American myths & realities

American Myths and Realities

by Paul, Martin & Giuseppe

Index

1. History and Creation of America and the American Dream

2. Immigration culture

3. Twisted reality: slaves in the "free" world

4. Civil rights movement

5. Current situation

History and Creation of America and the American Dream

The first settlers

The American Declaration of Independence

The Boston Tea Party

The War of Independence

The beginning of British rule

The American Dream

1664

1620

1775

1776

1773

1931

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The landing of the Mayflower - "Pilgrim fathers" arrive at Plymouth Rock and found the Plymouth Plantation at Cape Cod (in Massachusetts) --> formation of the first settlement leads to an increasing amount of Puritans that leave England to escape religious persecution and start a new life at Cape Cod

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The beginning of British rule (1664)

- English warships attack and take the harbour of New Amsterdam --> leads to the surrender of the Dutch - Britain officially renames the former colony "New Amsterdam" to "New York"

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The Boston Tea Party

- the British empire owns 13 seperate colonies in America - anger rises among the colonists as the Britsih empire passes several acts to control the economy of the American colonies (taxes, etc.) - protest against the British rule by throwing the British Tea that arrived at Boston to the harbour --> slogan is "no taxation without representation" because the American colonies had no political influence in the British parliament but had to pay high taxes

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The War of Independence

- the unrests turned into a violent conflict between the colonists and the British empire - war lasted from 1775 until 1783 - George Washington as the leading general on the American side --> later becomes first president of the United States in 1789

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The American Declaration of Independence (1776)

- was signed on the 4th of July in 1776 in Philadelphia by the representatives of the 13 states (was drafted by Thomas Jefferson) - the 13 American colonies who were in an ongoing war with the British empire declared themselves as 13 independent and united states --> first time the colonists from different countries united themselves as Americans --> the "unalienable" and godgiven rights that are declared in the second paragraph of the declaration of Independence are the foundation for the American Dream --> the as a key element of American values until today

"pursuit of happiness"

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The American Dream

- although America was regarded as a land of better opportunities by many European people who immigrated to the US and built up the country the term "American Dream" was not mentioned until 1931 by James Truslow Adams - was an American writer and historian who used the term "American Dream" first in his book "the Epic of America" - defined the American Dream as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone" --> he also claims that too many "have grown [...] mistrustful of it" which is why "it is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable" --> shows that American Dream wasn't about "a land of milk and honey" where everything is prosperous but about a land where everybody is fairly rewarded for their hard work

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Immigration culture

- after the colonists established the independent and united states of America after the end of the War of Independence, the US experienced major waves of immigration - during the colonial era, the first part of the 19th century and from the 1880s to 1920 many people (especially from Europe) immigrated to the US mostly in search of greater economic opportunity --> America has always been a land of immigration (every time there were shortages or other kinds of suffering in Europe or other parts of the world, people immigrated to the American continent) --> first mainly for religious freedom, later mainly in search of the "American Dream"/economic success

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Immigration culture

- shows that the main reasons for immigrating to the US were to achieve greater economic opportunities (impact of the American Dream) --> the world economic crisis in 1929 caused a massive decline of immigration - since WWII, immigration has risen constantly

- In 2018, 44.7 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 14 percent of the national population.In 2018, 44.7 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 14 percent of the national population.In 2018, 44.7 million immigrants (foreign-born individuals) comprised 14 percent of the national population. --> immigration now mainly takes place at the southern border --> most immigrants come from Latin American countries, especially from Mexico(15%) (According to the American Immigration Council)

Immigration culture

- statistic shows that millions of immigrants illegally migrate to the US every year --> led to countermeasures of the government like a reinforcement of the southern border (especially during the presidency of Trump) --> points out that immigrants who travel to the US with the hope of the American Dream increasingly face strong repressions of the US government

--> still, the US is a country of immigration, even though it is getting increasingly harder for immigrants to cross the border and "live the American Dream" in the US

3. Twisted reality

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As any survey of American literature can attest, the meaning and value of the American dream has often meant something different to African Americans than to any other segment of the population. This is due to the changing status of African Americans in society throughout the past centuries and also to fundamental changes in the viewpoint of white Americans.

