What does it mean to
be “an American?”
Journal Entry #1
August 13, 2008
But first…
This Day in History & Class
Rosters
US Historical Population Growth
% of U.S. Population in Each
State
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/PercentOfUSPopIn
EachState.gif/800px-PercentOfUSPopInEachState.gif
Most populated counties
“What Does it Mean to Be an
American?”
Student Responses
“What is an American?”
Harold Ickes, May 18, 1941
 What constitutes an American? Not color nor race nor
religion. Not the pedigree of his family nor the place of his
birth. Not the coincidence of his citizenship. Not his social
status nor his bank account. Not his trade nor his profession.
An American is one who loves justice and believes in the
dignity of man. An American is one who will fight for his
freedom and that of his neighbor. An American is one who will
sacrifice property, ease and security in order that he and his
children may retain the rights of free men. An American is one
in whose heart is engraved the immortal second sentence of
the Declaration of Independence.
 http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/ickes.htm
 Questions to ask of speeches?
 Who, when, where, why, etc.
 Secretary of Interior, NYC Central Park, pro-WWII
Declaration of Independence,
July 4, 1776
 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.
 http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm
What does it mean to be an
American?
 Listen for KEY WORDS
 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13477323/
 Voices from Lady Liberty
 July 4 special, MSNBC.COM
 Esp. look @
 Top Row: 5th, 7th (finish w/this one), 8th
 Bottom Row:6th, 7th
Different Views?
 Latin views
 Native views
 Modern views
 Immigrant views
 Voluntary, Forced
 Peace Corps worker in Africa
“An American” is hard to
define…one reason being b/c
of the diversity in the U.S.
So how have “Americans” viewed how
different peoples fit into one country?
2 Analogies for the
United States
#1: Melting Pot
E
Pluribus
Unum
“The Great American Melting
Pot”
 http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWJ4udW41Ns
 Watch and ANALYZE!!!
“The trouble with a melting pot is
that someone always gets
burned."
Assimilation v.
Multiculturalism
 How do some immigrants view themselves?
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpsrv/national/longterm/meltingpot/melt0525a.htm
 Definition of American?
Freedom to do this?
 http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=WALIARHHLII
 http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=fctclmU5hUc&featu
re=related
Reading assignment
 Read -- What has been the Native American
experience with the U.S.?
 Pg. 10
 Ch. 2-1
 Pgs. 243-246
 Ch. 14-1