How America’s Social Structure Causes Deviance Essay, Research Paper
How America’s Social Structure Causes Deviance
Although many people know that deviancy is apparent in American society, few realize that it is society itself that causes deviancy. Our social structure exerts numerous pressures among people in our society to engage in non-conforming and deviant behavior to achieve the American dream. American society does this by emphasizing certain success goals, and not emphasizing the correct means to achieve these goals. In addition, deviancy is reinforced in numerous elements of American social structure through culturally defined goals, institutionalized means, societal reactions, and various forms of sanctions. Further, American society has a strong emphasis on wealth and an unreasonable demand for success. Therefore, Americans are lead to forms of innovation, deviancy, and live in a state of anomie.
First, we must examine the definitions of deviance and norms. Henry defines deviance as a person who goes against the standards, expectations, and norms of their society (lecture). Further, deviancy is thought of as a personal
attribute or behavior that results in social disapproval from others, or behavior that breaks the rules and norms for that society(Social Deviance 5). Norms are rules of conduct, and each norm is a statement of desirable or undesirable behavior. Examples of desirable and undesirable states of being are messages like “don’t be too fat” and “don’t be too thin” (Social Deviance 5). In addition, norms are the shared expectations and evaluations of behavior or being that the majority of society’s members agree upon. Meier states that expectations refer to how people will act or be, and evaluations are how people should act or be (Social Deviance 5). These expectations and evaluations further reinforce the standards and expectations of our society.
Some sociologists previously believed that deviance was caused by biology. Sociologists once believed that deviant people were “born bad”, and that heredity, genes, and a persons body chemistry were all common denominators in deviant people. Merton contradicts this theory by noting that:
With the more recent advancement of social science, this set of conceptions has undergone basic modification. For one thing, it no longer appears so obvious that man is set against society in an unceasing war between biological impulse and social restraint. For another, sociological perspectives have increasingly entered into the analysis of behavior deviating from prescribed patterns of conduct. For whatever role the biological impulses, there still remains the
further question of why it is that the frequency of deviant behavior varies within different social structure and how it happens that the deviations have different shapes and pattern in different social structures. (230)
Now sociologists, such as Robert K. Merton, have new insight into the theory that deviancy is caused by the society in which we live, not biology or body chemistry.
This theory of deviance is also backed up by the belief that American society leads an individual to want the American dream, but does not afford them with the means to achieve them (Fanning). As members of a society obsessed with television and media, we have pressures that reinforce the popular belief that material possessions and wealth are extremely important in American society. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that if we can locate certain groups subject to the pressures of achieving the American dream, we should expect to find high rates of deviancy in its members. In addition, some social classes do not have equal opportunity to achieve goals. Due to discrimination, members of lower classes, and certain racial and ethnic minorities, all suffer from blocked opportunities. The stress and strain that results from blocked opportunities causes the individual to question the legitimacy of traditional and institutionalized means (Fanning). In effect, these members of society begin to think of other, often illegal, ways to succeed. Furthermore, when this occurs, respect for the traditionally accepted means of achieving goals crumble, norms weaken, and
society is no longer able to regulate the methods its members use to obtain success. Therefore, high crime among lower classes can be attributed to the stresses caused by American society. If a person is born into a poor family, they might be forced to work while going to high school, and may not be able to focus on school work, like other classmates. Therefore, due to life chances, they might not have the opportunity to go to college due to bad grades or unaffordability. While constantly struggling to make ends meet, they decide to commit a crime to be able to have material possessions, since they believe that they will never be able to save up to buy anything through traditional work.
This new social theory states that deviancy is people simply responding normally to the social situation in which they are in. Furthermore, Merton states that “some social structures exert definite pressures upon certain persons in the society to engage in nonconforming, rather than conforming conduct” (230). In addition, deviance varies culture to culture. What we consider to be deviant is different than what other societies consider deviant. Deviant definitions also change rapidly. American society used to think that women who wore short skirts, or smoked cigarettes were deviant. Now, the same acts are not considered to still be deviant. In addition, Merton notes that “some social structures exert a definite pressure upon certain persons in society” (230). American society is a perfect example of a society that exerts unreasonable pressures, and therefore leads some of its members to deviant behavior.
