The Paradox of American History and Why It's Important

Just a note: this has nothing to do with tea, but I thought it would be good writing practice and a way to put my thoughts into words, which is admittedly a skill I need to really work on. Again, like most of my writing, this hasn't been proofread so don't hold it against me.

First, let me preface this with the fact that this whole passage is from the perspective of a high schooler, and at this point in my life, I don't really have the experiences to back it up. However, these ideas come from my own interest in the history of the United States and experience being a first generation American.

This year, I took AP United States History: a class with a varied reputation, from being extremely easy to almost impossible. Keep in mind, I go to an upper-middle class, suburban high school, so for most, the grade– the venerable A– is the main thing that matters. For my grade, or the Class of 2017, this seems to be the prevalent way of thinking, creating an environment of competition based solely on test scores and performance.

Personally, I believe that this mentality isn't necessarily conducive to success. Sure, it might get the grade and the 5 on the AP exam, but it can come at a cost; because of the class and a few bad test scores, I've seen some of the smartest students I know begin to doubt their ability and lose interest in the subject. This isn't restricted to only APUSH, but I'm using it as an example because this is where I've seen it the most due to the difficulty.

I know that it might not be my place to criticize other people's mentalities since I'm not them nor am I doing badly in the class. However, I believe that my own success in the class comes from a passion for the subject and a strong belief that failure is okay and working harder is the best solution to problems. That's why I wrote a 100 page study guide for my class and have spent a ridiculous amount of time studying for the class.

Now, what does this have to do with history? Well, here's what I think: America was founded in part based on the ideas of rugged individualism and social mobility. The existence of free land, especially in the West, and the ability for all to exchange their current position in society for a better one has been at the basis of American motivations in expansion, competition, and more– as seen in Manifest Destiny, Social Darwinism, and all in all the American Dream.

As a result, Americans have an optimism and work ethic usually not found in other nations as a whole. Since the 1780's to now, there has been a belief that life sucks now, but that's okay– it will get better later if I just work a bit harder. Such optimism has been shared by all Americans; it motivated African Americans to move north in the Great Migration, farmers west during the Dust Bowl, and immigrants to the east since the 1840s. It's also why my parents moved here from Philippines, in order to obtain the economic opportunities not found abroad.

However, there's an issue: time has shown that the American Dream doesn't actually exist; especially after the Frontier closed in 1890, it's become obvious that the idea that you, too, can become rich by working hard is only true for a small minority– that minority being wealthy, male Caucasians. For the Chinese, getting rich from the Gold Rush or obtaining a job in America was no longer a reality after anti-Chinese riots in the 1880s and the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act. For African Americans, freedom meant nothing when the institution of Jim Crow and racism prevented integration and equality. For women, it took close to 80 years to gain the vote– and even then, they were only given suffrage based on the sexist ideal of separate spheres. Time, and time again, the American Dream only proves true for a minority composed of the majority.

Despite this, there is still a thriving belief in the American Dream, especially by the minorities that America has discriminated against for so long. The optimism is based on a false hope, and many even realize that it's false. But that doesn't stop them; they try anyways, in an attempt to prove the system wrong. They fight for a lost cause which time has proved is truly lost. They try to break the cycle of history, and for the smallest group of people, it works, which motivates the rest to continue the fight.

I'm sure many know that it's true, and that continuing to fight is counterintuitive. Nevertheless, here's the thing: the smallest effort can make all the difference. I know that as a minority, the system isn't designed so that I succeed. It's designed to stop me.

But I don't let it stop me. Nor has it stopped others. It all falls back on the idea that if we work just a little bit harder, it can get better. Change occurs as the result of many individuals working together to achieve just a tiny difference, and success occurs when an individual realizes that he or she can make that difference through a belief in their own ability.

That's why I like American history so much. It's founded on a contradictory hope. I know that I'll probably end like the masses of Americans forced into subservience by an oppressive society. But maybe, just maybe, if I work hard enough, I can break free and prevent history from repeating. I'm not the only one.

Recipe: Strawberry Iced Tea Syrup

It's been a while since my last post! The reason why is because of finals last week, and AP exams this week. I'll post more when I get a chance, but it looks like I'll be busy for just a bit longer. Anyway, this recipe is one I adapted from Foodwishes– it's a strawberry-tea syrup you can use in drinks, since Summer is on its way. I tried it yesterday, and it actually tastes pretty good as a soda or juice.

Ingredients:

Ripe strawberries, 3 lb

Honey, 1/2 cup – you want a light tasting honey for this; I've made it with stronger tasting honey and it overpowers the strawberry flavor a little bit

Water, 3 cups

Tea, 5 grams – your call what kind of tea (I'd suggest green or black); experiment with the ratio of water to tea and brewing parameters to get the best flavor

Instructions:

1. Rinse your strawberries with cold water.

2. Hull and chop the strawberries into 1/4ths (depending on the size, you might want smaller pieces).

3. Heat the water, and brew the tea. Remove the leaves by straining and let cool.

4. Once the liquid is cooled, add the strawberries. Bring the water to a boil.

5. Stir once, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

6. Strain out the strawberry pulp (you can do this by pouring the liquid into a strainer with a new pot underneath). 

7. Add the honey to the liquid. There are two ways to do this: either pour the honey straight into the pot (might need to microwave it to make it easier) or add some liquid to the honey, stir it together, and pour it into the main pot.

8. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and heat for 5 minutes.

9. Take it off of the heat and let sit for 15-30 minutes (or until cold).

10. Pour the liquid into a container/bottle (optional: strain again to get rid of any other material).

11. Serve by mixing together with water and ice in a 1:3 ratio. To make fizzy, just add sparkling water or club soda.