California Dreaming...

Americans reinvented the “American Dream” of seeking opportunities and obtaining financial wealth and retitled it the “California Dream.” While the American Dream is celebrated as being a new found method for immigrants to escape the financial imprisonment of the English Government and a way to capitalize on opportunities for education advancement, land ownership and freedom, the California Dream is erroneously labeled as being solely about materialistic desires and ambitions. Those who ventured to the new land of California sought very similar opportunities of wealth, land and freedom.

 

Freedom from racial or ethnic prejudice also motivated settlers in California just as the settlers shifted to American. African Americans ventured to the new land in search of racial autonomy. While the bigotry was not exempt in California, African Americas had a greater opportunity at acceptance.

Between the years of 1860 and 1960 the population in California soared due to the legendary Gold Rush. Innumerable Americans flocked to the Golden State in search of nuggets of potential. “The prospect of seemingly effortless riches led Americans to move mountains in pursuit of the dream.”[i] As eloquently stated by The American Dream author, Jim Cullen, “the California gold rush is the purest expression if the Dream of the Coast in American history.”[ii] The gold rush was an expression of the dream because it was an illusionary prospect of fame and riches that was only discovered by a few but sought after by the masses. Similar to their ancestors traveling from foreign land, Americans hoping to gain wealth packed up their life on the East and moved to the Coastal frontier.

The initiation and expansion of the railroads brought another similar aspect between the American and California Dreams, the ability to own land. While the American dream did produce on the promise to own land, the California dream intensified that promise by offering land in warm climates and beautiful landscapes. Even the threats of earthquakes could not stop Americans from wanting to leave the cold flat lands of the East for the coastal views and rolling hills of the West. Farmers were captivated by the potential of plant multiple crops a season as had been achieved by some aggressive businessmen. As with the other aspects of the California Dream, the enticement was the possibility of gaining much while sacrificing or working little.

With the introduction of car ownership, the natural instinct of the American culture to be materialistic was cultivated and ultimately matured. Americans began to shape their identity around what type of vehicle they owned and even made strenuous sacrifices to maintain the ownership of their vehicle. This habit was conveyed to the current American culture where the idea of purchasing a car outside of one’s means or leasing a car to obtain quickly what one does not want to save for is a predominate approach for owning a car.    

 

 

 It should be no surprise that the California Dream was inclusive of material attainment since the foundation of America involved the same priorities. The American culture was founded on principles of material threshold and that principle has been woven into our culture and our values intrinsically. As a California native having lived in more than 15 cities throughout, I sincerely love this state and could not see myself living anywhere else. I am lured by the same characteristics of beautiful weather, great land and financial opportunities. I wholeheartedly agree with every love song written for the state and I can only hope we learn to preserve the land and manage the state’s resources responsibly so the beauty and potential of the state can forever remain.

 

For additional information regarding the California Gold Rush: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6DaUtrM-Q&feature=youtu.be
 

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[i] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford, 2003. Page 170

[ii] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford, 2003. Page 170

American Opportunistic Culture

American culture has always been Opportunistic in nature, through the pursuit of happiness incorporated into the American Dream to the Upward Mobility movement and even expanding to home and car ownership. America was founded and populated by those who were first interested in the new land based on the opportunity promised and an improved life for one’s family. “From the very beginning, then, a notion that one’s children might have a better life has been a core component of the American Dream”[1]. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the people who inhabit the land continued on the journey seeking greater opportunities.  

“By 1900 the automobile was clearly emerging as an entrepreneurial opportunity”[2]. By 1903, with the designs and manufacturing of cars, the opportunities available to the American people reached greater pinnacles. Having a car allowed people to travel and visit those in other areas that they would not normally have access to. Those living in the city and rural areas had faster access to one another and were able to merge the two cultures by utilizing the opportunity that having a vehicle provided. Automobiles also allowed for more efficient health care, enabling “physicians to make their rounds more efficiently” [3] and provided the means for families who would have to travel for days to seek medical assistance an opportunity at better health and probability for overcoming illness. Economically, owning a car helped farmers to expand their territory of sales and benefit financially from the ease of access created by cars.

When Henry Ford became successful at manufacturing cars, in the American way, he immediately saw an opportunity to improve and advance on the product and continued to do so through numerous designs. Through the design of the Model T, Henry Ford allowed the opportunities to be available widely across the nation.

Ford Model T   

 

Henry Ford

 

In the 1920s Walter Chrysler continued the opportunistic approach to life by searching for ways to make his cars for luxurious. Chrysler identified and implemented improvements that led to an advanced design and a high compression engine[4]. Chrysler made “the first modern car made not for rural farmers, but for the now predominant urban America”[5]. Chrysler was innovative and opportunistic and those characteristics made him legendary.

