Calvert Hall College High School
Towson, Maryland
Teacher: George Kropp
The American Identity
By Greg Herpel
11th Grade
In the founding of the United States, after gaining our independence from the Great Britain Empire in the late eighteenth century, our Declaration of Independence, our creed, set our beliefs in our government and our country. The Founding Fathers were focused on the freedoms of the people of the country and the rights that they should be guaranteed. The United States of America is still known today as the land of freedom and many people across the world want to be part of this country to have the freedoms that we have and to become an American. There has been a wide spread of immigrants from Europe, Central and South America, Asia, and many parts of the world that come to this country and bring many different cultures and variety to this country. Though this has been happening to the United States, the definition of what an American is has not changed. We are still a country of freedom and opportunity for the citizens of this country. The first amendment in our constitution gives us the freedom to practice the religion we want and to believe and say what we believe in. Two factors that have created what it means to be an American are our Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence.
The founding of a country, as defined by Aristotle, is giving it laws and its set up that defines the type of government that it runs on. The United States’ Founding Fathers set up our government to run for the best interest of the people and to guarantee freedoms for its citizens. Our democratic republican government is ran by representatives of the people so the people’s best interests are put into effect. This is the best way for the government to keep up with the evolution of the nation since any changes in the nation would change its representation. The Founding Fathers have set the ground for our government and our country and we have built from that. Though America today is definitely not how they envisioned it to be, this nation is still strong in what they believed in and in what they wanted this nation to become. The Founding Father’s, however, thought that America would be best if we were more isolated and did not have any alliances with other countries to stay out of foreign wars. In today’s world alliances has become close to impossible to avoid and with technology making communicating between countries a lot easier.
The Declaration of Independence, which is known to Professor Huntington as the American creed, is filled with America’s ideals and beliefs in the late eighteenth century. In its text, it is written that all people are equal and have been given undeniable rights from the time of their birth. This has been one of the focuses of American, to give everyone a chance to achieve and pursuit for a better life. Also, our Constitution and our government apply our freedoms and rights equally to everyone and do not take away those rights that we rightfully have. The Declaration of Independence also goes into how the government’s purpose to its country is to serve in the best interest of the people and to serve them justly. To the Americans during the times this document was written, they were being suppressed by the British government and been unjustly governed by them which is why this was an importance to mention in the Declaration of Independence. Based on this belief our government has become a true representative government that serves the people and the people do not serve it. These two points stated in the Declaration has defined what the United States government has been made to do and what it means to be an American. America is known as the land of freedom and the land of opportunity which the citizens, if they realize it or not, are very fortunate to be a part of. Many people around the world dream of going to America for a chance for a better life which was made possible from our Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence.
America throughout history has been known for our freedoms and democratic government. The United States has also been known for having been so many immigrants coming into this country and there has been so different cultures brought in from around the world. This might worry people of the defiling of the true American Identity with so many cultures coming in, but it does not change it at all. We are all united under one banner, one government, and one creed that defines what it truly means to be an American.
Questions and Answers
Q1- Explain, in your own words, the three developments in our culture that have contributed to the disorder Professor Huntington senses in the USA today.
A1- Multiculturalism, which is having many different cultures existing in the United States. “Transnationalism”, which are people who proclaim they are citizens of the world. “Hispanization of America”, which is the overall effect from Central Americans coming over the border and bringing in their cultures and Spanish language.
Q2- Define and discuss the American creed, the ideology that Professor Huntington cites as one of the historic sources of our national identity.
A2- The American creed is the ideology that builds the countries beliefs and how it runs. Some of these ideologies are shown in the Declaration of Independence and in our Constitution.
Q3- Explain the difference between culture and creed, according to the Professor.
A3- He explains that creed is built off of the culture of the country and that creed stands nothing without support from culture. Culture is better defined by ethnicity, language, and religion while Creed is based on beliefs and ideas. The Professor argues that those beliefs mean nothing if they do not have the support of the culture of the nation.
Q4- Professor Huntington thinks culture is more important than creed. Do you? Explain.
A4- To the individual, culture means more to them because it is what they live by and who they are that they show pride in. I think that as a nation, the ideals and beliefs that the nation runs by is more important because it is what defines the nation across the world and it is what the people live by. Our laws and our Constitution are built off of the beliefs of our founding fathers and it is what the people lived by for over two centuries.
Q5- Discuss “founding” as expressed by Aristotle’s Politics.
A5- Aristotle views founding as the establishment of officials and laws within a country that creates its form of government.
Q6- Complete the sentence attributed to Aristotle’s thinking: “We are just free enough to____________________.” (Fill in the blank.)
A6- be able to take responsibility for the things in life we cannot choose
Q7- Which took precedence in the founding of America; natural law and rights or the British Constitution?
A7- Natural law because the Americans gained freedom from Great Britain and they would keep some of the British Constitution out since that is what they were fighting against. As for natural law, it focuses on the freedom of the individual and the individual’s equality with each other.
Q8- What was the reason for the traditional conservatives’ opposition to the rationalism that fueled the French Revolution?
A8- Its universal principles destroyed the conditions on political health in particular societies.
Current Events
Q9-American Intelligence efforts uncovered a group of Taliban leaders attending a funeral. By current military terms of engagement no action could be taken against these “sitting duck” enemies. Why? Is this, in your opinion, a good or bad outcome? Defend your position.
A9- They could not take action against these leaders because they are in a site of religious significance. Our military laws forbid attacks upon things that are of religious importance which I think should not be in effect at a time of war. If we can capture these leaders it would lead us to gaining more information on the Taliban and a funeral should not be able to get in the way. I agree that the military should not be able to desecrate churches or mosques but capturing someone in a funeral is completely different.
Q10- The Geneva Convention requires signatories, (the USA is one of a multitude of signatories) to enact their own laws in keeping with the ban against torture. Currently U.S. law prohibits conduct denigrating the dignity and rights of foreign prisoners that is so narrowly defined as to be codling in the opinion of many Americans. The military acknowledges that this conduct would not be reciprocated by Al Queda and Taliban terrorists.
Does this military code of conduct make you proud to be an American? Why or why not. If not, what should be done to correct the situation?
A10- Yes, I think it is a very good code for the military. We assure that people would not be tortured who do not deserve it or has no need to be tortured. Not applying these conducts to the terrorist is smart since it might be the only way to get them to leak information that could lead us into stopping these groups.
Q11- Can or should America impose its form of government on other nations?
A11- I think that we should not impose our form of government because it does not always work for other nations. I believe we should work on removing dictatorships and unjust authorities over governments but sometimes our democratic ways of government does not always work for different cultures.