American Character

From the colonial period forward, defining who can call themselves an American has continued to change over time. Perhaps the most useful method of defining “American” is to compare Americans against other national types. As different as attitudes about government, religion, business, education, and culture are in this country, a national identity can be established through common experience, even as that common experience is influenced by ideas and traditions from around the world. Looking at portraits, landscape paintings, and genre images (scenes of everyday life), try to articulate your own definition of the American Character.