The quest for opportunity to advance the designs extended into the 1930s with the development of extreme luxury cars such as the Speedster and the Cadillac V-16. Cars became glamorous and offered custom bodywork[6].

Image of a Cadillac V-16

 

Americans may have taken to cars “passionately – and perhaps as irrationally – as they did to houses”[7], but the passion was one for the opportunities they had envisioned becoming a reality. Knowing that cars were initially for the wealthy and to promote the opportunity to own a vehicle, the cost of cars became less expensive over time providing evidence that the core of owning a car was based on the opportunity it allowed, not the materialism from owning one. The American culture was founded on opportunistic dreams and became a nation that continuously sought opportunities. This trait is part of what allows the American culture to be so distinct and prominent.

For additional references, please view a video regarding cars in the 1920s using the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uZz3X3i2HA

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[1]  Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford, 2003. Page 23

 

[2]Heitmann, John. The Automobile and American Life. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009. Page 54

[3] Heitmann, John. The Automobile and American Life. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009. Page 26

[4] Heitmann, John. The Automobile and American Life. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009. Page 64

[5] Heitmann, John. The Automobile and American Life. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009. Page 65

[6] Heitmann, John. The Automobile and American Life. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2009.Page 103

[7]Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford, 2003. Page 150

Social Activism in the Progressive Era

When the American Dream evolved into a dream of upward mobility, African Americans were thrilled to have the opportunity to enhance their way of life, provide better means for their families and share in the dream of upward mobility. Unfortunately, they were not informed that dreams of upward mobility did not apply to them entirely. Instead, to satisfy their longing to share in the same advantages and privileges as White Americans, Separate but Equal laws were initiated to provide a small portion of the dream while allowing White Americans to keep their neighborhoods, schools and families inaccessible.

Wikipedia states that, “under the 'separate but equal doctrine', blacks were entitled to receive the same public services and accommodations such as schools, bathrooms, and water fountains.” To the expectation of the Whites and the dismay of the Black community, accommodations were far from equal. “African Americans were systematically deprived of political, civil, and social equality for decades to come” [1]. African American schools received less funding than White American schools, impacted the quality of the schools and the education and learning experiences between the groups. African Americans were put through rigorous tests in order to allow them to vote, disqualifying the majority and allowing the White American vote to prevail repeatedly. Restaurant, restrooms and other public areas established for African Americans were also inferior to the presentation, cleanliness and quality that White Americans used.

 

In the midst of the legalized separation, Homer Plessy, an African American man who was able to pass for White and “enjoyed a series of constitutionally protected rights as a United States citizen”[2], decided to relinquish his ability to be accepted by both races and joined with others in an effort to outlaw segregation. Plessy and the team that dedicated years to struggling through the legal system wholeheartedly trusted in the Progressive influences and believed that activism could influence social justice. Ultimately, the Supreme Court did not rule in favor of outlawing segregation and the case of “Plessy vs. Ferguson” was “considered among the worst decisions the Supreme Court ever made”[3].

The American Dream for Upward Mobility became an obscure and inaccessible goal for African Americans in a single moment. The continuation of ambiguously defining equality of opportunity had prevented equality from ever being obtainable to the masses [4] and would continue to influence separation of the classes and the American culture in future generations.

Besides racial issues, social activist also targeted prostitution and aimed at enhancing provisions to women either forced into a life of prostitution or attempting to escape from a career that only led to judgment and tragedy. Prostitution had grown massively among young girls and politicians and social activist began to battle the cause as fiery as they had battled the revolution.  “There is a slave trade in this country, and it is not black folks this time, but little white girls – thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen and seventeen years of age”[5]. Men who were utilizing brothels and prostitutes were targeted as villains against the American Dream by certain philanthropist. The cry for help begin to rescue these young girls from a life of slavery and drugs and to provide them with the same freedom and ability to achieve upward mobility as African Americans were fighting for. Some women were able to find work in the high class brothel, such as the notorious Everleigh Club, but the life of a prostitute was not glamorous for all.  Unfortunately, facing similar political barriers as with segregation, the brothels were in some ways safeguarded by unethical police officers and judicial workers that gave in to bribes and payoffs, which delayed the illegalization of prostitution and brothels. [6]

During the Progressive Era, the crusade against the Separate but Equal laws were more influential due to the frequency of the battles and the empowerment that begin to grow for social activist allowing them the confidence and will to face other areas of discrimination and unethical behavior.

