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The Image of America: Winthrop v. DeTocqueville v. DeTocqueville. Anthony J. Fitzpatrick The American Institute for History Education. Enduring Visions of America. Today we are going to examine the oft-quoted John Winthrop and Alexis De Tocqueville(with some special guests.
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The Image of America: Winthrop v. DeTocqueville v. DeTocqueville Anthony J. Fitzpatrick The American Institute for History Education
Enduring Visions of America • Today we are going to examine the oft-quoted John Winthrop and Alexis De Tocqueville(with some special guests. • We will also utilize their writings to discuss relevance to today AND practice some teaching strategies that we’ve been exposed to throughout the course of the year.
John Winthrop • Led Puritans to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. • What are your notions of the Puritans? • Jot down your thoughts
How do your thoughts mesh with this quote? For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world. How might your impression of the Puritans affect your notion of what John Winthrop is proposing here? How has the interpretation of this quote changed over time (or stayed the same)?
But he wasn’t the first . . . Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do [men] light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
And not the last . . . President-Elect John F. Kennedy January 9, 1961: ...I have been guided by the standard John Winthrop set before his shipmates on the flagship Arbella three hundred and thirty-one years ago, as they, too, faced the task of building a new government on a perilous frontier. "We must always consider", he said, "that we shall be as a city upon a hill—the eyes of all people are upon us". Today the eyes of all people are truly upon us—and our governments, in every branch, at every level, national, state and local, must be as a city upon a hill — constructed and inhabited by men aware of their great trust and their great responsibilities. For we are setting out upon a voyage in 1961 no less hazardous than that undertaken by the Arbella in 1630. We are committing ourselves to tasks of statecraft no less awesome than that of governing the Massachusetts Bay Colony, beset as it was then by terror without and disorder within. History will not judge our endeavors—and a government cannot be selected—merely on the basis of color or creed or even party affiliation. Neither will competence and loyalty and stature, while essential to the utmost, suffice in times such as these. For of those to whom much is given, much is required...
And another: President Ronald Reagan January 11, 1989: ...I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it and see it still....
The Contemporary Debate • Be an example – People will look to us for model behavior and strive to be like us based on virtue. • What is our impression of this argument? • Spread our message – Being an example isn’t enough. To know the right way and not share it is not fulfilling the responsibility. • What is our impression of this argument?
Alexis De Tocqueville • French politician (and early “social scientist”). • Came to America to study the state of social equality in an expanding America • (And to look at our prison system and practices)
From Democracy in America: • SO – I have supplied some of the more iconic quotes from this rather lengthy text. • Let’s take 10-15 minutes to examine the quotes (or fire up those laptops and find one that you love!) • What does the quote mean? • If the quote “speaks to you” – is there a historical event that you are linking it to? • Is there a teaching strategy that we can link this to?
Now for the REALLY good stuff While De Tocqueville is most known for Democracy in America, His experience with French colonization in Algeria produced (in my opinion) wonderful commentary on Middle Easter Affairs. KEEP IN MIND – these letters and essays were written before 1850!
If we have time . . . • Let’s try our hand at creating a White Out! • Use the quote • What is the main idea • Search for 2-3 others that spoke about that main idea • Use images if you’d like!! • OR review creating a mailing address with some of these excerpts. • Number, Main Point, Street Designation, City, State, Zip Code • If you decide to use the letter writing extension who would the letter be from?
