The History of the USA - Essay Example

? Final paper December 14, Final paper Introduction. Equality achievement has diverse interpretations. The research delves on the equality contributions of President Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, Stanton, and other American leaders. The search discusses the four types of American ethnic relations levels. Fulfilling the promise to make all men equal is trending on the correct road towards realization. Jefferson’s making a promise in his Declaration of Independence. In 1776, President Thomas Jefferson uses the philosophical teachings of John Locke as the foundation for his declaration of independence where President Jefferson promised to exert efforts to make all men equal. However, the makers of the United States Constitution preferred that only the White Americans who owned lands could vote (Ciment 1). On the other hand, President Jefferson emphasized that the people must be granted their inalienable rights. The rights include the right to live, liberty, and right to seek one’s happiness. Further, John Locke’s Two Treatise on Government, published in 1690, reiterated that the people had the inalienable (natural) rights to property, liberty, as well as life. Consequently, John Locke insisted that the government must do its best to protect the people’s rights from being abused. However, President Jefferson replaced John Locke’s property right to happiness right. The declaration of independence mentioned that the King George III Britain government had deprived the people their rights, triggering a fight for independence from Britain (Bardes 35). However, the conservatives of American society limited and modified the political system. Jefferson’s differential political government emphasized that the majority of the Americans will not enter the political picture. The conservatives only allowed the wealthy and the educated elite members of society to engage in political decisions and other government exercises (Garry 54). Further, Alexei reiterated that the local American Indian Art culture was slowly being overrun by the imposed White American colonizer’s imported art culture. The Indians were forced to incorporate the White American’s art culture into the American Indian’s local art culture. The Western style paintings triggered the death of the local art forms (Dawn 256). Furthermore, the leader of the women’s group, Stanton, copied the President Jefferson’s declaration of Independence as basis for drawing up the women group’s demands to exercise the right to vote and gender equality. The women called the document, Declaration of Sentiments. The voting process during Stanton’s time only allowed the male citizens to vote. Five women spearheaded the signing and advertisement of the women group’s declaration in the July 14, 1848 issue of the Seneca Newspaper. The five women held the women’s July 19 and July 20 convention. The convention focused on forcing the government to allow the women population to vote (Burgan45). George Frederickson’s Ethnic Relations In terms of ethic relations, George Frederickson (638) insists that the best model of American ethnic relations is cultural pluralism model. The model accepts the cultural diversity of the different races. For example, the United States court stated (Meyer vs. Nebraska [262 U.S. 390]) that the German Community can use the German bible in their elementary school (Norgren & Nanda 68). The model allows the individuals to freely build and rebuild their own diverse cultures (Loury, Modood, & Teles 133). On the other hand, the assimilation model indicates the non-whites are forced to accept and implement the culture of the White Americans (Frederickson 635). Under the One Way Assimilation model, the ethnic groups are required to conform or follow the cultural acts and non-acts of the White Americans. Consequently, the model dictates that the non-White Americans’ cultures are inferior to the White Americans’ culture. Consequently, the non-Whites are required to don the White American culture in order to be accepted as members of the White American society. The One way assimilation Model presumes that the White American culture is superior, purer, and dominant culture. Under the cultural pluralism model (Frederickson 638), each culture is accepted as part of the myriad cultures of United States society. For example, the Asian Americans can freely practice their Asian American culture. Likewise, the cultural pluralism model differs from the ethnic hierarchy model (Frederickson 633). The hierarchy model reiterates that there is only one dominant culture. The dominant culture is the White American culture. Consequently, the White Americans have privileges and rights that are not given to the White American Culture group. The model was applied to the Native American Indians. Similarly, the model was applied to the Asian American immigrants. Lastly, the model was also applied to the European Whites, specially the Irish Immigrants. The cultural pluralism differs from the group separatism model (Frederickson 640). Under the separatism model, the people prefer to literally separate into different groups. The model indicates that one group will literally separate from the other groups. For example, African Americans prefer to live in one community or state, excluding other races or colors. President Jefferson’s keeping of his promise in his Declaration of Independence. President Jefferson kept his promise in his declaration. President Jefferson and President Jackson were against the curtailing the freedom of the other American people from enjoying their political and other democratic rights. President Jefferson invited all Americans to exercise their democratic rights, which included their political rights. President Jefferson envisions an American society where equality or classlessness reigns supreme. The Federalists opposed President Jefferson’s desire to break away from the traditional culture where only the wealthy and the educated elite will run society. President Jefferson vetoed (rejected) the discrimination-tainted laws to keep his promise (Garry 54). However, President Jefferson cannot keep his promise with the support of the people. The nation’s right to vote allows the majority vote to win. Consequently, since the majority vote is against President Jefferson’s desire to grant equality. President Jefferson can only do so much. Unfulfilled Jefferson promise. Until President Jefferson died, racial discrimination existed. The U.S. Civil War cropped up because equality was not achieved, as promised by President Jefferson in 1776. The civil war lasted from 1861 to 1865. The United States Civil War included the emancipation of the African American Slaves. The war proves that President Jefferson was not able to successful grant equality to all men within the United States territory. The Civil caused more than 620,000 deaths and destruction to homes and other community properties, wreaking havoc to the Southern United States. The aftermath of the Civil War included burned plantations and weeds abundantly growing in the war-torn plantations. After winning the United States Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln reiterated the promise of our forefathers to grant equality to all men, during the famous Gettysburg Address should be implemented, referring to President Jefferson’s declaration of independence promise. Possibility or reality to make and keep President Jefferson’s promise. It is possible and realistic to make and keep the promise to make all men equal. If there is a will, there is always a path to achieve the intended goal or objective. President Jefferson and other community leaders can persuade as many people as possible to take a similar stand. The power of the vote will ensure achievement of one’s goals and objectives. By persuading the different sectors of society to side with their cause, the proponents of a proposal, concept, policy, or demand will be heard and approved. Since President Jefferson and his group could not garner enough votes, Jefferson was not able to see equality reign within the United States nation during his lifetime. Conclusion. Summarizing the important points of the above discussion, equality fulfillment has different interpretations. President Jefferson, President Abraham Lincoln, Stanton, and other leaders did their best to fulfill the promise of making all men equal within their lifetime. However, some quarters opposed the granting of equality rights in terms of religion, gender, voting, race, age, and other factors. By generating enough votes, one group, including the Federalists, prevented the realization of the dream when one day all men are treated on equal levels. Evidently, the current fulfilling of the promise to make all men equal is on the right track towards completion. Works Cited: Bardes, Barbar. American Government & Politics Today. New York: Cengage Learning Press, 2008. Burgan, Michael. Elizabeth Stanton: Social Reformer. New York: Capstone , 2006. Ciment, James. Atlas of Afircan American History. New York: Infobase Press, 2007. Dawn, Leslie. National Visions, National Blindness. New York: UBC Press, 2006. Frederickson, George. Models of American Ethnic Relations: A historic Perspective. New York: Russell Sage Press, 1999. Garry, Patrick. Liberalism and American Identity. Kent: Kent State Univeristy Press, 1992. Loury, Glenn., Modood, Tariq., Teles, Steven., Ethnicity, Social Mobility, and Public Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Norgren, Jill., Nanda, Serena. American Cultural Pluralism and Law. Iowa: Greenwood Press, 2006. Read More