Author Question: What are the five elements of the American creed? Where and in what ways are each of the five ... (Read 34 times)

audie · **on:** Jul 10, 2018

What are the five elements of the American creed? Where and in what ways are each of the five elements embeddedin contemporary American politics? Provide examples.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

The Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act __________.

a. was a violation of equal rights
b. was constitutional
c. could only be enforced in those states that did not explicitly forbid same-sex marriage
d. was a violation of the supremacy clause

Sophiapenny · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 10, 2018

Answer to Question 1

An ideal response will:
1, Describe the five elements of the American creed: liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, laissez-faire economics, and populism.
2, Note that liberty involves freedoms. Thomas Jefferson considered it alongside other inalienable rights that people are entitled to. Egalitarianism involves the concept of equality of opportunity. Individualism is the notion that people can and should get ahead on their own. Laissez-faire economics promotes free markets and limited government intervention in economic activity. Populism focuses on the people.
3, Discuss how each of these applies to contemporary American politics. Most Americans still believe in liberty and the protection against government tyranny;New Hampshire's official state motto is Live Free or Die. Modern egalitarianism suggests that Americans should have equal opportunity; equal voting rights for all adult American citizens is still an issue in recent elections. Individualism is still of fundamental importance; immigrants see America as a place where one can make it on one's own without interference from government. Views on laissez-faire economics likely vary based on ideological predispositions, but Americans have a lighter tax burdenthan citizens of other democratic nations. Modern populism focuses on a political philosophy that supports the rights of average citizens in their struggle against privileged elites, and can be seen in the TeaParty and OccupyWallStreet movements.

Answer to Question 2

a