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American Experiences and Constitutional Changes - Coggle Diagram
American Experiences and Constitutional Changes
Important themes
American Dream
Costica Bradatan: "Behind the optimistic veneer there lies an extraordinary fear of failure: the horror of going down and going under, of losing face and respectability, of exclusion and marginalization." He believes the American Dream is dependent on failure rather than success, because the closer one gets to perfection, the closer one gets to failure.
Marco Rubio: "if their American dreams become impossible, we will have become just another country" He believes that if the American dream is no longer achievable, America is no longer better than other countries.
Slavery
Fredrick Douglas: He escaped slavery in Maryland and became a prominent activist, author and public speaker. He wrote about his experience in his autobiography, "The Narrative of Fredrick Douglas". Douglass reveals the mental oppression that he had experienced as a slave and the importance of literacy as a means to enlightenment and freedom.
Immigration
E.A. Ross "the social effects of immigration": "Until recently nowhere else in the world did women enjoy the freedom and encouragement they received in America". In this quote Ross makes arguments about women rights against immigration. Ross also argued that immigrants from different cultural backgrounds could threaten American society by introducing new ideas, customs, and values that were incompatible with traditional American ideals. Ross's work was influential in shaping the public debate around immigration policy and was used to justify restrictive immigration laws that favored certain nationalities over others.
Emma Lazarus's "The New Colossus": "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." This quote expresses the idea that America is a place where immigrants can come to find refuge and freedom, regardless of their social or economic status.
Religion
The New England Primer: A textbook that aimed to prepare children to read the Bible. Reading the word of God for oneself was the ultimate goal of literacy for many Christian Americans at this time. 6-8 million copies were sold between 1680-1830.
Growth
Success
Success: Horatio Alger's, "Ragged Dick": The novel tells the story of a poor, young bootblack named Dick Hunter who rises to success through hard work, determination, and honesty. "Ragged Dick" is a classic rags-to-riches story that emphasizes the idea that anyone can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. The novel encourages readers to cultivate their own skills and talents and to seek opportunities for self-improvement and personal growth.
Failure: Charlotte Perkins Gilman's, "The Yellow Wallpaper": "At night in any kind of light, in twi light, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside pattern I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain as can be." This quote explains the narrator's belief that the wallpaper changes and moves, and that there is a woman trapped in the walls. Her husbands treatment failed and made her mental state worse. She sees the shadows of the bars in the window and her own shadow, yet she thinks it's a real person.
Self-improvement
Phillis Wheatley's, "To His Excellency, General Washington": ""A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine, With gold unfading, Washington! Be thine." This quote shows Wheatley's admiration for George Washington and prefaces the amazing things Washington will soon do for America. Wheatley's poem sheds positive light during a rather challenging time, and reminds her readers that America is in good hands with the brave and moral leader, George Washington.
Booker T. Washington's "Atlanta Exposition Speech" emphasizes the idea of self-improvement as a key to progress for African Americans. He argues that African Americans must take responsibility for their own economic and social advancement, rather than relying solely on political and legal measures.
Individuals
Children
Fredrick Douglas: "I could not tell why I ought to be deprived of the same privilege. I was not allowed to make any inquiries of my master concerning it. He deemed all such inquiries on the part of a slave improper and impertinent." This quote is saying that Douglas didn't have the same privileges as white children, and although he couldn't understand why, he wasn't allowed to ask any questions.
Betty Parris, Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr: Girls and young women ranging in age from nine to 20 accused anyone they disliked or feared of being witches. They screamed, writhed, barked and displayed other horrifying symptoms they claimed were signs of Satanic possession.
Adults
Jenny O'Dell's, "How to Do Nothing": "We submit our free time to numerical evaluation, interact with algorithmic versions of each other, and build and maintain personal brands." this quote explains how social media/technology has taken over our lives. 'Personal brands" can be seen as referring to the persona we create on social media, capturing only the highlights of our life and not our true selves. This is important because instead of seeing our friends and family face-to-face, we tend to rather speak virtually and interact via social media platforms.
