Search for national identity Essay example - 1071 Words

The Search For National Identity Nationalism is the attitude members of a nation have when they care about their national identity. Nationalism can also be the love of a country and the willingness to make sacrifices for it. Just as a person’s identity is affected by other people and the events in their life, a nation is affected the same way. There have been many people and events that have affected the national identity of America. There were two Awakenings that spread different aspects of American thought. The first Awakening brought a change in the style of preaching. The new style that took hold was passionate and fiery, characterized by preachers giving detailed descriptions of the fate of those headed to eternal punishment in hell.†¦show more content†¦(Berkin pg. 255) The term destiny displays the thinking that there was a divine plan for the spread of American thought (predominated by belief in the Gospel) across the continent. Thus, many missionaries were sent westward. There were a few factors that influenced the push west. Many artists influenced Manifest Destiny. The Hudson River School was a group of artists founded by the popular artist, Thomas Cole. (Berkin pg. 238) The school painted beautiful works of art that depicted the wonderful landscape of the West. Since most people did not actually know what the West really looked like, they were influenced by the works of art by the Hudson River School. The art made the West look better than it actually was, and drew many unknowing people westward. The Oregon Trail was the path to get to Oregon. The Oregon Trail was a 2,500-mile stretch of land that settlers of the West traversed. The trail had branches that went to California and Utah. The trail was very rugged and the weather was not always good. So many people died along the Oregon Trail that a grave could have been placed every 80 yards. The war with Mexico also expanded American territory. Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott were two army leaders during that war. Taylor led the defeat of Mexico’s Santa Anna at Buena Vista. ( Berkin pg. 262) The victory made Taylor a hero in the eyes of Americans and led to his eventual presidency. Scott was a leader of troops during the war with Mexico and the war of 1812. AShow MoreRelatedThe European Exploration Of America1639 Words   |  7 PagesThe discovery of America opened up the door for many people to find a new home and also a new identity. The European explorers of the late 15th and 16th centuries did not discover America; the native people had already lived and flourished there for many years. The European exploration of America is notable because it is the start of the mentality among Americans the fuels the need to travel from home in order to find oneself. Since the beginning, the settlers in America have been people who leftRead MoreThe Issues of Globalization on National Cultures of Indonesia1272 Words   |  6 Pagesaround the world can be accessed. Indonesia as a one of the developing country in the world is also experiencing the effects of rapid globalization. The influence of globalization on national cultures covering a variety of sectures such as cultural life that are sooner or later will affect the principle of identity and national culture of Indonesia itself. What happens is that the opening of land for expansion product of Western culture to Indonesia as developing country. Southern culture is very difficultRead MorePersonal Prevention of Identity Theft Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Prevention of Identity Theft Today in the United States there is a crime that every citizen faces having committed against them and that is the crime of identity theft. 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The non-fiction treatment of this young life illustrates through the rebuilding of events in McCandless’ life the idea that McCandless seemed obsessed with how people appeared blind to the fact that they were living unhappy lives yet were terrified of giving up that life