HISTORY 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Christian Fundamentalism, Henry David Thoreau, Sigmund Freud
Document Summary
A defining quality of the american character is the perpetual desire to reinvigorate elements of the past. The theoretical underpinning of this agrarian myth is the desire for progress without change. Interestingly, the agrarian myth morphs over time and adjusts to reflect the evolving american character, repackaging itself to fit the new narrative. The narrative of the agrarian myth takes on many different faces throughout history including that of. Jefferson"s small farmer, the protestant fundamentalist, the average american, ronald reagan, and now donald trump. These changing faces demonstrate its flexibility and durability. Further, it seems that the agrarian myth follows a similar trajectory throughout history. It is most often when americans find themselves disillusioned by war, crisis, or great change that they seek refuge in the agrarian myth. The end of the victorian era marked a paradigm shift in american society.
