free speech, protect children, remain decent  federal government sets standards (= censorship)  should it regulate internet to protect children? (Pornography, kidnapping, scams, cyberbullying)  Could it threaten growth & vitality of the internet? o Technology: 24/7 access, communication o Less leisure time  Work vs home: a thin line 12

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More vacation campaign (democracy)  vitality!

 Datesman, M. K., Crandall, J., & Kearny, E. N. (2014). American Ways: An introduction to American culture. United States: Pearson Education.

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