This social theory is proven further by Merton’s theory of social structure. In American society, Merton believes that there are two elements of social structure; culturally defined goals, and institutionalized means. Culturally defined goals are integrated into society, involving various degrees of value and significance. Culturally defined goals are what society thinks its members should strive for, such as financial success. Institutionalized means are the regulations and norms that are the acceptable way of achieving the culturally defined goal (234). An example of a culturally defined goal is a good education, and a good job. Our society gives a strong social reaction to those who deviate its norms. Societal reactions embrace the ways in which society responds to the individuals, their acts, or suspected deviance. Forms of societal reactions are sanctions and formal sanctions. Sanctions are “punishments usually designed to control suspect or actual deviance” (Social Deviance 5). Formal sanctions are the punishments administered by the state or other form of legal authority. Examples of formal sanction are fines or imprisonment. Most often these formal sanctions have a negative stigma attached to them. Furthermore, sanctions are the ultimate measuring rod for identifying deviancy and deviant acts. An example would be a person given the formal sanction of a prison sentence being labeled a “ex-con”. Informal sanctions are sanctions from less official sources, such as family, peers and friends. Examples of informal sanctions are ridicule, peer disapproval, and criticism (Social Deviance 5).
The next point to discuss is the common types of deviance that result from the pressures that American society puts on its members. Merton says that members of American society are sometimes forced to innovate to reach the goals society prescribes for them. First, goals are internalized and thought of as important, such as wanting a nice car, money, and a home. These people conform to the expectations society gives them, and therefore try to achieve the goals. The person who wants a car to be accepted in society, so they conform by going to college to get a good job, to be able to buy the car. The problem occurs when members want these things, but may not have access to them. Thus, this leads persons to have to innovate to achieve these goals (Merton 233). An innovator may be a person who is unable or unwilling to go to college to get a god job, so they rob a bank to be able to buy the home and car, and therefore can fit in to societies material demands.
Deviancy is also caused by the numerous contradictions and variations American society has on what avenues are thought of as acceptable ways of achieving the goals. In addition, our society also has many double standards about what is seen as acceptable. Some cheat the system, but may be thought of as being crafty, or smart. On the other hand, some equally dishonest acts have punishments, and are looked down upon by members of our society. An example of this is when a business owner price fixes. Even thought the business owner is being exploitative, he is thought of as a business genius, and intelligent.
People who cheat on their taxes, or get paid under the table are dishonest and using morally wrong ways of attaining money. However, these lawbreakers are not criticized, looked down upon, or thought of as criminals. An example of this double standard is when we find an illegal act with the absence of social disapproval. Without social disapproval, an illegal act is not considered to be truly deviant (Fanning). An everyday occurrence of this discrepancy is when someone is caught speeding. The act of speeding is illegal and punished with formal sanctions, such as fines, tickets, or license suspension, but is accepted in our society. We have police officers that are paid to regulate the highways, but no negative stigma attached to the act of speeding, or the punishment given by legal authority.
The demand for success in American society is overwhelming. Success has become constructed as “winning the game” rather than “winning under the rules of the game.” Through the same process, tension generated by the desire to win in a poker game is relieved by a successful dealing one’s self four aces, or when shuffling the cards in a game of solitaire. Merton states that “cultural (or idiosyncratic) exaggeration of the success – goals leads men to withdraw emotional support from the rules” (232-233). On the other hand, a person who robs a bank to attain money is labeled a criminal, and given punishments. People who mug, rob, and burglarize are feared and hated in our society, but cheaters, plagiarizers, and perjurers are not. These double standards create confusion,
and lead members of our society to feel as if they are without guidance or clear morals.
The next argument proving how American society causes deviance is due to American society putting too much emphasis on goals, and not enough value attached the correct means to achieve these goals. Merton states that “American culture continues to be characterized by a heavy emphasis on wealth as a basic symbol of success, without a corresponding emphasis upon the legitimate avenues on which to march toward this goal” (Social Structure 235). Due to this lack of clear guidance, strong social pressure to achieve, and inadequate ways to achieve the pressures society inflicts causes members to be deviant to attain acceptable status in our society. Merton further emphasizes that:
Of the types of societies that result from independent variations of cultural goals and institutionalized means, we shall primarily be concerned with the first – a society in which there is an exceptionally strong emphasis upon specific goals without corresponding emphasis upon institutional procedures. No society lacks norms governing conduct. But societies do differ in the degree in which the folkways, mores, and institutional controls are effectively integrated with the goals which stand high in the hierarchy if cultural values. The culture may be such as to lead individuals to center their emotional convictions upon the complex of culturally acclaimed
ends, with far less emotional support for the prescribed methods of reaching out to these ends. As this process continues, the society becomes unstable and there develops what Durkheim called “anomie,” or normlessness. (232)
Anomie is caused by a society without clear norms, such as American society. Being without institutionalized structure, expectations, and regulations, leads people to become disorientated. Capitalist societies, such as America, are perfect examples of anomic societies. Through ruthless competition and lack of morals and values, capitalists strive for money. Therefore, our social order becomes upset and people lose their way in pursuit of wealth without real regulation.
