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 Crevecoeur's "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 Crevecoeur's 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 family's 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
Early American writers have made long-lasting contributions to developing and explaining American beliefs, values, and culture. St. John de Crevecoeur's "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 Crevecoeur's 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 family's 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