Introduction to the American Identity
The country began as a collection of thirteen motley colonies struggling for survival as a cog in the vast British empire, but eventually they began to flourish. After less than two hundred years of settlement, this area accomplished something hitherto never done by a colony.
The influential men and women of the Founder’s Generation set about establishing the American colonies’ independence from the Mother Country and forming a new nation during the late 1700s.
These people had the awesome task of uniting the multitude of ethnic and socio-economic groups into a common corps. While The Declaration of Independence declared the birth of the United States of America and the Constitution created a strong federal government to guide the young republic, there was also an invisible force at work.
This force gave the colonists a reason to believe in and follow the government. This force united the thirteen regions into one nation and gave the people a common foundation on which to build. This force was a new national identity called American.
This new identity gave hope and provided the adhesive to bind the new country together. Without it, the United States of America would not be where it is today.
The influential men and women of the Founder’s Generation set about establishing the American colonies’ independence from the Mother Country and forming a new nation during the late 1700s.
These people had the awesome task of uniting the multitude of ethnic and socio-economic groups into a common corps. While The Declaration of Independence declared the birth of the United States of America and the Constitution created a strong federal government to guide the young republic, there was also an invisible force at work.
This force gave the colonists a reason to believe in and follow the government. This force united the thirteen regions into one nation and gave the people a common foundation on which to build. This force was a new national identity called American.
This new identity gave hope and provided the adhesive to bind the new country together. Without it, the United States of America would not be where it is today.
What is Identity
Before examining the development of the American national identity, a definition of what an identity is needs to be established.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines identity as “the condition or fact of being the same; oneness; the condition or fact of being a specific person or thing; individuality”
Historian and Cornell University Professor Clinton Rossiter explains in The American Quest that an identity is a continuing process.
An identity is an intangible feeling. It is something that is felt; one cannot go up to an identity and touch it. A national identity therefore is part of or within a set of people who feel that they are the same because they belong to the one nation
An identity is also not static. Feelings and processes change with time and therefore, so can an identity.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines identity as “the condition or fact of being the same; oneness; the condition or fact of being a specific person or thing; individuality”
Historian and Cornell University Professor Clinton Rossiter explains in The American Quest that an identity is a continuing process.
An identity is an intangible feeling. It is something that is felt; one cannot go up to an identity and touch it. A national identity therefore is part of or within a set of people who feel that they are the same because they belong to the one nation
An identity is also not static. Feelings and processes change with time and therefore, so can an identity.
Colonial
American national identity in the mid-1700s focuses on language. The language spoken in the colonies ceased to be pure British English and instead became a mixture of English with French, Dutch, German, and Native American
Contributing to the emergence of a shared identity in the mid-1700s was the end of the British policy of salutary neglect. With the passage of the Sugar and Stamp Acts, the British crown was becoming more involved in the colonists’ lives. The colonists resented this intrusion and began to see Britain as the enemy and united around that cause.
Previously, the colonists saw themselves as British first and their colony second. There were differences between Rhode Islanders, Marylanders, and Virginians. But by the eve of the American War for Independence, Patrick Henry claimed that “‘the distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders, are no more’ and that they are, first and foremost, and unquestionably Americans” By the time The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, an American national identity had already been formed.
But while the thirteen colonies ultimately united together to sign The Declaration of Independence, some historians argue that the unity was a façade. Regional differences between the New England and Southern states threatened to tear apart the Continental Congress in 1776 and continued in the Constitutional Convention of 1789. Many delegates such as John Dickinson of Pennsylvania wanted to remain part of the British empire and saw independence as treasonous.
To renounce the British meant ignoring what had been the major unifying force in the colonies: their shared heritage. They may be Bostonians or Jamestownians, but they were still British .
Even the Articles of Confederation, while establishing the first attempt at a national government actually created a union of states that gave the states more power than the nation. Some historians point out that the word “nation” (the basis for national identity) does not even appear in The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation or the Constitution, the documents which helped form the United States of America.
Another requirement for a nation to have a national identity is shared rights. The Declaration of Independence states, ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ As Abigail Adams, wife of the Massachusetts delegate John Adams, was quick to ask, where are the women in that famous sentence?
Additionally, it was common knowledge that all men were not created equal during the 1700s. Native Americans men were thought of as savages while African men were considered property of their owners. The common man may have had more rights than he had in Great Britain, but the white men who owned property still made all of the important decisions.
