The Statue of Liberty
for many immigrants first thing they saw upon arriving in New York City bay ship in 19th and 20th century
given to USA by France in 1886 to celebrate the first 100 years of American independence from Britain located on Liberty Island
women holding stone table in left hand displaying the date of the Declaration of Independence (july 4, 1776), wear crown with sevenj spikes representing the seven continents and oceans, underneath right foot is broken chain
One of the most famous American icons symbolizing freedom and enlightement
Ellis Island
place where most immigrants set foot on American soil
federal immigration station from 1892 to 1954 and the gateway to a new and often better life for the myjority of immigrants
some immigrants were detained there for legal or medical reasons or even sent back to their home countries
The Puritans
Towards end of the 16th century movement of English Protestants that felt Protestantism in England was not much different from Catholicism
Their intention was to purify the Church of England, not to leave it
They wish to remain English subjects but free to worship god in their own way
In 1620 102 people left England for America, sailing on a ship called Mayflower and arriving in America 65 days later in Playmouth Bay
Their beliefs and values had a lasting impact on New England society
Declaration of Independence
Written in 1776, one year after beginning of revoloutionary war
Darftet by commiteconsisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson….
States the princibles on which the American gouvernement and identity are based
Declares a complete break with Britain and claims the United States as an independent country
Stresses equality: “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
questions the rights of British king George |||
Calls for every American to have the opportunity to pursue their personal dreams
(at first, women were excluded from this statement)
Manifest Destiny
-expresses the belief that the US was destined by God to expand across the North American continent
-it was used to justify the forced removal of Native Americans from their homelands
-it was used as a pretext to aquire land in Oregan, Texas, Mexico and California
-After civil War “the new manisfest destiny” was invoked as the US purchased Alaska, annexed Hawaii and aquired territories in the western Pacific and LAtin America as a result of the Spanish-American war
remained key philosophy until end of world war |.
The frontier
A frontier is the margin of land wehere people live and have build towns and beyond which the country is wild and unknown
American frontier was an advancing border which marked the lands that had been settled, and it was definded by the westward movement. The Pacific coast was reached in the second half of the 19th century
in the 1960’s President John F. Kennedy used the term “New Frontier to gain support for his domestic and foreign plocies, e.g. to develop science and space exploration
The American Constitution
Bill of Rights
written in 1787
intention to form a more perfect union, establish justice , ensure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense , promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty for the American people
established a new democratic form of gouvernment that was distinct from the British monarchy
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