In addition, money in our society is thought of as more important than honesty, morals, family, and happiness. As Merton states “in some large measure, money has been consecrated as a value in itself, over and above its expenditure for articles of consumption and or its use for enhancement of power. “Money” is a peculiarly well adapted to become a symbol of prestige” (233). Money can buy class, power and status, all of which are highly regarded in American society. Simmel emphasizes that money is highly abstract and impersonal. However acquired, fraudulently or institutionally, money can be used to purchase the same goods and services (Illuminating Social Life 84). Therefore, it doesn’t really matter how one gets money; it just matters that one has money.
The next argument as to why American society leads its members to be deviant is because our society puts a tremendous emphasis on wealth and success. Merton states that the United States has three cultural axioms. The first axiom is that everyone should strive for the American dream, which are wealth, success and independence. The second axiom states that present failure is only a slight setback; third, the only real failure is personal failure, and the withdrawal of ambition (235). This social structure puts tremendous amounts of pressure on all individuals in American society. Our society looks down upon members who do not have wealth or success. Furthermore, there is a negative attitude towards people who do not wish to achieve the “American Dream.” Some members of our society are satisfied with what they have, and do not strive for raises, promotions, or anything greater. These people are thought of as lazy, lacking ambition and work ethic, and put down in our society for simply being content with what they have.
In conclusion, many people think that money will solve all of their problems, and give them happiness. On the contrary, many wealthy people are miserable, and their money has created numerous problems for them. Merton notes that when he was an observer of a community in which the common annual was in the six figures. He witnessed one victim of the American Dream saying, “in this town, I’m snubbed socially because I only get a thousand a week. That hurts” (233). Competition among neighbors, community, co-workers, and
club members is overwhelming. Even after achieving monetary success, it seems as is there is no stopping point to the amount of money some strive for. Merton states that “in the American Dream there is no final stopping point. The measure of “monetary success” is conveniently indefinite and relative” (232). No matter how much money one has, it is never enough. No one can be “too rich” in America. Durkheim states that “to pursue a goal that is unattainable is to condemn ones self to a state of perpetual unhappiness. Our passions must first be limited by a moral force” (Suicide 229). Since we put pressure on ourselves to reach unattainable goals, we are therefore always dissatisfied with our lives.
These social pressures that are reinforced in almost every aspect of American society can further explain deviance. Merton states that:
To say that the goal of monetary success is entrenched in American culture is to say that Americans are bombarded on every side by precepts which affirm the right or, often, the duty of retaining the goal even in the face of repeated frustration. Prestigeful representatives of the society reinforce the cultural emphasis. The family, the school, and the workplace- the major agencies shaping the personality structure and goal formation of America- join to provide the intensive discipline required if an individual is to retain intact a goal that remains elusively beyond reach. (233)
One of the major agencies that shape young Americans morals and values is our education system. Our education system places great emphasis on grades, test scores, and grade point averages. It seems that achieving these things is more important than really learning and retaining information. Therefore, this leads to cheating on tests, bribing professors, and altering transcripts, and all of which are forms of dishonesty and deviance. Durkheim believes that once our society brings back morals and values we will begin to establish more acceptable and reinforced ways of achieving goals (Anomie 79). We must set achievable goals for ourselves and put more emphasis on attaining happiness, not monetary success.
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Соединенные Штаты Америки – четвертая по величине страна в мире с населением порядка 250 миллионов человек. Территория страны покрывает южную часть Северной Америки и простирается от Тихого океана до Атлантического океана. Территория США также включает Аляску, отделенную от России Беринговым проливом и Гавайи, расположенные между штатами западного побережья и Дальним Востоком. Общая территория страны составляет около девяти с половиной миллионов квадратных километров. США граничат с Канадой на севере и с Мексикой на юге. Америка также имеет морскую границу с Россией.
В Соединенных штатах есть низины и горы, самые высокие из которых Роки-Маунтинс, Кордильеры и Сьерра Невада. Самыми главными реками в Америке являются Миссисипи, которая также является одной из самых длинных рек в мире, Миссури, Рио-Гранде и Колумбия. Однако, они непригодны для навигации. Широко известные Великие Озера, расположенные на границе с Канадой, считаются самыми глубокими в США.
Климат в стране очень отличается. По причине того, что страну с севера на юг пересекают горы, территория не защищена от ветров, как холодных, так и теплых. Это вызывает колебания температур. На Аляске климат арктический, в центральной части страны – континентальный, а на юге благодаря горячим ветрам, дующим со стороны Мексиканского залива, субтропический.
США являются одной из самых промышленно развитых стран. Она богата углем, нефтью, железом и прочими минералами, которые составляют прочную базу для развития американской промышленности. Соединенные штаты – одна из ведущих стран в мировой экономике благодаря таким отраслям как добыча угля, металлургия, электроника и освоение космоса, химическая и текстильная промышленность, производство изделий из кожи и пошив обуви. Сельское хозяйство и животноводство также являются ведущими отраслями в американской экономике.
На территории США можно встретить человека практически любой национальности, хотя в большинстве своем население страны европейского или африканского происхождения.