There is also the question of a common culture for a nation. The new United States lacked a united culture. While the majority of colonists were British, there were also Scots, Scots-Irish, Germans, Irish, and French. These are vastly different cultures each with their own customs and beliefs. The last thing an Irishman or a Frenchman would like to hear is that his culture is similar to the English. As a result of the various ethnic groups, America lacked a common folklore and history. America lacked shared memories that could unite its citizens in a common goal.
In short the Colonial American identity is complex and arguably non-existent, But that is only the beginning as the nation is in its infancy still developing a new culture, nation, identity would take time.
Contributing to the emergence of a shared identity in the mid-1700s was the end of the British policy of salutary neglect. With the passage of the Sugar and Stamp Acts, the British crown was becoming more involved in the colonists’ lives. The colonists resented this intrusion and began to see Britain as the enemy and united around that cause.
Previously, the colonists saw themselves as British first and their colony second. There were differences between Rhode Islanders, Marylanders, and Virginians. But by the eve of the American War for Independence, Patrick Henry claimed that “‘the distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders, are no more’ and that they are, first and foremost, and unquestionably Americans” By the time The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, an American national identity had already been formed.
But while the thirteen colonies ultimately united together to sign The Declaration of Independence, some historians argue that the unity was a façade. Regional differences between the New England and Southern states threatened to tear apart the Continental Congress in 1776 and continued in the Constitutional Convention of 1789. Many delegates such as John Dickinson of Pennsylvania wanted to remain part of the British empire and saw independence as treasonous.
To renounce the British meant ignoring what had been the major unifying force in the colonies: their shared heritage. They may be Bostonians or Jamestownians, but they were still British .
Even the Articles of Confederation, while establishing the first attempt at a national government actually created a union of states that gave the states more power than the nation. Some historians point out that the word “nation” (the basis for national identity) does not even appear in The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation or the Constitution, the documents which helped form the United States of America.
Another requirement for a nation to have a national identity is shared rights. The Declaration of Independence states, ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ As Abigail Adams, wife of the Massachusetts delegate John Adams, was quick to ask, where are the women in that famous sentence?
Additionally, it was common knowledge that all men were not created equal during the 1700s. Native Americans men were thought of as savages while African men were considered property of their owners. The common man may have had more rights than he had in Great Britain, but the white men who owned property still made all of the important decisions.
There is also the question of a common culture for a nation. The new United States lacked a united culture. While the majority of colonists were British, there were also Scots, Scots-Irish, Germans, Irish, and French. These are vastly different cultures each with their own customs and beliefs. The last thing an Irishman or a Frenchman would like to hear is that his culture is similar to the English. As a result of the various ethnic groups, America lacked a common folklore and history. America lacked shared memories that could unite its citizens in a common goal.
In short the Colonial American identity is complex and arguably non-existent, But that is only the beginning as the nation is in its infancy still developing a new culture, nation, identity would take time.
Antebellum
America’s national identity was complex during the 1800’s; nationalism was a powerful force, but a sectional force nonetheless. 19th century America was, what historian Robert Wiebe called “a society of island communities”.
It should be noted also that the idea of nation or union was not the same in the mind of an average American - whether a lumberjack in Michigan, a farmer in Kansas, a ranch hand in Texas or a street cleaner in New York - as in the mentality and actions of a Washington congress member or a New England intellectual. For many, America was a land of opportunity, a channel to a materially better life; one's immediate, individual needs and aspirations went well beyond the theoretical or even moral speculations about the nature of the new nation.
The remarkable transformations that characterized the 19th century both unified and divided the Republic in its early years. Political upheaval, economic transformation, technological advances and social and religious reform led to both desired and unexpected changes. There was no single unifying force that brought the nation together. Instead, there existed a number of beliefs and movements that all Americans supported to some degree.
The country was proud of the democratic ideals for which it had fought the war, but with an increasingly diverse population, lacking a common heritage in politics, religion, language or cultural identity, a focus was needed for national unity.
By the Jacksonian era of the 1830s, the Fourth of July was the most important national holiday. National memory was formed in the war of 1812 and the Mexican American War. Authorities in Washington were also eager to develop national symbols, to encourage the nationalistic pride and confidence in a country which undoubtedly had severe sectional problems by the middle of the century: i.e. negro slavery in the South, steady movement to the West, and problems of urbanization and industrialization in the North.
The different economic realities in the North and South lead to the further division, the decade of the 1850s was the decisive period in the gathering of the splitting up of America that would explode in the Civil War. The Compromise of 1850 showed the continued strength of the Southern pro-slavery camp in Washington. The Fugitive Slave Act, part of this intricate legislation, made the Northern states legally responsible for apprehending escaped slaves, and provoked anger and growing radicalization in the North, The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 further inflamed the conflict escalating to Bloody Kansas.