Both social issues widely opposed during the Progressive Era have impacted and influenced the current culture of American and neither issue has fully ceased to exist. Racism, segregation and trafficking of young girls are all heartbreaking issues that are current political platforms and exist on the agendas of many activist groups today. “Legalized segregation might be a thing of the past in 21st-century America, but that doesn't mean that communities are fully integrated”[7]. Clearly stated by author Simon Fuller, even though the ruling in the “Brown vs. The Board of Education” case brought an end to legalized segregation, exclusivity and seclusion still remains vivid and thriving in our Nation. Perhaps one day, the dream will be available for all. Please use the link below to view Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech, " I have a Dream." This is something that everyone should view at some point in their life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gdTpU5WZHHM

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[1] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, Page 106

[2] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, Page 103

[3] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, Page 106

[4] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, Page 108

[5] Abbott, Karen. Sin in the Second City, New York: Random House, 2008, Page 49

[6] Bertrand, Melanie. Social Activism and Prostitution in the Progressive Era. n.d. http://melaniebertrand.hubpages.com/hub/Social-Activism-and-Prostitution-in-the-Progressive-Era.

 

[7] Fuller, Simon. Harmful Effects of Segregation. n.d. http://www.ehow.com/info_8514884_harmful-effects-segregation.html (accessed September 2012).

 

Cultural Influences of the Condeferate and Union States

While the lack of healthcare and the long cold winters were still largely an issue for Northerners, there was hope with the continued investment in factories and machinery. The South omitted from investing in machinery and continued to invest in manual labor. This decision alone would shape the culture of the Union and the Confederacy. The initiation of factories highly influenced the unionistic point of view. The North had learned how to invest and import, providing greater wealth and self-sufficiency. Those in the South were dependent upon the Northerners for financial assistance during hardships. The establishment of factories also allowed African Americans to join the workforce and earn respect. They were seen less as people needing someone to aid their race and were meriting value and equality. The North became a land of opportunity for all.

The impact of the Puritan work ethic would establish the work ethic of the North. Southerners did not have to adopt the strict and strategic planning diligence and the Northerners due to the mild winters in the South.  The culture of the South was not as investment oriented as the Yankees of the North. The long-term goals were varied between the different cultures. The Northerners adopted the American Dream for Upward Mobility, believing in self-sufficiency. [1] The dream for upward mobility also lived in the South; however the South chose to invest in other men to work for them as slaves, rather than doing the work themselves. The dream impacted the two regions very differently and continued to weave through areas of life such as the conception of factories and industrialization.

Cotton Factory in New York during the Civil War

With the establishment of factories and other investments, the Northern culture had incorporated a small amount of middle class into its culture slowly decreasing the elitism and power separation between the classes. In the North, “people were investing in labor saving machinery -- advancing technology in order to reduce manual labor or labor costs”[2] further eliminating the need and support of slavery. The culture in the South desired the power that owning slaves offered. Those that could not afford slaves would envy slave owners. Southerners even believed that “adds to its refinement, allows more time to cultivate the mind, exalts the standards in morals, manners and intellectual endowments.”[3] The presence of power and exclusivity remained in the South and influenced the culture the Reconstruction era that become hostile and aggressive towards African Americans.

Citizens divided during the Reconstruction Era

Education was also more favored and appreciated in the North. Southerners had a greater amount of illiteracy with education being reserved for the privileged. Since agriculture dictated the school schedules, children in the South had to work their schooling around the agriculture calendar. This accommodation eventually influenced our cultural practice of summer breaks for schools. [4] Those in the North also had to accommodate scheduling around school, however invested in the education of more than the elite, which also supported the growth of the middle class.

When the time came for men to enlist in the War, African Americans remembered the opportunities granted with the ability to learn and work and become equal and therefore they were more willing to serve for the cause of the Civil War. African Americans made up 10% of the Union soldiers initially and the numbers continued to grow reaching over 180,000 men who enlisted. The following video describes the contribution that African Americans provided to the Union frontier: http://www.5min.com/Video/African-Americans-in-the-American-Civil-War-300994331

 

 

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[1] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003

[2] Macrohistory and World Report. 2011. http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h42cw-culture.htm (accessed September 2012).

[3] Genovese, Fox-Genovese. Fatal Self-Deception. New York: Cambridge, 2011.

