Values

Shared beliefs about what is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or

undesirable.

American Value system

Individualism

• Individual effort• Success comes throughhard work and initiative• If a person does notsucceed, that person is to blame• Are you a hard worker?

Work

Most Americans value work.

• Discipline• Dedication• Hard Work• Are all signs of virtue• Those who choose not to work are viewed as

lazy or immoral.• What type of work do you want to do?

Personal Achievement

Personal achievement

• High valued placed on successful competition• Most evident in the area of employment• Achievement is often measured in terms of

power and wealth• What is you dream job?• What goals do you have for your future?• Have you thought about a back up plan?

Morality

• Behaviors, attitudes, and attributes are categorized as right or wrong and such categories are used to guide behavior.

American Morality

• Founded on strong religious faith• Belief in justice• Equality

• What issue doYou feel stronglyAbout?

Efficiency and Practicality

• Americans tend to be practical and inventive people

• They believe that every problem has a solution.• Problem solving involves discovering the most

efficient technique when dealing with a situation

• Judge technology on its usefulness / people on their ability to get things done

Progress and Material Comfort

• Belief in the ability of science and technology to make the world a better and more comfortable place.

• Through hard work and determination, living standards will continue to improve

• Both views are important because most Americans also place a high value on material culture

Humanitarianism: What can you do to help others?

• Belief that we should help those who are less fortunate.

Equality and Democracy

• The United States was founded on the principle of human equality

• “We the hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”

• Many Americans believe that to have human equality, there must be an equality of opportunity and an equal chance of success

Equality

• Americans do value equal opportunity but do not necessarily believe that everyone will be equally successful.

• Hard work and personal achievement lead to view success as a reward that must be earned

• Do you think we have equality in America? Explain your answer?

Democracy• Citizens have the right to express their opinion• To participate freely in choosing their

representatives in government.

Freedom

• “ Bill of Rights” ( First 10 Amendments )• Personal freedoms ( First Amendment )• Speech, religion, press, peacefully assemble,

petition the government• Right to bear arms ( Second Amendment )• Cruel and unusual punishment ( Eight

Amendment )

What other freedoms do you feel you have in the United States of America?

• List and explain examples of freedoms we have here in America?