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American Identity: Assimilation (Establishing 'Americanness' (1607…
American Identity: Assimilation
'melting pot' myth/symbol
difference historically subordinated to 'Americanness'
Anglo-Saxon Protestantism
Early 1900s
Bourne's 'trans-national'
America resisted conformity of ethnic assimilation
'tossed salad'
today: hybridity?
The Irish 'Problem'
mainly Catholic
can't be assimilated
still prejudice
Establishing 'Americanness'
1607 onwards: Encounters w/ natives
1619: First African slaves brought to British colonies in N. America
1754-63: French and Indian Wars (Seven Years War)
1775-83: War for American independence
Page Act of 1875: directed at Chinese women, excluded
1882: Chinese Exclusion Act
1840s: Irish Potato Blight
1849: Gold rush brings trans-continental immigrants
Crèvecouer:
'What is an American?'
(1782)
Slavery: horrific, highly rationalised, hypocrisy
a surprise to Europeans?
Elegance of houses
growth of houses
middle class?
Gayness
Benjamin Franklin: from
Autobiography part 2
(1791)
selfless
industriousness - always hustling
law and order
justice / equality
idealistic - oriental?
13 virtues?
metropolitan / trans-national
'he's a religious tolerant figure'
benefits
become better people
improving the county's prospects
happiness --> indulging in the 'finer'
wealth
'the self-made rich' -bootstrap
Emma Lazarus:
'The New Colossus'
(1883)
idealistic - everyone is welcome
especially the exiles
setting the US apart from Europe
America is better
colossus - new utopia
but not like that, a little humble
America = the gateway to prosperity
Lady Liberty - the torch