What Made America Great?

[MonstaThrilla]

In a paragraph or so, summarize what you think made our country what it is today. Here's mine:

It all started when Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressive Movement took grasp of the country in the first few years of the twentieth century. Well educated, upper middle class citizens decided that the gap between wealthy and poor was too brutal, and worked to close that gap. The Progressive movement died out and WWI came, then the "Roaring 20's". This was a feel good era of corrupt government and general irresponsibility where the gap between rich and poor began to widen again, and with the Great Depression that gap became wider than it was since the Progressive movement. FDR came in, with his "socialistic" government programs, and in my opinion single handedly saved capitalism. When WWII ended and the GI Bill came into effect, it ushered in the era of an overwhelming middle class and the US established itself as a superpower. Its through that strong middle class that America became great.

I read a while ago that since Reagan's economic agenda of the 80's, the gap between rich and poor has yet again been increasing slowly but steadily, and that worries me.

 

[dirtboy]

I think America was made great long before the 20's. I'd say back to the time period when our great nation was founded.

 

[Czar]

Science, the urge to be the first to do everything

 

[Zebo]

Two thing made america great and revolutionary at the time:

-society that prized liberty as well as equality just to piss off those in the class structure of Europe.
-the idea of give Us Your Tired, Poor, and Hungry was also radical

 

[ITJunkie]

I agree with czar...but not in just science. The spirit of invention, I think, was an incredible driving force. That and the fact that America gave you the freedom to pursue that spirit.

 

[tnitsuj]

White Christian Males

 

[smashp]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I think America was made great long before the 20's. I'd say back to the time period when our great nation was founded.

Is that Before Or after we "Cleansed" the land of its orgional inhabitants.

 

[smashp]

Originally posted by: ITJunkie
I agree with czar...but not in just science. The spirit of invention, I think, was an incredible driving force. That and the fact that America gave you the freedom to pursue that spirit.

invention?

Most of our Inventions we Claim as our own were first "Invented" in europe


like the airplane.

 

[daniel1113]

Originally posted by: smashp

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I think America was made great long before the 20's. I'd say back to the time period when our great nation was founded.

Is that Before Or after we "Cleansed" the land of its orgional inhabitants.

 

[tnitsuj]

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: smashp

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I think America was made great long before the 20's. I'd say back to the time period when our great nation was founded.

Is that Before Or after we "Cleansed" the land of its orgional inhabitants.

You would rather forget about that part wouldn't you? Well don't, it was a neccessary step in the establishing of our great nation. Without eliminating the natives America could not have existed.

 

[smashp]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj

Originally posted by: daniel1113

Originally posted by: smashp

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I think America was made great long before the 20's. I'd say back to the time period when our great nation was founded.

Is that Before Or after we "Cleansed" the land of its orgional inhabitants.

You would rather forget about that part wouldn't you? Well don't, it was a neccessary step in the establishing of our great nation. Without eliminating the natives America could not have existed.

Exactly. Our Country is Great, We just Did some rather Crappy things to get it there.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
I think America was made great long before the 20's. I'd say back to the time period when our great nation was founded.

You could'nt have tolerated it back then. Those hippy founding fathers with thier long hair and high education (most knew french!!!), no corporations/capitaliam were allowed till lincoln, and their radical ideas at the time of democracy whould have had you back to england with Benedict Arnold.

I read that Jefferson wanted a direct democracy but since 90% of the population was illiterate they choose a republic...Wonder now what they'd say condisidering most are literate.

 

[daniel1113]

The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize... The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts of common dangers, sufferings, and successes... Here every portion of our country finds the most commanding motives for carefully guarding and preserving the union of the whole.

The North, in an unrestrained intercourse with the South, protected by the equal laws of a common government, finds in the productions of the latter great additional resources of maritime and commercial enterprise and precious materials of manufacturing industry. The South, in the same intercourse, benefiting by the agency of the North, sees its agriculture grow and its commerce expand... The East, in a like intercourse with the West, already finds... a valuable vent for the commodities which it brings from abroad, or manufactures at home. The West derives from the East supplies requisite to its growth and comfort...

While, then, every part of our country thus feels an immediate and particular interest in union, all the parts combined cannot fail to find in the united mass of means and efforts greater strength, greater resource, proportionably greater security from external danger, a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign nations; and, what is of inestimable value, they must derive from union an exemption from those broils and wars between themselves, which so frequently afflict neighboring countries not tied together by the same governments...