США – союзное государство, в состав которого входят пятьдесят штатов и округ Колумбия, в котором находится столица страны – Вашингтон. Согласно американской конституции правительство делится на три ветви – исполнительная власть, осуществляемая президентом, законодательная, возглавляемая Конгрессом, и судебная. Конгресс включает в себя верхнюю палату – Сенат и нижнюю палату – Палату представителей.
The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world with the population of about 250 million people. Its territory covers the southern part of North America and extends from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska which is separated from Russia by the Bering Strait and Hawaii situated halfway the west-coast states and the Far East. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometers. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a sea-border with Russia.
There are lowlands and mountains in the US among which the highest ones are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera and the Sierra Nevada. America’s most important rivers are the Mississippi which is one of the longest rivers in the world, the Missouri, the Rio Grande and the Columbia. However, they are unsuitable for navigation. The well-known Great Lakes located on the border with Canada are considered to be the deepest in the USA.
The climate of the country differs a lot. Crossed by mountain ranges from north to south, the country is unprotected from winds either cold or warm. This causes great temperature fluctuations. The climate of Alaska is arctic, that of the central part is continental and the south with its hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico has a subtropical climate.
The USA is one of the most developed industrial countries. It is rich in coal, oil, iron and other minerals which form a solid base for the development of America’s industry. The United States is one of the leading countries in the world economy in such industries as mining, metallurgy, electronics and space engineering, chemicals, textiles, leather and footwear. Regarding agriculture, both animal husbandry and arable farming are prominent in the economy of the US.
Though mainly European and African in origin, there are people of nearly all races and nations in the US.
The US is a federal Union of 50 states and a District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The US Constitution divides the government into three branches: the executive branch headed by the President, the legislative one exercised by the Congress and the judicial branch. The Congress includes the Senate and the House of Representatives.
http://www.activeenglish.ru/geo/topics/countries-to-visit/the-usa/usa/США2016-11-18T17:09:19+00:00adminThe USA - СШАПеревод темы по-английскому языку 'США': Соединенные Штаты Америки – четвертая по величине страна в мире с населением порядка 250 миллионов человек. Территория страны покрывает южную часть Северной Америки и простирается от Тихого океана до Атлантического океана. Территория США также включает Аляску, отделенную от России Беринговым проливом и Гавайи, расположенные между...admin [email protected]Английский язык онлайн
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The USAThe United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world (after Russia, Canada, and China). It occupies the southern part of North America and stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. It also includes Alaska in the north and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The total area of the country is about nine and a half million square kilometres. The USA borders on Canada in the north and on Mexico in the south. It also has a seaboarder with Russia.The USA is made up of 50 states and the District of Columbia where the capital of the country, Washington, is situated. The population of the country is about 250 million.If we look at the map of the USA, we can see lowlands and mountains. The highest mountains are the Rocky Mountains, the Cordillera, and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mount McKinley, which is located in Alaska.America's largest rivers are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Rio Grande, and the Columbia. The Great Lakes on the border with Canada are the largest and deepest in the USA.The climate of the country varies greatly. The coldest regions are in the north. The climate of Alaska is arctic. The climate of the central part of the country is continental. The south has subtropical climate. Hot winds blowing from the Gulf of Mexico often bring typhoons. The climate along the Pacific coast is much warmer than that of the Atlantic coast.The USA is a highly developed industrial country. It is the leading producer of copper and oil and the worlds second producer of iron ore and coal. On the industrial enterprises of the country they produce aircrafts, cars, textiles, radio and television sets, weapon, furniture, and paper.Though mainly European and African in origin, the Americans are made up from nearly all races and nations, including the Chinese and the native Americans — Indians.The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, San Francisco, and others.The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, each of which has its own government. The seat of the central (federal) government is Washington, D. C. According to the Constitution of the USA, the powers of the government are divided into 3 branches: the executive, headed by the President, the legislative, exercised by the Congress, and the juridical. The Congress consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are two main political parties in the USA: the Republican and the Democratic.
