City Upon a Hill
Pastor John Winthrop’s sermon “City upon a hill” – Society so powerful and perfect
as an example for the whole world – American Exceptionalism
Globalization = Americanization
Hardships: No food, it is cold, there are grizzly bears… etc.
Helped by native Americans (“Squanto”) – Thanksgiving
The US is twice as religious as Europe
o Covenant with God – szövetség Mission
Americans believe they are just like Israel, the Jewish people.
Predestination – our fate is decided by the time you are born.
Puritan work ethic – “You can work for salvation” – Contradiction
with predestination
o Education is very important to them so they can read and understand the Bible.
Puritans/their work ethic/their mission concept
Who were they, why were they called puritans?
o Religious extremists
o Purify religion (against Anglicans)
Main ideas in the Declaration of Independence/Constitution (compared to Europe)
Economic:
UK vs. France – The French Indian War (7 years’ war)
Who won this conflict? The British
o But they almost went bankrupt as a result. What do you do with colonies to avoid
bankruptcy? Raise taxes (tea, stamp, paper…)
“NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION” – Americans wanted representation
in the British Parliament. Declaration of independence July 4th, 1776 (Thomas Jefferson)
Ideological:
The age of enlightenment = reason and rationalism (e.g. Newton)
The declaration of independence:
o Materialistic worldview, questions the existence and rule of God and the political
powers… etc.
o If everyone is created equal, then the Kings and Queens should also be equal.
o Women, slaves, and Native Americans are excluded.
o W.A.S.P.(M). – White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Males
o People gave their rights up to be represented, not God.
, o DEFENESTRATION – Throwing someone out the window if these 3 rights are
not respected by the Govt, then the people can kick them out and form a new Govt.
Americans are still religious, but they became more human-centric.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness inalienable rights
Divine rule (God instructed the royal family to rule)
Humanism
o All men are created equal against the King’s reign.
o Age of enlightenment
o 3 unalienable rights (Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness)
Westward Movement
1803 – Americans bought a huge territory in the west
Manifest Destiny
God-given mission: spread American ideology
First moving towards the western shore, later ideology
The Frontier idea
FRONTIER – The border between civilization and wilderness. It was moving towards the west.
Self-reliance They could not expect help from the neighbors… etc., so they had to be self-reliant.
RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM
Reasons for the Civil War
Slavery
o Triangular slave trade
o Skin color – base of slavery
o Slavery Act of 1794 – foreign slave trading abolished
o North vs South slavery
North:
o Industrial
o More populous
o Liberal
o Infrastructure
South:
o Slaveholders
o Agricultural
o 3/5th compromise / law – Slaves are worth this much of a person
o To balance the representation in the Congress (?)
o Conservative
Pastor John Winthrop’s sermon “City upon a hill” – Society so powerful and perfect
as an example for the whole world – American Exceptionalism
Globalization = Americanization
Hardships: No food, it is cold, there are grizzly bears… etc.
Helped by native Americans (“Squanto”) – Thanksgiving
The US is twice as religious as Europe
o Covenant with God – szövetség Mission
Americans believe they are just like Israel, the Jewish people.
Predestination – our fate is decided by the time you are born.
Puritan work ethic – “You can work for salvation” – Contradiction
with predestination
o Education is very important to them so they can read and understand the Bible.
Puritans/their work ethic/their mission concept
Who were they, why were they called puritans?
o Religious extremists
o Purify religion (against Anglicans)
Main ideas in the Declaration of Independence/Constitution (compared to Europe)
Economic:
UK vs. France – The French Indian War (7 years’ war)
Who won this conflict? The British
o But they almost went bankrupt as a result. What do you do with colonies to avoid
bankruptcy? Raise taxes (tea, stamp, paper…)
“NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION” – Americans wanted representation
in the British Parliament. Declaration of independence July 4th, 1776 (Thomas Jefferson)
Ideological:
The age of enlightenment = reason and rationalism (e.g. Newton)
The declaration of independence:
o Materialistic worldview, questions the existence and rule of God and the political
powers… etc.
o If everyone is created equal, then the Kings and Queens should also be equal.
o Women, slaves, and Native Americans are excluded.
o W.A.S.P.(M). – White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Males
o People gave their rights up to be represented, not God.
, o DEFENESTRATION – Throwing someone out the window if these 3 rights are
not respected by the Govt, then the people can kick them out and form a new Govt.
Americans are still religious, but they became more human-centric.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness inalienable rights
Divine rule (God instructed the royal family to rule)
Humanism
o All men are created equal against the King’s reign.
o Age of enlightenment
o 3 unalienable rights (Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness)
Westward Movement
1803 – Americans bought a huge territory in the west
Manifest Destiny
God-given mission: spread American ideology
First moving towards the western shore, later ideology
The Frontier idea
FRONTIER – The border between civilization and wilderness. It was moving towards the west.
Self-reliance They could not expect help from the neighbors… etc., so they had to be self-reliant.
RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM
Reasons for the Civil War
Slavery
o Triangular slave trade
o Skin color – base of slavery
o Slavery Act of 1794 – foreign slave trading abolished
o North vs South slavery
North:
o Industrial
o More populous
o Liberal
o Infrastructure
South:
o Slaveholders
o Agricultural
o 3/5th compromise / law – Slaves are worth this much of a person
o To balance the representation in the Congress (?)
o Conservative