Edgar Allen Poe: Born in Boston but embraces Southern identity. Author of The Tell Tale Heart: "When the old man looked at me with his vulture eye a cold feeling went up and down my back; even my blood became cold. And so, I finally decided I had to kill the old man and close that eye forever! So you think that I am mad?" This quote is explaining how the narrator killed an old man not because he disliked him, but because his eye drove him crazy. This quote is important because it tells the audience his motive. By saying he's not mad, the audience can clearly tell that he is. He killed his friend just because of his eye, and then hid his body under the floorboards. When the cops came, he could 'hear' the old mans heartbeat which drove him crazy, revealing him to the police.
Law/Rights
Enlightenment
Thomas Paine: "but how a race of men came into the world so exalted above the rest, and distinguished like some new species, is worth inquiring into, and whether they are the means of happiness or of misery to mankind." He believes that the law is 'king' empowered by the people and the divine right should be with the people.
Natural rights
The Declaration of Independence: A document adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in which the 13 American colonies declared their independence from British rule. The document is considered one of the most important in American history and is widely regarded as a seminal statement of human rights and individual liberties. The declaration outlined the colonists' grievances against the British government and asserted the principles of popular sovereignty, natural rights, and the right to revolt against unjust government. The document also served as a rallying cry for the American Revolution and laid the groundwork for the formation of the United States of America.
Equality
MLK Jr's, "Letter from Birmingham Jail": ”There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of injustice where they experience the bleakness of corroding despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience.” This quote is explaining how MLK jr believes in taking direct action to break unjust laws no matter what it takes, rather than waiting impatiently for justice through the law. This is important because this letter was a catalyst to equality, justice, and freedom at the time.
Historical Events
The Great Awakening: A religious revival movement that swept across the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s. It emphasized personal salvation, emotional preaching, and a direct relationship with God. The movement was characterized by large outdoor revivals, charismatic preachers, and a focus on individual spiritual experience over institutional religion. The Great Awakening played a significant role in shaping American culture and identity, and it also helped to sow the seeds of the American Revolution.
Salem Witch Trials: A series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts in 1692-1693. The trials resulted in the execution of 20 people, mostly women, and is considered one of the most infamous episodes of mass hysteria and injustice in American history. The trials were marked by accusations, interrogations, and false confessions, and were fueled by a combination of religious extremism, social tensions, and political rivalries. The legacy of the trials has been the subject of much scholarship and cultural fascination, and has served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked authority and intolerance.
Shay's Rebellion: An armed uprising that took place in western Massachusetts in 1786 and 1787. The rebellion was led by former Revolutionary War captain Daniel Shays and was motivated by a variety of economic grievances, including high taxes and debt. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed by state and federal troops, and several of its leaders were tried and convicted of treason. The rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which lacked the ability to raise a national army, and helped to spur the movement towards a stronger federal government and the drafting of the United States Constitution.
The Raid at Harpers Ferry: A pivotal event in American history that occurred in 1859. Led by abolitionist John Brown, a small group of armed men attempted to seize the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia, with the goal of starting a slave revolt. The raid was quickly suppressed by a detachment of U.S. Marines, and Brown and his followers were tried and executed for treason. The incident galvanized anti-slavery sentiment in the North and was one of the key events leading up to the Civil War.
https://youtu.be/8y4zvdox4rM
The Jazz age: Scott Fitzgerald's, "Echos of the jazz age": "We were the most powerful nation. who could tell us any longer what was fashionable and what was fun?" I believe that this quote is saying that people during the jazz age didn't care about what anyone told them, they just wanted to live life to the fullest. I think this is important because it showcases the nations beliefs during the time and how carefree everyone was. People had no cares in the world and just wanted to have fun.
Money
Wealth
Andrew Carnegie, Gospel of Wealth: Published in 1889 and is considered one of the most influential statements on philanthropy and wealth in American history. Carnegie argues that those who have amassed great wealth have a responsibility to use their wealth for the betterment of society. The essay reflects the social Darwinist ideas of the time, which held that the wealthy were the most fit and deserving members of society.
Povery
Jacob Riis, How the Other Half Lives: Published in 1890 and is a pioneering work of photojournalism that exposed the living conditions of the poor in New York City's tenements. Riis documents the harsh living conditions of the poor in New York City, including overcrowded tenements, unsanitary conditions, and inadequate access to basic necessities like food, water, and medical care. Riis argues that poverty and inequality are not just individual problems, but systemic issues that require collective action to address.