СШАСоединенные Штаты Америки — четвертая по величине страна в мире (после России, Канады и Китая). Она занимает южную часть Северной Америки и простирается от Тихого до Атлантического океана. Она также включает Аляску на севере и Гавайи в Тихом океане. Общая площадь страны — приблизительно девять с половиной миллионов квадратных километров. США граничат с Канадой на севере и Мексикой на юге. У страны также есть морская граница с Россией.США состоят из 50 штатов и округа Колумбия, где расположена столица страны, Вашингтон. Население страны приблизительно 250 миллионов.Если мы посмотрим на карту США, мы можем увидеть низменности и горы. Самые высокие горы — Скалистые горы, Кордильеры и Сьерра-Невада. Самый высокий пик — гора Мак-Кинли, которая расположена на Аляске.Наибольшие реки Америки — Миссисипи, Миссури, Рио-Гранде и Колумбия. Великие озера на границе с Канадой являются наибольшими и самыми глубокими в США.Климат страны очень изменяется. Самые холодные области находятся на севере. Климат Аляски арктический. Климат центральной части страны континентальный. На юге субтропический климат. Горячие ветры, дующие из Мексиканского залива часто приносят тайфуны. Климат вдоль Тихоокеанского побережья намного теплее, чем у Атлантического побережья.США — высоко развитая промышленная страна. Она — ведущий производитель меди и нефти и второй в мире производитель железной руды и угля. На промышленных предприятиях страны производятся самолеты, автомобили, текстиль, радио и телевизоры, оружие, мебель и бумага.Хотя американцы главным образом имеют европейское и африканское происхождение, они состоят почти из всех рас и наций, включая китайцев и коренных американцев — индейцев.Крупнейшие города — Нью-Йорк, Лос-Анджелес, Чикаго, Филадельфия, Детройт, Сан-Франциско и другие.Соединенные Штаты — федеративная республика, состоящая из 50 штатов, каждый из которых имеет свое собственное правительство. Место заседаний центрального (федерального) правительства — Вашингтон, округ Колумбия. Согласно Конституции США, полномочия правительства разделены на 3 ветви: исполнительная власть, возглавляемая президентом, законодательная, осуществляемая Конгрессом, и юридическая. Конгресс состоит из Сената и Палаты представителей. В США есть две главных политических партии: республиканская и демократическая.
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Эта страна возникла на праве человека добиваться счастья. Собственного счастья. Своего, и ничьего другого. Частная, личная, эгоистичная мотивация, но каковы результаты! Мечта о месте, где жизнь каждого будет лучше, богаче и полнее, где у каждого будет возможность получить то, что он заслуживает, может стать реальностью для каждого, попавшего в США.
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МУНИЦИПАЛЬНОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ ОБЩЕОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ
«ЖИЛЕВСКАЯ СРЕДНЯЯ ОБЩЕОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНАЯ ШКОЛА»
СТУПИНСКОГО МУНИЦИПАЛЬНОГО РАЙОНА
Районный конкурс исследовательских работ обучающихся
Ступинского муниципального района
Предметная секция:
Лингвистика (английский язык)
Темa: «Aмерикaнский английский»
Учащиеся 9 класса
Руководитель:
Губина Марина Акимовна, учитель английского языка
Ступино
2017
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………….3 I. THE HISTORY AND REASONS FOR THE FORMATION OF AMERICAN ENGLISH……………………………………………………………………………………...……4
1.1 THE HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF AMERICAN ENGLISH………………….4 1.2 SOURCES OF AMERICAN ENGLISH………………………...…………………………..… 5
II. GRAMMATICAL AND LEXICAL-SEMANTIC FEATURES OF AMERICAN ENGLISH …………….……………………...…………………..……………….……………………….……7
2.1.DIFFERENCES IN AMERICAN AND BRITISH ENGLISH………..………...……………..7
2.2. AMERICAN ENGLISH IN THE WORLD ..…....………………………….………………10
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AMERICAN ENGLISH
INTRODUCTION
English is the first language for around three hundred and fifty thousand people, the mother tongue of twelve nations, the official or semiofficial language of thirty-three nations. It is the most popular language of international communication. It is spoken and written by hundreds of million people of different nationalities, e.g., more than three thousand newspapers and magazines are published in English in India. It is the language of science, business, and information technology and communication today.
English has become the "new Latin” of our modernity. In different countries it is a must for most technical jobs, such as pilots, scientists. A huge amount of people on the Earth speak and study English. Its influence is very increasable. It can influence not only the dictionary, but also the linguistic structure of other languages.
Once Sir George Bernard Shaw said, “America and Britain are two countries separated by the same language”. It reflects what many British feel about American English.American English began to develop as soon as the first colonists from England arrived to the New World. It had more success than British being cleaner and more correct. The settlers who came from many different parts of Great Britain were together in new and risky conditions, so they tried to keep only common in speech to all of them.
It is interesting to know that today's American English has signs of British English of 17 and even 16 centuries, which are quite archaic for modern British.The difference between the American and British variants was more significant at the beginnning of the twentieth century, but later thanks to the mass media, especially radio and television, this discrepancy was softened.dissention between English in America and English in the UK was discussed in the special linguistic and popular literature for a long time: which of the variants of the English language should be considered as a standard and whether American English should be considered as an independent.We can see how much attention is paid to the study of their differences in the works of such linguists as Halperin, A.Schweitzer, J. Algeo.The aim of this paper is to study the origin of American English vocabulary.And the objectives are:1. To study the background of American English.2. To find and describe the discrepancy between British English and American English.3. To make up a short vocabulary of American English Words.Problems of the work:1. To define the specific spheres of vocabulary where American English developed in its own way.2. To investigate the etymology of the American English words from the specific spheres.In this paper we used such methods as:1. Descriptive method.2. Comparative method.