[4] Civil War Trust. 2011. http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/education.html (accessed September 2012)

 

Religion and Freedom in American Colonial Culture

The dominate trend that existed and influenced decisions during the Colonial and Revolutionary period was religion. Religious freedom was the driving force that inspired men of all ages to revolt against their native country of England in order to pursue a life that would develop into the American Dream. As described by James Truslow Adams, the American dream would provide “a better, richer and happier life for all out citizens of every rank.” [1] During the Colonial period, the American Dream was designed to establish “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe” [2] when the preamble to the Declaration of Independence inaugurated three basic rights: the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

To read the full preamble of the Declaration of Independence visit: http://www.elcivics.com/us_declaration_preamble.html

                                                        

Religion influenced more than the foundation of the Colonies, the set of beliefs founded by the Puritans prompted intolerance and self-righteousness.  While Christianity was the popular religion, there was no unified beliefs system to create a happier life for all people as religion based on Puritan beliefs assisted the influence elitism and the separation of classes. “Although most colonists considered themselves Christians, this did not mean that they lived in a culture of religious unity. Instead, differing Christian groups often believed that their own practices and faiths provided unique values that needed protection against those who disagreed, driving a need for rule and regulation.” [3] The Puritans did have the best interest of the people in mind, but like the Founding Fathers, could not decide amongst themselves how to make the world a better place.

Thomas Jefferson attempted to better American culture through his love of food and entertaining. Jefferson believed that Relationships cultivated through sharing a meal could enhance the community and narrow the gap between classes. He encouraged appreciation of other cultures by sharing food knowledge and crops and bringing a blend of different nations to America. [4]

Religion was a definite trend during the Colonial and Revolutionary period and the inability to agree on an interpretation of liberty continued to shape how the American culture matured. When questioned about the interpretation of liberty in the Declaration of Independence, John Winthrop is quoted as declaring liberty “makes men grow evil, and in time to be worse than brute beasts.” [5] While the loose definition of freedom allowed slavery to continue and the belief that “freedom was to be a relative and racially limited term”[6], during the Revolution period the problem of slavery developed moral clarity. The Revolutionary period was about power and American were able to recognize their own power issues and relate the desire for power with the power that initiated the separation from England.

As religion continued to trend through the American culture, impacting freedom and class, the Declaration of Independence continued to transform and adjust to the beliefs and morals of the nation. The desire for a better and happier life is still a dominate goal for the current culture and much like the Colonial period, the translation of that goal requires clarification and implementation to ensure freedom for all.

                                            

[1]

Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

[2] Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.refernece.com/browse/universe (accessed September 2, 2012)

[3] http://nobigotry.facinghistory.org/content/religion-colonial-america-trends-regulations-and-beliefs

 

[4] DeWitt, Dave “The Founding Foodies” 2010 Sourcebooks

[5]

Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

 

[6] Cullen, Jim. The American Dream. New York; Oxford University Press, 2003

Introducing Irma Sorber

Hello. My name is Irma Sorber. Because of the uniqueness of my name (at least within my generation), I tend to answer to nick names with my favorite being Irms. However, outside of friends and family, I prefer to be called Irma. When people ask where I am from I usually answer, “I am a California girl.”  I have live in at least 20 different cities within California in the Northern, Central and Southern parts of the State. I currently live in Folsom, CA which is a small town about thirty miles East of Sacramento. Folsom is a great town, lots of rolling hills and beautiful trees, clean parks, safes neighborhoods and an excellent school system. It is well known for being a family town. I have lived in Folsom for the last eleven years and have enjoyed my stay.

I believe life is full of things to love. If I really had to narrow it down my top three would be 1) My children. I firmly believe part of my purpose from God is to be a mother to two of the most precious children. 2) Serving my community and those in the world that are in need. My other purpose from God is to feed people. It saddens me that so many in our Nation are forced to go without one of the simplest necessities – food. 3) Laying out in the sun on a warm day. I could probably lay out for hours if I were not a fulltime mom, wife, worker, student, volunteer, etc. But the thought of laying out on a quiet day and allowing the sun’s rays to keep me warm is enough motivation to keep going.

My academic goals include graduating college in 2013!! From there I plan on becoming certified by the National Contract Management Association (my current career field) and obtaining a Master’s in Business Administration. The MBA may be pursued in a few years, but the goal will be achieved.

Literally, my dining room table is in front of me. I am typing quietly as my children are in bed and my husband is reading. Metaphorically, opportunities and a golden path are ahead of me. I am on the road towards accomplishing a long-time goal for myself and making my family proud while setting an example for my children.

Without over-thinking, the first word to come to mind when considering the most defining characteristic in our world today is “pride” in the negative connotation. Many of the choices that people make are based on the lack of humility, the desire to be in control of their own life and all things relating to pride. As defined by Wikipedia, “refers to an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride). The bible defines pride as the attempt to bring glory to oneself. With either definition, the way to break the barrier of pride is to practice immediate humility in ever through and action until the heart is overcome with an attitude that is humble.