Question

Voice of Freedom

1. Petition of Inhabitants West of the Ohio River (1785)

a. Who do the authors of the petition consider to be the greatest enemies of their liberty?

b. Who do the authors claim ought to have preference when western land is distributed?

2. J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur, “What, Then, Is the American?” (1782)

a. What characteristics of American life does Crèvecoeur emphasize as being different from European society?

b. What aspects of society, and what parts of the American people, are left out of his description?

Answer 1

1.

a) The authors of the petition considers the landlords and land spectaculars of the west to be the greatest enemy for their liberty.

b) According to the author's claim, the local inhabitants, that is the whites already settled are supposed to have preference over the others.

2.

a) Crèvecoeur emphasizes that European and American societies are different on various terms. He says that in Europe the Kings and Queens are vested with all rights and privileges while the ordinary citizens are left with nothing. They live for themselves and do not care about the lives of people. While in America the rich and the poor are not separated from each other. Both of them enjoy liberty and opportunities in life. There is no monopoly and all considered equal.

b) The part of society left out in his description are farmers and the one who are disconnected from European life.