Geography and National Identity Because the United States is so large, it provided Americans with the opportunity to diffuse differences over religion, social class and national origin because they could isolate themselves from one another.
Cross-Cutting Cleavages Divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups more heterogeneous or different. Members of religions or social and civil groups.
What was the belief called that held that the United States was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oche study of characteristics of populations.
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Cleavages
Reinforcing Cleavages Divisions within society that reinforce one another, making groups more homogeneous or similar. When social and economic conditions coincide, they reinforce each other and make the differences between groups more important.
Hostility toward different religions in colonial America.
Anti-immigration movements in the late 19th & early 20th century.
Anti-woman’s rights movement of the 19th century. Anti-immigration and Anti-civil rights ballot initiatives of the 1990s.
The American Political Landscape
Albert Einstein once said few people are capable of expressing opinions that differ much from the prejudices of their social upbringing.
A Land of Diversity
Some elements of our diversity have political significance. Political Socialization The process by which parents and others teach children about political values, beliefs, and attitudes. Political Predisposition A characteristic of individuals that is predictive of political behavior.
A Land of Diversity
Despite the fact that America has been most hospitable to people from different religions, classes or races than almost any other nation in the world, we often prefer to associate only with people “like us” and are suspicious of people “like them.”
Geography and National Identity Geographic isolations from the major powers of the world during our government’s formative period helps explain American politics.
ETHNOCENTRISM Selective perception based on individual background, attitudes and biases
A Land of Diversity
People want to come to the United States because it holds a promise of religious, political, and economic freedom. Our economic system has provided widespread, but not universal opportunity, for individuals to improve their economic standing. Question: What was the issue passed in California with Proposition 187? Answer: It restricted public services and education to immigrants.