In this sense it is that your union ought to be considered as a main prop of your liberty, and that the love of the one ought to endear to you the preservation of the other... [R]emember, especially, that for the efficient management of your common interests, in a country so extensive as ours, a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian.

This notion of unity of the nation was perfectly and elegantly balanced with the rigorous defense of individual freedom. The notion that the individual human being, left alone, pursuing his dreams and aspiring to be the best that he or she can be based on his or her desires, is what defines greatness.

 

[dmcowen674]

Replying to Topic: What Made America Great?

Your Title says a lot.

Instead of "Why Is America Great?" you post in the past tense. What are you going to write in your report of why is that?

 

[miguel]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Replying to Topic: What Made America Great?

Your Title says a lot.

Instead of "Why Is America Great?" you post in the past tense. What are you going to write in your report of why is that?

I think I understand you now. Are you on drugs, by chance?

"What Made America Great?" - translated: What event made America into the great country it is today?
"Why Is America Great?" - translated: What makes America great?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: miguel

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Replying to Topic: What Made America Great?

Your Title says a lot.

Instead of "Why Is America Great?" you post in the past tense. What are you going to write in your report of why is that?

I think I understand you now. Are you on drugs, by chance?

"What Made America Great?" - translated: What event made America into the great country it is today?
"Why Is America Great?" - translated: What makes America great?

But I thought the Rich are hurting? You said so. Then how can America still be great?

 

[miguel]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

But I thought the Rich are hurting? You said so. Then how can America still be great?

Because, my ignorant little friend, America is not comprised of only the rich.

 

[MonstaThrilla]

Originally posted by: miguel

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Replying to Topic: What Made America Great?

Your Title says a lot.

Instead of "Why Is America Great?" you post in the past tense. What are you going to write in your report of why is that?

I think I understand you now. Are you on drugs, by chance?

"What Made America Great?" - translated: What event made America into the great country it is today?
"Why Is America Great?" - translated: What makes America great?

That was my intention. I'm asking for the cause, not the current condition. I thought my opening paragraph would explain the question more succintly...

 

[sandorski]

European technology + a wealth of unexploited natural resources

 

[beyoku]

Slaves.

 

[miguel]

Originally posted by: beyoku
Slaves.

I thought slaves made America suck?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: MonstaThrilla

Originally posted by: miguel

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Replying to Topic: What Made America Great?

Your Title says a lot.

Instead of "Why Is America Great?" you post in the past tense. What are you going to write in your report of why is that?

I think I understand you now. Are you on drugs, by chance?

"What Made America Great?" - translated: What event made America into the great country it is today?
"Why Is America Great?" - translated: What makes America great?

That was my intention. I'm asking for the cause, not the current condition. I thought my opening paragraph would explain the question more succintly...

"Well educated, upper middle class citizens decided that the gap between wealthy and poor was too brutal, and worked to close that gap."

So there's your answer in black and white for then. For The Now they are working to WIDEN the gap as evidence and proof by what AT Experts such as miguel said today.

 

[rjain]

Christianity and the unfettered desire to legislate religous beliefs.

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: sandorski
European technology + a wealth of unexploited natural resources

Then why has Africa failed so miserably? They had the same thing...

Same with South America.

 

[alchemize]

Originally posted by: MonstaThrilla
In a paragraph or so, summarize what you think made our country what it is today. Here's mine:

It all started when Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressive Movement took grasp of the country in the first few years of the twentieth century. Well educated, upper middle class citizens decided that the gap between wealthy and poor was too brutal, and worked to close that gap. The Progressive movement died out and WWI came, then the "Roaring 20's". This was a feel good era of corrupt government and general irresponsibility where the gap between rich and poor began to widen again, and with the Great Depression that gap became wider than it was since the Progressive movement. FDR came in, with his "socialistic" government programs, and in my opinion single handedly saved capitalism. When WWII ended and the GI Bill came into effect, it ushered in the era of an overwhelming middle class and the US established itself as a superpower. Its through that strong middle class that America became great.

I read a while ago that since Reagan's economic agenda of the 80's, the gap between rich and poor has yet again been increasing slowly but steadily, and that worries me.

FDR's "socialistic" programs didn't save capitalism, WW2 did.

The GI's coming back from WW2 had a robust economy to return to.

FDR was a president vaulted to greatness by WW2. Otherwise he would have been demonized for trying to "deficit spend" his way out of the recession.