BUT

Throughout this evershifting human landscape the aspects of equality and identity have always been one of the core concepts of the African American view of the American dream. The reason for that is that since the first African Americans were brought to the United States as slaves the first form of the African American dream is best described as freedom to stop the cruel slavery those African Americans have suffered.

The American dream while being Black is often described as being locked in a vicious cycle due to the reason that Black Americans have been denied access to the American dream. This is caused by judging too early about people with another skin color or an unfamiliar name etc. A consequence of this is that many African Americans who needed help in this "free" world would not get the neccessary help because of Racism. Another consequence of this cruelty is that African Americans were unwelcomed wherever they went and had to live in places only for their race even though this was supposed to be a "free" world. It follows that the African Americans could never pursue their own dreams and thus could not live freely in this "free" world making this a twisted reality.

4.

Civil Rights Movement

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The Civil Rights Movement

Assassination of civil rights leaders

During and after WWII

Jim Crow laws

Montgomery bus boycott

The end of the civil rights era

Rosa parks

March on washington

The little rock nine

Early 19th century

Major events that happened prior to and during the civil rights era in the 50s & 60sClick on an event to see details.

Reconstruction

After being freed at the end of the civil war, slave owning states in the south were completely rebuild with legislature to support African Americans’ desire for equality. Many of the freed states elected black officials and edged ever-closer to their white counterparts in terms of wealth and freedoms.

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Jim Crow Laws

At the end of the 19th Century a wave of ant-black laws restricted many of the African Americans’ new found freedoms and rights. For example, voting rights were restricted by literacy tests and laws that allowed for businesses to separate their black and white customers. In 1896, the American supreme court ruled that black and white passengers could be separated in Louisianan railroad cards. All following the philosophy of “separate but equal”. This allowed for the segregation of restaurants, public bathrooms water fountains and other facilities.

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During and after WWII

Before World War II many Black people were only allowed to worked as low-wage farmer and factory workers. In 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order opening national defense and other government jobs to all Americans after thousands of Black people threatened to march on Washington to demand equal employment rights. Although they were heavily discriminated against, black men and women fought side by side with white Americans during World War II. Upon their return to the American homeland, many of the soldiers faced prejudice and not the appreciation of white soldiers. In 1948 Harry Truman signed an Executive Order to end discrimination in the military, thereby setting a precedent for other industries to implement racial equality legislation.

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Rosa Parks

Together with other community leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. , encouraged by Park's Actions, started the Montgomery Bus Boycott

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Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

On December 1st 1955, Rosa Parks sat in the back of a Montgomery bus after a long day of work. Segregation laws required her to sit in the designated area for black people towards the back of the bus. When a white man entered the bus and found no seat towards the front of the bus, the bus driver told Parks and three other black passengers to stand up and make room for the white man. Parks refused and was consequently arrested. This caused outrage and support for her actions as she became “mother of the modern-day civil rights movement”. Martin Luther King Jr., enticed by the actions of Rosa Parks, alongside with other black community leaders founded the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). The MIA encouraged all black community members to stage the “boycott of the Montgomery bus system” which lasted 381 days. On November 14th, 1956 the Supreme Court ruled segregated seating was unconstitutional.

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The little Rock Nine

In 1954, the United States Supreme Court made segregation illegal in public schools. This allowed for black students from previously all-black high schools to attend other schools. But as nine students decided to start their day at the Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas, they were met by the Arkansas National Guard, preventing them from even entering the building. The Nine students tried again a couple of weeks later and this time managed to enter the building but were removed for their safety when violence ensued. Finally, Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened and ordered federal troops to escort the little Rock Nine to and from classes at Central High. Their efforts brought on much-needed attention to segregation and fueled protest on both sides of the issue.

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March on Washington (1963)

On the 28th of August 1963 more than 200 000 people gathered for a peaceful march to force civil rights legislation and establish job equality for everyone. During the march Martin Luther King gave his famous “I have a dream…” speech which promptly became a slogan for equality and freedom.

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Assassination of civil rights leaders

On the 21st of February 1965 prominent civil rights activist Malcom X was assassinated during a rally. On April 4th 1968 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Martin Luther King Jr was killed on his hotel room’s balcony. What followed were emotionally charged riots and looting, pressuring the Johnson administration to enact additional civil rights laws.