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America’s Impact On Canadian Confederation Essay, Research Paper
From the years between 1789, when the American Constitution was put into effect, through to l867, when British North America became the Dominion of Canada, there existed foreign influences which impacted on the formation of Canada as an independent country. The United States of America had a major impact on Canadian Confederation and played an influential role in its formation. American attitudes and political, military, and economic actions were influential factors that nudged Canadians along the path to union.
The American attitudes such as Manifest Destiny and slavery had an impact on Canadian Confederation. The idea of Manifest Destiny was that it was the United States of America’s God given right to be in control of all of North America. “Continental expansion was becoming part of God’s plan for the American republic.” The idea of it seemed to appear in every action like the Civil War, Trent Affair, St. Albans Raid, Fenian Raids and the cancellation of the Reciprocity Treaty. There were a number of reasons for these actions but one underlying reason was to accomplish Manifest Destiny. “By the United States controlling its neighbouring countries it controlled its own destiny.” This says that the United States had to control everything just to prove it could control itself. Slavery was practised in some parts of the United States. Canada was opposed to slavery and would not want to be part of a country where fifteen out of thirty states practised it. This is presented by Canadians supporting the abolitionists during the Civil War.
The Political actions that affected Canadian Confederation were the American Constitution and the St. Albans raid. When the American Constitution was written, the Unites States had a fear of central government. They decided to have “states’ rights”. Here they had a weak central government and strong state governments. This eventually lead to the Civil War eighty years later. When slavery came about half of the states practised it while the other half were opposed to it leading to conflict and the Civil War.
One of the Fathers of Confederation who drew
lessons from the American experience was John
A. Macdonald. Determined to avoid the difficu-
lties Associated with “States’ Rights” agitation
in the United States, he initially argued for a
legislative form of Union. (Based upon a single
Central government and no provinces). Only when
Macdonald’s preferred scheme met with resistance
and proved impracticable did he endorse the alter-
native of federal union.
Canada was bound and determined to learn from the American’s mistake and when Confederation occurred they made a strong central government and weak provincial governments. “There was no intention of imitating the United States” This again shows the dislike for the United States structure, and Canada’s want for their own style of government and society.
The St. Albans Raid, which happened during the Civil War, was an attack on the northern United States by the southern United States. Britain was allied with the south as it required cotton for its textile industry. This made British North America allied as well as they were a British colony. The Canadian people were in disapproval of Britain’s support for the South. The Raid occurred when some Southerners travelled up to Canada, went down to the northern United States and robbed a few banks in St. Albans, then went back to Canada. The Canadian government, being their allies only arrested the raiders, returned the money, and let them go. This was a circumstance where the people and the government were not aligned which would cause vulnerability and the possibility of being assimilated. This encouraged Confederation as Canada needed to be powerful enough to defend themselves from assimilation.
Military actions, such as the Civil war and the Fenian raids, had a considerable effect on the Confederation movement. As seen, during the Civil War the people and the government were not aligned in Canada. The government, being British, was allied with the south, while the people, who were anti-slavery, were allied with the north. This caused conflict between the Canadian people and their government resulting in weakness and instability leaving them open for a possible assimilation from the United States.
The Fenian raids had a similar impact. A group of Irishmen from the United States attacked Canada in 1866 in hopes of trading it with Britain for Ireland. If the Fenian raiders could cause a dramatic uprising then Canadians wondered how they could defend themselves if the United States ever decided to wage a full force assimilation attempt. After this it seemed that Confederation was necessary for Canada’s defence.
The economic action that motivated Canadian Confederation was the ending of the Reciprocity Treaty. The 1854 Treaty was a free trade agreement between the United States and Canada.
The experience of losing American reciprocity
evoked for some colonial politicians memories
of l846, when Britain embraced free trade and
left Canada almost economically abandoned.
This resurrected the thought of Manifest Destiny. “A few advocates envisioned that cancellation would leave British North America economically crippled, thus inviting annexation.”
It can be argued that there were other very powerful forces driving Canada toward Confederation. Along with the United States, Britain had a dramatic impact on the Confederation movement. As well as external forces, there were also internal pressures. During the Trent Affair, Britain tried to make Canada pay for troops for their own defence against America. Canada did not want any part in a war between Britain and the United States.
As Donald G. Creighton once wrote: “The anxious
encouragement of Great Britain was the first of
the external forces hastening national expansion;
the second was the pressure of a resentful and
predatory United States.”
