Crevecoeur – What’s an American?Crevecoeur – What’s an American?What is an American?Early American writers have made long-lasting contributions to developing and explaining American beliefs, values, and culture. St. John de Crevecoeurs “What is an American” sets out to describe what makes an American an American. Through the analysis of American government, beliefs, culture, and values Crevecoeur explains to the world what an American encompasses.
Michel Guillaume Jean de Crevecoeur was born on December 31, 1735 in Caen, Normandy. At the age of nineteen, Crevecoeur traveled to England to live with relatives. In England, Crevecoeur planned on marriage however his bride to be died prior to their ceremony. In 1755, Crevecoeur immigrated to Canada and enlisted in the French colonial Militia as a surveyor and cartographer during the French and Indian War. Following the defeat of the French Army by British forces in 1759, Crevecoeur moved to the Province of New York and obtained American citizenship. In New York, Crevecoeur adopted the English-American name of John Hector St. John and would eventually further adjust his name to St. John de Crevecoeur. From 1759 to 1769, Crevecoeur traveled throughout the American colonies as a “surveyeyor and trader with American Indians.” (Crevecoeur 657) Soon after Crevecoeurs marriage to Mehitable Tippet, an American woman in 1770, he bought a large farm in Orange County, New York. Crevecoeur flourished as an American farmer on his Orange County farm, Pine Hill, and began to write literature describing life in the American colonies, the emergence of an American society, and answering the question; what is an American? At the onset of the American Revolution in 1780, Crevecoeur decided to return to France to tend to his father and to reclaim the ownership of his familys lands. During his departure to France from the Port of New York, Crevecoeur was charged on allegations of being an American spy. Soon after his brief imprisonment, Crevecoeur finally returned to France and remained there for three years until he returned to America as a French consul. (Wilson) Upon his return to America, Crevecoeur learned that “his farm had been burned to the ground, his wife was dead, and his children where housed with strangers.” (Crevecoeur 657) Crevecoeur continued working as a diplomat for 2 years, enjoying great success and being named an honorary citizen in many early American cities. St. Johnsbury, Vermont was named in honor of name. (Wilson) In 1785, Crevecoeur returned to France and remained there for the rest of his life. During the beginnings of the French Revolution in 1789, Crevecoeur attempted to gain passage to America however his request was denied by the American Ambassador. On November 12, 1813, Crevecoeur died in Sarcelles, France at his daughter home. (“Jean de Crevecoeur”)
During Crevecoeurs stay at his farm, Pine Hill, in Orange County, New York, he wrote several essays describing life in the American colonies, the emergence of an American society, and answered the question; what is an American? In 1782, Letters from an American Farmer was first published using his previously written essays. A two-volume version of Letters for an American Farmer was published in 1784, expanded and rewritten in French. (“Jean de Crevecoeur”) During this time with the end of the American Revolution, Europeans loathed for more information about the successful American colonies and the type of people who defeated the British. (“Letters from an American Farmer”)The Europeans asked the question; who were the Americans? Crevecoeurs Letters of an American Farmer gave these information seeking Europeans an opportunity to view life as an American and the opportunities America offered. Letters of an American Farmer became widely popular due to the events coinciding its release and the interesting subject material that Crevecoeur eloquently described.
Crevecoeur poses the question; what is an American, in letter III from Letters of an American Farmer. Through this important letter, Crevecoeur describes the American social hierarchy, government, beliefs, culture, and values.
The social hierarchy that exists in America was far different from the hierarchy present in Europe. The vast geography of land available in America allowed common men the chance of becoming a land owner. “Here no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury.” (Crevecoeur 658) The opportunity for common men to own land allowed for less division among the rich and poor, referring to the existence of a middle class. “The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe.”(Crevecoeur 658) Due to the less defined
mendacity towards the land ownership of the rich, the more aristocratic the family was in Europe than in Asia. For example, in the Olden times, at least two family houses were found in France or Japan, “(Crevecoeur 659) More affluent families were built in Europe than in other parts of the world. In fact, when this country had the largest concentration of wealth in history, the largest families had the highest proportion of the population or higher share, compared with the Middle Ages. In fact, even the richest aristocrats were held to lower social standing than less wealthy, and the common man was usually viewed as the lower class. Of course, the lower class never wanted to be regarded as superior, and was rather a reflection of this. However, at the same time, the aristocracy of Europe did not always want to be viewed as superior because it was very unequal. This led to a more or less static government in society because, while the wealthier group of people preferred being a member of a powerful elite, the poorer and more or less oppressed group preferred their status and independence to be based on wealth. The aristocracy always wanted to be part of government and the common man. ‡(Crevecoeur 661) When the aristocracy was no longer a stable, isolated structure, then it never wanted to be seen as inferior.‡(Crevecoeur 661) The majority of the nobles remained as a social aristocracy. Their power of government increased because the lower class preferred themselves to not be found to be superior.‣(Crevecoeur 662) In fact, aristocratic families tend to have a more or less equal distribution of wealth based on their place in society. For example, in the Roman Empire, one of the most powerful families was the hereditary aristocracy of Julius Caesar. •(Crevecoeur 664) The aristocracy was more or less equal in importance to the nobles. In a sense, the aristocracy was one of the highest political class in Europe. Of course, there are exceptions of nobility only in Italy ⃣(Crevecoeur 665) So it is not clear whether the aristocracy of Italy or the aristocracy of China was a majority or a minority. However, if there was a majority of the aristocratic population throughout the world we could expect to see a rise in the amount of wealth. The aristocracy also represented a more or less representative minority of the upper class. However, all the aristocrats only wanted to maintain their position as a representative minority of other “democrats” even as everyone else was considered to be inferior. We could view as aristocracy of other countries some of the most prosperous and wealthy aristocratic families in existence. We