American Dream

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is - right to freedom, equality happiness and a life protected by the state - leads to a united country and the pride of being an American - - all men created equal - a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - importance of equal opportunities, freedom and self- realization American Idea - other countries are based on geographic boundaries - USA foundations are based on an idea (nationhood) - highlight the extraordinary actions and bold vision of the Founding Fathers Declaration of Independence the American people wants to be independent from the British - everybody has unalienable rights, like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness The Pledge of Allegiance the government should wave these rights with the consent of the people - a person has the right to alter or to abolish it and to create a new government - a decent respect to the opinions of mankind gives everybody the right to separate ate themselves from their state 4th July 1776 The Star-Spangled-Banner I seriously promise to stay loyal to and support the US as my home country including beliefs and values as a democratic country standing for freedom under protection of God the national anthem - represents the US country * - symbol - nature: beauty of the country, for the soldiers to give them a place to find peace war: prominent semantic field, stresses what the Americans have gone trough, what they fought for and what they have achieved - religion: fighting soldiers protected by God, they will be saved, their actions are right and supported by God - stars and stripes: idea of freedom: symbolic to give hope for the idea of victory, remind the soldiers what they are fighting for (freedom, liberty), they are a part of sth. (strong and powerful country), separate themselves from the British, belong to another country (one nation) American Dream What must be done strive for a high "communal and intellectual life" - be a "Great society" must strive to rise, not merely economically, but culturally - everybody must work together, no longer to build bigger, but to build better Adam warns against a merely materialistic understanding of the American Dream What must be avoided - to not become "stark realists" - avoid becoming class-conscious and struggles as individuals or classes against one another · not to be selfish, in a physical comfort and cheap amusement - "keeping up with the Joneses" is to be avoided Million Man March - was a political demonstration - took place in Washington D. C. on October the 16th 1995 and was supposed to promote African American unity and family values Pro: - two important people, Louis Farrakhan and Benjamin F. organized and directed the event ·lots of promis, like Jesse Jackson, Rosa Parks or Kurt Schmoke, who for example told the crowd that our choices should be for life to protect all the people free of drugs and crime - the actual marchers, who mostly were African American, ranged from 400,000 to nearly to nearly 1,1 million - in response to the march, 1,7 million African American men registered to vote - there were also a number of them who did not support the march, like Mary Frances Berry and Rep. John Lewis - there aren't the same rights for all people not everyone is treated equally - many Americans don't think they ever will be secure or stable American Dream or American Nightmare?. - people lost faith because of current policy now the war is not over, victory isn't won - Contra: the American Dream only holds true for some people,. only for the richest people "No one can win the war individually, it takes the wisdom of the elders and young people's energy nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 to 1954 - island in New York harbor - 450,00 migrants came to America in 1892 - closed 1954 when the number reached 12 million - 1-2 weeks voyages on ships - fleeing migrantsb - steerage $30/ first-second $50 - overcrowded - health officers boarded - 1. 2. class allowed to enter USA without Ellies - everyone else wait for days and weeks - today, the island is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument Ellies Island American Beliefs and Values American Beliefs and Values ● Although there have been significant shifts in societal concepts and traditions, the following ideals, beliefs and values continue to be some of the most important in American culture. Patriotism FOCUS ON FACTS Fundamental, inalienable and God-given rights ● Liberty: personal and religious freedom Pursuit of happiness: O (personal and material) success and wealth O optimism and belief in "anticipated success" O individuality/individual ways of pursuing one's dreams and realizing one's goals Equality: equal rights for men and women/equal rights for peo- ple from different ethnicities and social backgrounds Life: leading a secure life protected by the law, government and military LIBERTY importance of national symbols (e.g. the Statue of Liberty, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the US flag, the National Anthem, etc.) strong identification with one's nationality and pride in being American