History 130D Final Study Guide PDF

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Summary

Introduction - This class covers ideas and symbols that explain who we are as Americans through 5 myths identified by Professor WilsonWhat is an American? - We are trying to define the American character - C. Friedrich- “To be an American is an idea, while to be a Frenchmen is a fact” - White- “For ...

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Introduction • This class covers ideas and symbols that explain who we are as Americans through 5 myths identified by Professor Wilson What is an American? • • •

We are trying to define the American character C. Friedrich- “To be an American is an idea, while to be a Frenchmen is a fact” White- “For we have a national sense of identity, rooted not in history, but in self told mythology… Our myths represent cultural memory and provide a sense of cultural meaning.”

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Robert Cruden- underlying thesis of course- “American myths are essentially a mix of Christianity, capitalism, and democracy, in that order” These are anglo-saxon male

myths in their origin. Can this course be taught as anything other than a history course years from now? • In the past, both men and women, as well as immigrants and nonwhites, have • • •

accepted and bought into these myths, which were determined by white man. As minority groups began to constitute the majority, these myths still held true because everyone buys into them. Story- “When I walk by the Alamo I don’t know whether I won or I lost” MexicanAmerican former student In the past, myths have served as a cultural glue bringing us together. European dream eclipses American dream?

What is history? • History is fact plus interpretation- always skeptical- do we have all of the facts? • •

How do we know something is a fact? Sometimes historians don’t dig deeply enough to uncover true facts. Interpretation of facts can come in many ways- what is chosen to be in the news, how

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it is reported, what importance its given, etc. Croce- “All history is contemporary history” We look at facts but interpret them in this context, in this day and age. The questions we ask of history are the questions that are relevant to us today

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As we move through time we look at history through different lenses and ask different questions.

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Teilhard- “To understand a thing fully is to know its history” Jeep Leerssen- “We know most foreign cultures, and much of our own culture, by reputation only.” Stereotypes, reputation

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Michael Kammen- “Societies, in fact, reconstruct their past rather than faithfully record them”

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Richard Slotkin- “The mythology of a nation is the intelligible mask of that enigma called the national character”

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A mask tells us more than a face

12/11/2016 6:46:00 PM Discussion- TA J. Jeong • What is the American Dream? o Upward mobility o Control of destiny o Ability to achieve goals o Achieving success, money, self-reliance •

Obstacles to the American Dream? o Lack of resources, money, etc. o Difficulty to enter the market o Structural inequality o Social factors

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o Inequality of opportunity Goals of this course: Look at changing features of American Dream and examine how the dream can be broken down into themes that influence different groups. What makes a good American? o Independent, motivated, driven, patriotic, believing in a set of ideals, freedom and rights o Belief in ideals? Contributing member of society? Actual citizen?

12/11/2016 6:46:00 PM Paul Johnson- A History of America (conservative) Howard Zenn- A People’s History of the United States (liberal) An Idiot’s Guide to US History… Review from last week • •

History: facts plus interpretation All history is contemporary history- questions we ask of history are questions that are relevant to us today.

Part 1 of the course: The Myths What is a myth and what is its function? • A myth is an idea rooted in the past, interpreted in the present, looking forward, •

whose multiple functions are to offer hope and justify the shortcomings of reality. A myth has three functions: o To organize reality- a myth will organize reality that can not really be understood in any other way. ▪

Ex: the creation of the earth- God created the earth in 6 days and rested on the seventh, this myth was created because we had no scientific explanation for creation of the earth. The prescientific mind needed this myth. 50% of American people believe in creationism. o To obscure reality o To make reality bearable- the idea of suffering in this life in order to make the after life exceptional The relationship between myth and history • “Myth and history have always enjoyed a close working relationship. Myths are the traditional stories a culture tells itself about itself…. Myth and reality are complimentary elements of the historical record. The intersection of myth and reality

occurs when people base their beliefs on the myths and act as if the myths were true.” – Nicholas Cords and Patrick Gurshter The relationship between myth and our actions •

Encompassing myth impacts group psyche, in turn impacts individual psyche and impacts individual actions. Works the same way in reverse.

Overview of the Myths: The myths are not unique of the USA, but when combined in the way they are combined today, they define what is in American. Not necessarily unique as individual parts, but unique as a whole. • 1. The Success Myth- the core myth; key myth. In the USA, we prefer success over status. o Success is a process- ex: traditional rags to riches o “In America, class refers to stages, not caste” – Clinton Ross o We see America as a land of opportunity with upward mobility. The dream is ‘rags to riches’. The reality is that its extremely difficult to move from poverty to success. Geographic mobility is also linked to success. o We admire and have faith in the self-made person. o If you are responsible for your own success, you are also responsible for your own failure. o “Americans in the absence of any traditional ways of authenticating themselves and finding themselves in the system- caste, clan, or order- have to depend primarily upon money-making; making money became the validation of personal worth very early in our history.“ o What is man, but a money-making machine? o The Wall Street Journal- used to be known and presented as the Daily Diary of the American Dream. o “The American Dream is a financial one, not an ethical one”- Toby, from West Wing o Alexis de Toqueville- French philosopher in the 1830’s who commented on democracy in America. After visiting the cities, he determined that

Americans, “Value everything on earth in response to the soul question: How much money will it bring in?” •

2. The Frontier Myth- Brings with it the ideas of new beginnings, rebirth, second chances, unlimited opportunities. o Optimism that we can recreate ourselves and be reborn. o North Carolina guy posted on outer banks w/ the lost continent- “In England I was nobody, here I am somebody.”

