The American Ways2 Traditional American Values and Beliefs.docVIP

Chapter 2 Traditional American Values and Beliefs We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Declaration of Independence Before You Read Why do some people want to come and live in the United States? What do you think Americans believe is the best thing about their country? What is the “American Dream”? The Context of Traditional American Values: Racial, Ethnic, Religious, and Cultural Diversity As the 21st century begins, the United States probably has a greater diversity of racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious groups than any other nation on earth. From the beginning of the history of the United States, there has been diversity—Native Americans throughout the North American continent, Spanish settlers in the Southwest and in Florida, French missionaries and fur traders along the Mississippi River, black slaves brought from African countries, Dutch settlers in New York, Germans in Pennsylvania, and, of course, the British colonists, whose culture eventually provided the language and the foundation for the political and economic systems that developed in the United States. Most early Americans recognized this diversity, or pluralism, as a fact of life. The large variety of ethnic, cultural, and religious groups meant that accepting diversity was the only practical choice, even if some people were not enthusiastic about it. However, in time, many Americans came to see strength in their countrys diversity. Today, there is more recognition of the value of cultural pluralism than at any other time in the history of the United States. When we examine the system of basic values that emerged in the late 1700s and begin to define the American character, we must remember this context of cultural pluralism. How could a nation of such enormous diversity produce a recognizable national identity? Historica