The Civil war would result in these two different identities of United States to battle for the representation of America both claiming to do so in the name of the Ideals of the foundation of the United States.
It should be noted also that the idea of nation or union was not the same in the mind of an average American - whether a lumberjack in Michigan, a farmer in Kansas, a ranch hand in Texas or a street cleaner in New York - as in the mentality and actions of a Washington congress member or a New England intellectual. For many, America was a land of opportunity, a channel to a materially better life; one's immediate, individual needs and aspirations went well beyond the theoretical or even moral speculations about the nature of the new nation.
The remarkable transformations that characterized the 19th century both unified and divided the Republic in its early years. Political upheaval, economic transformation, technological advances and social and religious reform led to both desired and unexpected changes. There was no single unifying force that brought the nation together. Instead, there existed a number of beliefs and movements that all Americans supported to some degree.
The country was proud of the democratic ideals for which it had fought the war, but with an increasingly diverse population, lacking a common heritage in politics, religion, language or cultural identity, a focus was needed for national unity.
By the Jacksonian era of the 1830s, the Fourth of July was the most important national holiday. National memory was formed in the war of 1812 and the Mexican American War. Authorities in Washington were also eager to develop national symbols, to encourage the nationalistic pride and confidence in a country which undoubtedly had severe sectional problems by the middle of the century: i.e. negro slavery in the South, steady movement to the West, and problems of urbanization and industrialization in the North.
The different economic realities in the North and South lead to the further division, the decade of the 1850s was the decisive period in the gathering of the splitting up of America that would explode in the Civil War. The Compromise of 1850 showed the continued strength of the Southern pro-slavery camp in Washington. The Fugitive Slave Act, part of this intricate legislation, made the Northern states legally responsible for apprehending escaped slaves, and provoked anger and growing radicalization in the North, The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 further inflamed the conflict escalating to Bloody Kansas.
The Civil war would result in these two different identities of United States to battle for the representation of America both claiming to do so in the name of the Ideals of the foundation of the United States.
The American Civil War marked a significant transition in American national identity. The ratification of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments settled the basic question of national identity, such as the criteria for becoming a citizen of the United States. Under these amendments, anyone born in the territorial boundaries of the United States or those areas subject to its jurisdiction was an American citizen, regardless of ethnicity or social status.
Industrial
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The Industrial Revolution, which took place from the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which predominantly agrarian, rural societies in Europe and America became industrial and urban. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Britain in the late 1700s, manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools or basic machines. Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass production.
The iron and textile industries, along with the development of the steam engine, played central roles in the Industrial Revolution, which also saw improved systems of transportation, communication and banking. While industrialization brought about an increased volume and variety of manufactured goods and an improved standard of living for some, it also resulted in often grim employment and living conditions for the poor and working classes.The textile industry, in particular, was transformed by industrialization. Before mechanization and factories, textiles were made mainly in people’s homes (giving rise to the term cottage industry), with merchants often providing the raw materials and basic equipment, and then picking up the finished product. Workers set their own schedules under this system, which proved difficult for merchants to regulate and resulted in numerous inefficiencies. |
The steam engine was also integral to industrialization. In 1712, Englishman Thomas Newcomen (1664-1729) developed the first practical steam engine (which was used primarily to pump water out of mines). By the 1770s, Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819) had improved on Newcomen’s work, and the steam engine went on to power machinery, locomotives and ships during the Industrial Revolution.The transportation industry also underwent significant transformation during the Industrial Revolution. Before the advent of the steam engine, raw materials and finished goods were hauled and distributed via horse-drawn wagons, and by boats along canals and rivers. As steam-powered ships were making their debut, the steam locomotive was also coming into use.
The Industrial Revolution brought about a greater volume and variety of factory-produced goods and raised the standard of living for many people, particularly for the middle and upper classes. However, life for the poor and working classes continued to be filled with challenges. Wages for those who labored in factories were low and working conditions could be dangerous and monotonous. Unskilled workers had little job security and were easily replaceable. Children were part of the labor force and often worked long hours and were used for such highly hazardous tasks as cleaning the machinery.
Source: http://bit.ly/1jpdPhg
The Industrial Revolution brought about a greater volume and variety of factory-produced goods and raised the standard of living for many people, particularly for the middle and upper classes. However, life for the poor and working classes continued to be filled with challenges. Wages for those who labored in factories were low and working conditions could be dangerous and monotonous. Unskilled workers had little job security and were easily replaceable. Children were part of the labor force and often worked long hours and were used for such highly hazardous tasks as cleaning the machinery.
Source: http://bit.ly/1jpdPhg