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American Values and Institutions - Coggle Diagram
American Values and Institutions
Values
Shared Ideas help the United States. Two of these different ideas are our values and institutions
Values
Values are broad ideas about what is good or desirable and are share by the people of our society. They affect the way we act.
These include freedom, equality, opportunity, justice, democracy, unity, respect, and tolerance. Some of these values, such as equality and opportunity, and respect and tolerance, are linked.
Shared Values
Heritage based on the country’s founding documents. These key documents include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution of 1787, and the Bill of Rights of 1791.
Another example of unity is a single common language (English). Despite all different languages that can be spoken, English is the common one where everyone can communicate with each other.
Changing Population
Latinos, commonly referred to as Hispanic Americans, are the fastest-growing ethnic group.
The average age of citizens is climbing upward as people live longer and have fewer children.
Record numbers of Americans are now earning college and graduate degrees.
Rights
• fair, free, and regular elections;
• equal justice under the law;
• majority rule through the people’s representatives in government.
Institutions
Each society has its own social institutions.
Common ideas in a society
Not buildings or places
Family is the most important institution.
Produces more generations
Shared Institutions
Social
Public institutions as clubs and volunteer service organizations, can be another way we share our common values.
Governmental Instituions
Have developed over time, based on important shared American values. As Abraham Lincoln explained in his first Inaugural Address in 1861:
Religion
Can promote social unity and provide a sense of meaning and belonging.
Education
Reflects our society’s culture, history, and learning and creates a common identity.