Does It Mean American?

J. Hector St. John De Crevecoeur says in his writings that America is a rich and diverse land and there is no great power in control of them. He says, "Here are no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury." In a sense he says that the great lack of high and mighty powers leaves everyone the chance to fill the American dream of being poor and then rich. Later in this speech he says,"Many ages will not see the shores of our great lakes replenished with inland nations, nor the unknown bounds of North America entirely peopled. Who can tell how far it extends? Who can tell the millions of men whom it will feed and contain." In this line he says that a part of being American is the romantic idea that it never ends, that there is a mystery in our land and still makes it great. In this day and age our gap in rich in poor is more susbstantial and our lands are no more a mystery. Does the lack of an even start at riches and the loss of great mystery in the lands of the U.S. change the view of what American means?

American Society

In the letter we read, J. Hector St. John De Crevecoeur, said "... we are the most perfect socitey now exisiting in the world." Different people of course will have different opinions about what our society looks like but there is usually one overall view. America is in the retaliation process of 9/11, in Iraq, and president Bush thinks that this is a good idea. We are standing up for ourselves and making a point, but at the same time might be getting in deeper than we need to. What makes a good society? What seperated a good society from a great society? Is the war in Iraq making our current society better or worse?

Letters of an American Farmer

In Letters from an American Farmer J. Hector speaks of the appeal of the American way; its hospitality, its tolerant ways, and its acceptance of other races. When J. Hector speaks of America he says "A pleasing uniformity of decent competence appears in our habitants."(pg. 294) He also speaks of how in America all people are treated as equals as compared to citizens in Europe "The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe." (pg. 293) My question is as follows: is the America today the same America that J. Hector describes? Are the rich and the poor not so far removed? Finally, are we as Americans still so tolerant of other types of people - consider the recent immigration debate.

Is America still perfect

In the letter 'What is an American' by j Hector St. John De Crevecoeur, he states " we have no prince, for whom we toil, starve, and bleed, we are the most perfect socitey now exisiting in the world." So far we have pushed our views on to another countery, dropped atomic bombs, and have changed our melting pot society. Our 'melting pot' society was, English, Sotch,Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes, but now when another group, Mexican wants to come in, we shut our barriers. is that fair? Since Americas future has progres, so has her jugement. Are we still the most 'Perfect socitey'? That was one mans view of his countrey, would another man view his country in the same 'perfectness'?

J. Hector St. John De Crevecoeur

J. Hector strongly shares how much more welcoming America was then Europe. He believed that everyone that came to America brought their own sense of national character, and that formed such a heartfelt pleasure. Since everyone coming to America was trying to get away from the strict invisible power and the huge manufacturers, there was no great difference between the rich and the poor. (The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe pg.293) J. Hector pointed out how who you married in America didn’t matter. He brought up the whole melting pot factor, how you could marry anyone nationality you pleased. So this brought me to think, how has the melting pot formed America? How would America be different if we didn’t have so many different nationalities?