American Studies 2200E Chapter Notes - Chapter Week 1: Meritocracy, Langston Hughes, H. L. Mencken

• School: Western University
• Department: American Studies
• Course: American Studies 2200E
• Professor: Anna Zuschlag

Document Summary

Me(cid:374)cke(cid:374), (cid:862)o(cid:374) bei(cid:374)g a(cid:374) a(cid:373)erica(cid:374)(cid:863) (cid:862)the u(cid:374)ited tates is esse(cid:374)tially a (cid:272)o(cid:373)(cid:373)o(cid:374)(cid:449)ealth of third-rate (cid:373)e(cid:374)(cid:863) pg. Third-rate men are in control of the state. 55 (cid:862)i (cid:374)e(cid:448)er get tired of the sho(cid:449). 60: hector st. john de crevecoeur, (cid:862)letter iii fro(cid:373) a(cid:374) a(cid:373)erica(cid:374) far(cid:373)er(cid:863) Back settlers were savages (less connected to god) The american is a new man in a new country: egalitarianism. All people are equal in fundamental worth and that political structures should reflect and protect and foster this equality (cid:862)a pleasi(cid:374)g u(cid:374)ifor(cid:373)ity of de(cid:272)e(cid:374)t (cid:272)o(cid:373)pete(cid:374)(cid:272)e appears throughout our ha(cid:271)itatio(cid:374)s(cid:863) The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as in europe. Sees people who work for themselves: self-determination. The useless become useful and the poor become rich. Benefit from your own hard work (moral and material wealth) Rewarded based on your merit (earning) and your power. Power is given to those who earn it.