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The end of an era

On April 11th 1968, just days after King’s assassination, the Fair Housing Act took effect which outlaws housing discrimination based on race, sex and national origin, as well as religion. This is seen by many as the last piece of legislature passed during the civil rights era.

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A raisin in the Sun: Racial injustice up close

Summary 1

A Raisin in the Sun portrays a few weeks in the life of the Youngers, an African-American family living on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. When the play opens, the Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the deceased Mr. Younger’s life insurance policy. Each of the adult members of the family has an idea as to what he or she would like to do with this money. The matriarch of the family, Mama, wants to buy a house to fulfill a dream she shared with her husband. Mama’s son, Walter Lee, would rather use the money to invest in a liquor store with his friends. He believes that the investment will solve the family’s financial problems forever. Walter’s wife, Ruth, agrees with Mama, however, and hopes that she and Walter can provide more space and opportunity for their son, Travis. Finally, Beneatha, Walter’s sister and Mama’s daughter, wants to use the money for her medical school tuition. She also wishes that her family members were not so interested in joining the white world. Beneatha instead tries to find her identity by looking back to the past and to Africa.

Summary 2

As the play progresses, the Youngers clash over their competing dreams. Ruth discovers that she is pregnant but fears that if she has the child, she will put more financial pressure on her family members. When Walter says nothing to Ruth’s admission that she is considering abortion, Mama puts a down payment on a house for the whole family. She believes that a bigger, brighter dwelling will help them all. This house is in Clybourne Park, an entirely white neighborhood. When the Youngers’ future neighbors find out that the Youngers are moving in, they send Mr. Lindner, from the Clybourne Park Improvement Association, to offer the Youngers money in return for staying away. The Youngers refuse the deal, even after Walter loses the rest of the money ($6,500) to his friend Willy Harris, who persuades Walter to invest in the liquor store and then runs off with his cash.

Summary 3

In the meantime, Beneatha rejects her suitor, George Murchison, whom she believes to be shallow and blind to the problems of race. Subsequently, she receives a marriage proposal from her Nigerian boyfriend, Joseph Asagai, who wants Beneatha to get a medical degree and move to Africa with him (Beneatha does not make her choice before the end of the play). The Youngers eventually move out of the apartment, fulfilling the family’s long-held dream. Their future seems uncertain and slightly dangerous, but they are optimistic and determined to live a better life. They believe that they can succeed if they stick together as a family and resolve to defer their dreams no longer.

5.

Current Situation

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Is the American Dream still alive?

The 2016 election highlighted deep social, geographic and economic rifts in the United States. Different regions across the United States have different levels and possibilities of social mobility.

Where the American Dream is still alive

Counties along the Eastern Seaboard, in the upper Midwest, and across the Mountain Region have increased social mobility and have benn ver prosperous in recent years. Here the American Dream of going from Racks to Riches is still alive and well.

Where the American is a distant prospect

In the most economically distressed regions real economic mobility will remain a rare exception for the foreseeable future. As a result the inhabitants of these regions, some 14.5 million people, will most likely stay with racks.

Closing summary

In recent decades, regions with large possibilities of social mobilities have decreased in numbers while those with next to no chances of moving up in society. Especially in areas in the southeast people are less likely to improve their standard of living over their parents than in the last century. This is likely a result of decades of economic segregation, failing schools and other factors. Regions with low income inequality, good schools, low levels of segregation in terms of income and race, and low violent crime rates seem to be indicators for regions where the American Dream is still very much alive and well.

Black Lives Matter Protests

After the brutal murder of George Floyd in May 2020, Protests and Riots ensued across the country, raising intention for the still large economic, as well as criminal justice divide between Black and White people.

Black Lives Matter Protests

• the protest reflects years of segregation and discrimination
• BIPOC are discriminated against in housing and in the criminal justice systems
• Police brutality against POC has gotten more common in recent years
• Many compare 2020's protests to the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s

Sources:

1.https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/immigrants-in-the-united-states

2.https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history

3. https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/american-dream-while-black-homeownership/ https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/educational-magazines/african-american-dream

4.https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement

5.https://eig.org/dcieop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lives_Matter