Bellwork: Day 1

• What will you miss about 11th grade? What won’t you miss?

America is Different

Religiosity

Confidence and sense of destiny

Good fortune

America is rich

Lots of raw materials

Lots of inventive, smart people

More and more Americans enjoy prosperity as America grows

We are the economic leaders of the world

AssimilationAmerica is the most successful at bringing all types of immigrants and assimilating them into the American system

American IdealsAmerica has very high ideals (feed everyone, end crime, give everyone a voice in government, protect world peace).

Sometimes we fall short of these goals.

However, we often overlook the successes we have in these areas.

American ExceptionalismAmerican Exceptionalism: The idea : The idea that Americans were a chosen that Americans were a chosen people. The idea that America is people. The idea that America is just differentjust different from other countries of from other countries of the world.the world.

Hard to say if we’re “chosen,” but Hard to say if we’re “chosen,” but we are much different from other we are much different from other countries.countries.

No one has ever been able to match No one has ever been able to match us in industrial strength, economic us in industrial strength, economic abilities, or military power.abilities, or military power.

When America goes into other countries (like during Imperialism or even today), it certainly does so in self interest.

However, we also go in hoping to spread our values (freedom, democracy). America could have been far more ruthless, or even rule the world.

America is actually often selfless. Vietnam, for example. We only tried to protect the South, not take over the North. Easily could have taken over the North.

During the 1900s, the rest of the world (especially Europe) became secular. They became less religious. However, in America, although we are technically and scientifically advanced, we are still religious.

America was very lucky in that we have tons of natural resources. Even little things, like firewood, was readily available to new travelers to America.

Iron, coal were available to help get our industrial revolution going. Oil was also very important, and readily available (up until the 1970s). If necessary, we could use less oil today and support ourselves.

Even unnecessary luxury things such as gold and silver were readily available in America.

Some countries, like Japan, didn’t have access to these resources. Has to buy them from others. Keeps them from growing very powerful.

In America, ordinary people can become rich if they have good ideas. We have equality in America. This does not mean we all have equal outcomes in our lives, but that we have equal opportunities. In fact we have much inequality in our average incomes.

America’s idea of poverty is not the same as the rest of the world’s. In fact, a poor person is America would be considered well off by many poor in third world countries. Example: Obesity is a common problem for America’s poor. Yet, in poorer countries, if you’re overweight you must be very successful.

FreedomWe were very scared that our government would collapse when we wrote the Constitution, but here we are more than 200 years later with a well working government.

We are so familiar with our democracy (and peace) that we take it for granted.

In other parts of the world, countries have to basically “reset” or have a revolution every 50 years because the government isn’t working. The only countries that have had the same government for as long as us? Switzerland and Britain.

In elections in America, the party that has lost admits that they lost. They know that their time will come again in 4 years.

Establishing democracy around the world is tough because either 1) one side wins and destroys the election process so they can keep power or 2) the losing side says the other side cheated and declares war on the other. (happens all the time)

Our US army stays out of politics. This doesn’t happen in other countries, and ambitious generals can make themselves leader. Instead, in our system, a lot of generals retire and then become president.

Our Supreme Court keeps the US from becoming a demagogy.

Most other societies do not teach equality to their people. Even in Britain, students are not taught that they are equal with each other.

FreedomsOur class system is fluid (anyone can become wealthy)

Democracy has become a reality, not a dream

Americans are the most philanthropic people in the world (we give money to charities).

AssimilationWe do a great job of assimilating new immigrants.

Just look at Canada. Half of the country still speaks French, half English.

People who come here generally want to learn English.

AMERICA ROCKS!!