What Made America Great?
# 2 Respect for Others
America became a place where respect was earned, not
inherited. Respect for others was not
dictated, it developed.
Carving settlements out of the wilderness was hard work so
initiative, cooperation, persistence, ingenuity, creativity, talent, honesty and
dependability were needed and valued among the settlers. Inherited status in society came to mean
nothing in the face of danger and difficulties.
So here in this land of hope and opportunity, the circumstances of one’s
birth did not determine the course for one’s life.
Although the aristocracy
was still inspiring awe at times, a new way of seeing others was spreading just
as surely as the settlements. Through
the skills they developed and the services they provided, Americans made
themselves valuable in their communities and they earned respect.
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