12/11/2016 6:46:00 PM 2. The Frontier Myth cont. • New creations, rebirth, optimism • • •

“Opportunity is a birthright”- John Edwards ‘04 Immigrants to North America with a desire for a better life With the idea of the frontier comes the idea of reinventing oneself

3. The Agrarian Myth • Virtue is tied to the land •

“Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people, whose breasts he has made his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue.“ – Thomas Jefferson

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For the frontier myth, perfection is in the future. For the agrarian myth, perfection is in the past. (Wants to get back to purity of the Garden of Eden) Belief in American innocence- the idea of national purity and innocence. Since America was new, it wasn’t weighed down by its sins of the past.

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United States is good, innocent, pure- Europe is a web of intrigue, lies, etc. Family values- the perfect idealized family, the white picket fence, etc. (Norman Rockwell paintings) The ideal of the American family doesn’t exist like it used to, if it ever did, but it still comes into play. Identified very closely with protestant Christianity, particularly the old testament. Two dangers inherent in the Agrarian Myth: o 1. Ban White Brookes- “insane individualism” Part of what the agrarian myth might promote is an insane individualism that makes community impossible. o 2. Identified by Richard Slotkin- the idea of purity and innocence and goodness in society makes it seem that if there is any impurity in society its ok

to expel that impurity with violence. Ex: the KKK trying to get rid of impure elements (African Americans) 4. The Foreign Devil Myth • Identity by repudiation- we define who we are by defining who we are not. • Very important • •

Native Americans were the first foreign devils The Captivity Narratives- best selling publication next to the bible in colonial

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America The Stockholm Syndrome- when someone is in captivity and assumes the characteristics of their captor. Great fear of early Americans.

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The second foreign devil- King George. The Declaration of Independence is purely propaganda, meant to explain why America was declaring independence from a bad king. o “he (King George) has conspired with others”

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The third and longest foreign devil- Roman Catholics 1960- Nixon and JFK The 4th foreign devil- The Communists

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1990- 2001 (9/11) We didn’t have a foreign devil. However, with the attacks on the world trade center came a new foreign devil that united us- the terrorists.

5. The City on a Hill Myth • The city on a hill: beacon to the world •

John Winthrop- “A model of Christian charity” sermon, says we should be a beacon to the world. Our mission is to be an example for the world, to set up a pure democratic society.

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With Winthrop, we begin with an exemplary idea- we should be an example for the rest of the world. Later, with Thomas Payne, we move to a missionary idea.

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Foreign Policy- spreading freedom: is it the reason or rationalization for all of the wars we’ve participated in throughout history?

Each new generation in the past has bought into these myths, what about the future? “I will argue that we all accept these myths, but where we enter or buy into these myths may well depend on where we are from. If youre from the NE, you probably enter mythological structure from the success myth. The south: the agrarian myth. The west: the frontier myth. The Midwest: the agrarian and frontier myths. How we interpret these myths depends on our intellectual, political, socio-economic background. What we see depends on where we stand, there is no one answer.”

Discussion- Rifkin “The European Dream” & Schelesinger “The Disuniting of America”

12/11/2016

6:46:00 PM Pre-Discussion Notes: Rifkin, The European Dream •

America used to be known as the land of optimism and opportunity, and while it is still powerful and respected, it is no longer a “good” country.

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Americans believe that wealth and exclusivity lead to security. For Europeans, its inclusivity that brings security, belonging vs. belongings.

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Europeans have a better quality of life

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For Americans, freedom is associated with autonomy. For Europeans, freedom is found not in autonomy but in embeddedness.

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The American Dream emphasizes economic growth, personal wealth, and independence, while the European Dream focuses more on sustainable development, quality of life, and interdependence.

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The American dream is dependent on assimilation and has religious roots, while the European dream is “secular to the core”

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There is a shift in Europe, due in large part to the presence of the European Union, which leads to more Europeans feeling an allegiance to being a “European” rather than to belonging to the nationality of their specific country of origin.

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European constitution- no mention of God, promises many more rights than our own, including healthcare, daily and weekly rest periods, annual paid leave, maternity and paternity leave, etc.

The Disuniting of America • •

Our world has entered, “a dangerous era of ethnic and racial animosity.” Renewed multiculturalism in the US has the potential to tear apart our nation.

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“Ethnicity is the cause of the breaking of nations” and America should be an example for the rest of the world of successful assimilation of so many cultures but it is not living up to that expectation.

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The influx of diversity in the early 20th century has widened the gap between alien cultures and white/ Anglo foundation of our country.