Britain was pushy and had control over Canada. There was also a “political deadlock” in the Canadas in the 1840’s. The Act of Union was an unworkable system in establishing equal representation for both East and West Canada. In 1861 there were almost three hundred thousand more Anglophones than Francophones. This made passing legislation nearly impossible, leaving Canada in a deadlock. These internal forces and Britain’s influence drove Canada to confederate so they could not be controlled by any outside force and also have the proper government internally.
Arguing that Confederation occurred primarily because of Britain and other internal pressures ignores a larger factor that influenced Canadian confederation. The United States stands out as having an immense influence on the confederation movement. “While the reasons for the Confederation of Canada in 1867 were many and varied, the American Civil War gave dramatic impetus to the movement.”
George E. Cartier of the Parti Bleu went so far
as to declare that the colonies had either “to
obtain British American Confederation or be
absorbed in an American Confederation.”
This is saying Canada would have been absorbed by the United States of America, not Britain, showing that America caused the considerable threat that in turn had the larger result.
From looking at the American attitudes and political, military, and economic actions, it can be concluded that Canada’s developmental stages through the 1860’s were greatly affected by the United States. There were a myriad of influences which impacted on the formation of Canada as an independent country. Canadian Confederation, which occurred on July 1, 1867, was directly inspired by the United States of America and it played a vital role in Canada’s development. Without the United States as its neighbour, Canada may not have developed as successfully as it has.
Bennett, Jaenen, Brune, Skeoch, Canada: A North American Nation, McGraw Hill, Ryerson LTD, Canada, 1989
Christopher James R. The North Americans, Oxford University Press: Toronto, 1988
Copp, J.T. Confederation: 1867, The Copp Clark Publishing Company: Canada, 1966
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E.manifest/manif2.htm “The Manifest Destiny” copyright 1997. Department of Humanities Computing
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/manifest/manif3.htm “Manifest Destiny” copyright 1997. Department of Humanities Computing
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/manifest/manif4.htm “The Manifest Destiny” copyright 1997. Department of Humanities Computing
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~us/E/manifest/manif5.htm “Manifest Destiny” copyright 1997. Department of Humanities Computing
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/confed/raids.htm “Raids and Skirmishes” copyright 1995-09-22. National Library of Canada
http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/confed/stalban.htm “The St. Albans Raid” copyright 1995-09-22. National Library of Canada
Mackirdy, Moir, Zoltvany, Changing Perspectives in Canadian History, J.M. Dent & Sons: Canada, 1971
Waite, P.B. The Life and Times of Confederation 1864-1867, University of Toronto Press, 1962
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Соединенные Штаты Америки являются четвертой по величине страной в мире по общей площади и третей по численности населения. Они состоят из 50 штатов и федерального округа.
Признанным в мире символом Сан-Франциско является мост Золотые Ворота. Он охватывает пролив Золотые Ворота, то есть канал между заливом Сан-Франциско и Тихим океаном. Он был построен в 1937 году и на протяжении почти тридцати лет оставался самым длинным в мире подвесным мостом. Красно- оранжевый цвет моста был выбран, чтобы сделать его более заметным через густой туман. Этот мост часто фигурирует в кино. Одним из самых впечатляющих природных чудес Северной Америки является Ниагарский водопад.
Великобритания состоит из трех стран: Англия, Шотландия и Уэльс. Остров окружен более чем 1000 маленьких островков. Великобритания считается одной из самых богатых и высокоразвитых стран в мире. Ее экономика в устойчивом прогрессе. Одной из главных отраслей промышленности является судостроение. Помимо этого, Великобритания производит авиационное оборудование, технику, электронику, продукцию черной металлургии, текстиль, химикаты. Что касается образования, Великобритания является интеллектуальным центром Европы. Наиболее известные университеты, такие как Оксфорд и Кембридж, расположены там.Он расположен между штатом Нью-Йорк и провинцией Онтарио. На самом деле их три водопада. Самый большой из них под названием «Подкова» находится на канадской стороне. Чрезвычайно привлекателен для туристов Гранд-Каньон. Этот участок расположен в Северной Аризоне у реки Колорадо.Великобритания - остров в Атлантическом океане, который является частью Соединенного Королевства. Он расположен на северо-западе континентальной Европы. Будучи крупнейшим островом в Европе, это девятый по величине остров в мире. По последним данным, население Великобритании составляет свыше 60 миллионов человек. Около 80% населения проживает в городах. Поверхность острова сильно отличается в разных частях. В то время как северная и западная части гористые (Нагорье), южная, центральная и восточная части покрыты обширной равниной (Низменность). Самая глубокая река на острове Темза, а самая длинная - Северн.Ему более нескольких миллионов лет. Несмотря на то, что это не самый большой каньон в мире, его вид просто впечатляет красочными пейзажами и захватывающими панорамами. Йеллоустонский национальный парк является еще одним замечательным природным зрелищем. Он расположен в штате Вайоминг, хотя простирается до штатов Монтана и Айдахо. Это был первый национальный парк в мире, созданный в целях сохранения природных гейзеров и дикой природы. Парк находится на вершине гигантской горячей точки, которая имеет на поверхности светлый, расплавленный камень. Там туристы могут найти гейзеры и горячие источники.