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Founding of Jamestown
The founding of the first English colony in North America is a historic date for our country. It relates to American identity because it was the starting of one of the most famous colonies and the first colony to land in america helped develop its identity more than almost any other. -
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The Middle Passage
The transportation of slaves accross the sea from africa to america. It is important to modern american identity because now all men are created equal and we stick to it. -
First Great Awakening
The change in religious views of the colonists to believe in more emotional involvement than ritual. It went with the freedom of religion that is important to America. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration showed the British that the American colonies were serious about leaving. The document formalized the American identity that was already forming, a belief in freedom and opportunity over the security of being under the thumb of the British. -
The Ratification of the Constitution
All English colonies agreed to the constitution. It is important as it represents the unity and community that used to be one of the most major parts of american Identity. -
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Manifest Destiny
The belief that Americans were destined to expand across all of North America, which they did, at the expense of the native population. It went with the American ideal of opportunity, allowing the settlers to claim new land unlike the places from whence they came. -
13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments
The three amendments defining the new freedoms that the now emancipated slaves had access to. It was the beginning of the long recovery of relations between blacks and whites and allowed for the unity and community of American identity to shine through. -
Americanization Movement
The flooding of America with new immigrants, a welcome prospect at the time as more workers were needed, resulted in new changes to rules to allow for the immigrants to become legalized Americans. It exemplified the community and oppurtunity ideals of the American identity. -
Lost Generation
The generation ruined by the events of World War 1, the War to End All Wars. It involved what some thought of as the death of the American Dream, the betrayal of many of the American Ideals during World War 1. -
California Alien Land Act
A law legalizing racism in California with a Japanese-directed ban on land own age by immigrants. goes against the American ideals of freedom and oppurtunity, banning immigrants from having either. -
Mexican Repatriation Program
The mass deportation of legal US citizens of Mexican descent from the US. It was a violation of their constitutional rights and of the american ideals, the freedom to stay being violated. -
Bracero Program
A program to allow Mexican workers to come to America to supplement those who would leave for World War 2. It goes with opportunity, allowing workers from Mexico to make money and allowed for freedom and security, allowing the troops to fight without causing harm to America's economy. -
Korematsu V. United States
The supreme court case where Korematsu, a Japanese citizen who was detained according to order 9066, testified saying that the detainment of the legal citizens and encroachment on their freedoms was unconstitutional. It went against our normal rules of freedom being number one and "security" took precedence. -
North American Free Trade Agreement
The free-trade bloc signed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Follows the ideals of oppurtunity for those who live in America to trade with those they want to. -
9/11
The bombing of the twin towers by Alqauda was the event that sparked the focus in America on security more so than ever before. It also helped New York to become a welcoming place again.