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Schlesinger is concerned that recent movements of minority groups to gain rights that had been previously taken away from them is getting dangerously close to becoming a counter-revolution against the original American theory of the “melting pot”. Primary weapon being used to fuel these recent uprisings is the manipulation of history.

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Manipulation of history, “compensatory history” or “underdog history” was invented to soothe the wounds of the oppressed/abused but in reality it enforces separatist ideas. Multiculturalist indoctrination of America’s children through public school system“purpose of history in the schools is essentially therapeutic” Cult of ethnicity is divisive and harmful

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European and American dreams are now both different but are rooted in the same history

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American identity vs. European identity European history is so fragmented that it leads to more people defining themselves as European as opposed to a specific nationality.

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American history is focused on assimilation America should hold onto common ideals of democracy and human rights- pg. 33

12/11/2016 6:46:00 PM Success Myth Review- Rags to riches, upward mobility, the ability to make money. • Puritanism- the puritan work ethic and puritan individualism • Social Darwinism Carl Deger? Were the puritans puritanical? HL Macon- “The haunting fear that someone somewhere may be happy. Recognition that the typical Godly puritan was a worker in the world. Puritanism, like Protestantism in general, resolutely and definitely rejected the aesthetic and monastic ideals of medieval Catholicism.” • God is central, not church. Praise God by working hard instead of going to a monastery and praying all the time. • •

Mission is to be a worker and contributor to the world. “It was against the excess of enjoyment that the puritans cautioned and legislated. The

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wine is from God, but the drunkard is from the devil.” Quote about wine, woman, and song from Martin Luther Puritan dress was the opposite of severe, most restrictions of dress which were imposed were for purposes of class distinction, not aesthetic reasons. o If you were rich long hair was ok, if not it wasn’t.

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Marriage was enjoyed by righteous Christians, celibacy wasn’t always necessary. Puritans allowed divorce, infidelity,

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God sent you into this world not as a playhouse but as a work house. Despite many differences, puritans are united by belief in themselves, their morality, and their mission in the world.

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The reformation laid an awesome burden on the souls of those who broke with the catholic church. Protestantism made each persons relationship to God his own terrifying responsibility.

12/11/2016 6:46:00 PM Recitation- Success Myth Ch. 1 & 2 • American people feel the need to idolize a hero that can bring people together and

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that everyone can believe in. o Ex: Abe Lincoln Success is characterized by universal opportunity for all, idea of the self-made man,

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going from “rags to riches” Virtue is tied to the success myth

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Buy course pack from book store and READ it Ethics are tied to success The self-made man is a myth that has been propagated for a really long time when in

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reality its an exception to the rule as opposed to the norm. In the European culture, the idea of the self-made man isn’t something they

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necessarily want to be proud of. The idea of rising from rags to riches becomes virtuous in of itself

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Ideally in America classes aren’t so strict and binding, where as in Europe the class system is less mobile. Trace back to ideas of Abe Lincoln in log cabin, Ben Franklin, self-educated, represents shift from conventional education and intellect to common sense, businesssmart, etc.

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During the gilded age, it was increasingly difficult for the idea of “rags to riches” to be true. Economic inequalities were huge.

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In the gilded age, the definition of success that had been set by the puritans was no longer the definition of success that was followed/ respected. Success became based on material goods

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o Period of exploitation of workers and immigrants, major labor strikes Why has the success myth stayed relevant all of these years? Why is it still so

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influential in defining America? Comparing making money in an honest way to preaching the gospel? America transformed John Locke’s idea of liberty, freedom, and property- adding an ethical dimension to it

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Life, liberty, and property to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness Americans have attempted to cloak material success euphemistically with virtuous success

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Importance of wealth?

American Dream & Death of a Salesman

12/11/2016

6:46:00 PM Both books show the fragility of the American Dream Death of a Salesman: • In a way it illustrates why the success myth is in fact a myth • Parents living through children and taking out anger about their own failures on their •

children Money over everything

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Pg. 75- “You end up worth more dead than alive” Willy felt that he needed to be “well-liked” in order to be successful, and since he

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wasn’t well-liked he was a failure. He wanted the all American image for himself, his family, etc He faced countless difficulties and obstacles to achieving his American dreamcouldn’t pay off house, his son wasn’t successful in football

American Dream • “I am born of black color, descendants of slaves… so I can see better days… why am •

I still here?” Shows that were always working for something better- can be used as a mechanism to give hope but it also can be detrimental because its crushing to one’s spirit to never fully achieve “enough”

12/11/2016 6:46:00 PM Schelesinger- The Disuniting of America • Our world has entered, “a dangerous era of ethnic and racial animosity.” • •

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Renewed multiculturalism in the US has the potential to tear apart our nation. “Ethnicity is the cause of the breaking of nations” and America should be an example for the rest of the world of successful assimilation of so many cultures but it is not living up to that expectation. The influx of diversity in the early 20th century has widened the gap between alien cultures and white/ Anglo foundation of our country. Schlesinger is concerned that recent movements of minority groups to gain rights that had been previously taken away from them is getting dangerously close to becoming

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a counter-revolution against the original American theory of the “melting pot”. Primary weapon being used to fuel these recent uprisings is the manipulation...