Пища - это одновременно топливо для нашего организма и источник удовольствия. Она заряжает энергией на весь день, особенно если она здоровая и питательная. Основные питательные вещества, которые люди получают от пищи, это белки, витамины, минералы, жиры и углеводы. Однако некоторые люди отказываются кушать мясо животных, рыбу, молочные или другие продукты. Таким образом, они урезают из своего рациона некоторые питательные вещества. На выбор людей есть какую-либо пищу или не есть, влияют различные факторы. Эти факторы могут быть религиозного характера, культурного, зависящего от здоровья и, конечно же, от вкусовых качеств. Реклама также оказывает своеобразное социальное воздействие на людей и их выбор пищи.Помимо этого, они могут увидеть медведей гризли и бизонов, оленей и лосей, а также сделать много других чудесных открытий на территории парка. Одним из самых желанных туристических направлений в США является Голливуд - дом американской киноиндустрии и развлечений. Он расположен в центре Лос-Анджелеса и включает в себя несколько исторических студий. В Голливуде также расположены Китайский театр Граумана, студия Парамаунт Пикчерз, Аллея славы, возможности для шопинга на Родео Драйв и много других интересных мест.Канада, безусловно, одна из самых интересных стран с многочисленными достопримечательностями и традициями. Достопримечательности Канады не только природного характера, но и архитектурные, культурные, а также исторические. Говоря о природных достопримечательностях, нужно упомянуть Великие озера, Ниагарский водопад и область Каньона Агава. Возможно, самые красивые архитектурные достопримечательности это Сити-Холл в Торонто и Башня Мира в Оттаве. Среди наиболее известных исторических и культурных достопримечательностей можно выделить Канадский военный музей, крепость Луисбург, Квебекскую Крепость и многие другие.The United States of America is the fourth largest country in the world by total area and the third largest by population. It consists of 50 states and a federal district. Due to large-scale immigration, the country is known to be the most ethnically diverse and multicultural in the world. The USA borders with Canada in the north ad with Mexico in the south. Although the country is comparatively young, it is full of natural and historical attractions. Every year millions of tourists visit the USA to explore its riches. The largest rivers are the Mississippi and the Missouri. The highest peak, Mount McKinley, is located in Alaska, and the largest lakes are the Great Lakes on the border with Canada. The capital of the country is Washington D. C. It’s a small city mainly of political significance. The largest cities are New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and some others. There are a number of places which tourists want to visit arriving in the USA. This list includes the White House, Manhattan, Las Vegas, Golden Gate Bridge, Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, and of course Hollywood. The White House is situated in the capital of the USA. Since its foundation it has served as the official residence of the President. The building was first used by John Adams. Manhattan is the place which people picture thinking of New York. It is one of its five boroughs with plenty of skyscrapers. The image of Manhattan has been featured thousands times on screen. The sights of the area include Times Square, Broadway Theatre, Rockefeller University, New York City Hall, etc. Manhattan is also one of the most expensive places to live and to shop. Las Vegas is the gambling mecca of the world. This resort city is the leading financial and cultural center of southern Nevada. Casinos and mega-casino hotels with lavish decorations can be found throughout the city. All in all, the city is built to create a fantasy-like atmosphere.
An internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge. It spans the Golden Gate strait - a channel between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It was built in 1937 and for almost thirty years remained the world’s longest suspension bridge. The red-orange colour of the bridge was chosen to make it more visible through thick fog. The bridge is frequently featured in movies. One of the most spectacular natural wonders of North America is Niagara Falls. It is situated between the state of New York and the province of Ontario. It actually contains three different waterfalls. The largest one, the Horseshoe Falls, is situated on the Canadian side. Grand Canyon is an extremely attractive tourist destination. The site is situated in Northern Arizona by the Colorado River. It is over several millions year. Although it’s not the largest canyon in the world, the view if this landmark is impressive with its colourful landscapes and spectacular vistas.
Yellowstone National Park is another remarkable natural sight. It is situated in the state of Wyoming, although it stretches to Montana and Idaho. It was the first national park in the world established to preserve natural geysers and wildlife. The park lies on top of a gigantic hotspot, which has a light molten rock on the surface. Tourists can find geysers and hot springs there. In addition, they can see grizzly bears and bison, deer and elk and many other wondrous things within the park borders. One of the most desired tourist destinations in the USA is Hollywood - the home of American film industry and entertainment. It is located in central Los Angeles and features several historic studios. The area of Hollywood also includes the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Paramount Pictures, Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive shopping opportunities and many other interesting places.unit.photogdz.ru
