The rapid changes that arose from the civil war to the mid 1920s displays to a great extent of the identity that Americans possess. Even though there are racial disparities, I believe there is an underlying theme that can relate to all Americans as a whole. This theme could not have been said better than Theodore Roosevelt, in "The Strenuous Life", because the strenuous life leads us in the path to make choices that describe who we are. Change is the foundation of the strenuous life; Nobody likes to experience change especially due to the discomfort it brings, however, it has created the hardworking and innovative Americans that we are today that wouldn't not be have been the same without the civil war, industrialization and expansion west. …show more content…
Andrew Carnegie, a very rich entrepreneurial man, wrote " The Gospel of Wealth" which really brings insight into the identity of the American. During the industrialization there was huge disparities between the rich and the poor. There were the working class that had all the skills that went to work for long hours to make ends meet, then there were the business owners that thrived. It is easy to see that hardships that the working class went through, including unfair pay and hours. Even though they were the ones with all the skills and knowledge they still were being limited power by the managers. It seems unfair what they went through, but the metaphor of the worker resembles perfectly what the American identity is. The American worker is bombarded with so much oppression from hard work hours and extremely low wages, though they still worked hard and created quality things for the public. The important thing to note is each worker played an important role in the bigger picture that would benefit later generations, similar to a cog in a machine. For example, by them also standing up for their rights led to a more structured scientific management system as well as strikes. Carnegie, also attacks the rich and the very fortunate people as well. He believes they should not sit around and make nothing of themselves but to put their knowledge and …show more content…
This definition seems very one dimensional and does not seem to truly be exactly what it is to be an American. Actually, as a byproduct of this it has led to hard work and a road to acceptance portrayed by the civil war. Expansion also shows a level of hope that an American must possess. People expanding westward had no idea what they had in store for them and what kind of life it will bring, but they still had were optimistic. They were willing to go through the hardship of travel, and building up new communities, and fighting in battles with Indians to ensure a better