July the 4th, 1776 is considered to be the birthday of the US nation, since that day the Declaration of Independence was adopted (History.com). Thomas Jefferson’s proclamation that ‘all men were created equal’ destined America’s political course towards democracy; however, the notion of ethnic diversity was excluded from defining traits of the American identity. The Declaration was written for white Americans, while other inhabitants suffered from being enslaved or dispossessed of their lands. According to historian Paul Finkelman (Race: The Power Of An Illusion), Thomas Jefferson was the first person, who implemented the idea of race in the United States. In the Notes on the State of Virginia, Jefferson regarded African Americans as humans with ‘different state of mind and body’. Jefferson held more than 200 slaves in contradiction to his own ideas of liberty and equality (Race: The Power Of An Illusion).
In 1619, when first Africans arrived in Virginia, skin color was not yet a clear category of identity. As stated by historian Theda Perdue, ethnicity or particular background was not important that time, but status in life, religion and other social traits were more important categories to distinguish different groups of people (Race: The Power Of An Illusion).
During the recent decades scholars conducted a range of scientific researches to prove that race is not a biological concept, but rather a social one. In 1950, UNESCO summarized the findings of geneticists and anthropologists into the unprecedented conclusion that races do not exist as a biological reality (Sussman).
These facts makes us understand that notion of race is no more than a myth, which was made up to justify the centuries of slavery and discrimination. One of the questions that remain open is whether American national thinking changed to comply with the social and political progress.
It took centuries for minorities to gain equal rights. The significance of Civil War, Civil Rights Movement and other remarkable events cannot be overestimated, as they maintained the balance in the society. To say more, this tragic experience made a great contribution into the development of American identity and showed that the only difference between social groups is lack of efforts to see the similarity.
There is no denying the fact that American identity experienced numerous challenges throughout the history of the US. The Declaration of Independence had given a birth to American identity, and the chain of revolutionary events, which occurred during the next centuries, formed and shaped it. Our national thinking has changed, whether intentionally or not, with the historical experience that America was forced to receive. Regardless the fact that social inequality might still be present, we have made a huge step to succeed in its elimination.
The American culture has always been characterized by cultural and national diversity. This means the existence of many voices and opinions and, thus, vast arrays of opportunities to choose the direction you like most.
On one hand, racial and cultural diversity is a challenge for both majority and minority groups, since one group might raise the issues that the rest are not about to accept. We are not ready to accept the moral standards of alien ideology; however, we should not reject their right for existence at the same time.
On the other hand, the differences may serve as an impetus to develop one united nation rather than constitute a threat to particular cultural values.
Works cited
History.com,. "Declaration Of Independence - American Revolution – History.com". Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
Race: The Power Of An Illusion. 2016. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
Sussman, Robert Wald. "There Is No Such Thing As Race". Europe.newsweek.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 16 Jan. 2016.
