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.