The American nation was formed not so long ago, but it already has quite pronounced features, its own way of thinking, and worldview. Each nation has many small distinctive features, and they change depending on time, territory of residence and religious beliefs. But there are also common features that form the basis of the life of a nation, their system of values and social attitudes.
The formation of Americans as a nation began with the migration of various populations from the Old World. This provides a starting point for understanding the American mentality. Not every person is able to give up everything and go to explore new lands. Such a person should be decisive, assertive, adventurous and prone to adventures.
This became the foundation of the American mentality and characterizes the main features of North American society. One of the main characteristics of Americans is pragmatism. In the United States, concepts such as status, social status, and income level are very important. Moral qualities will also be assessed, but to a lesser extent and not in the first place.
Another characteristic feature of the inhabitants of the United States can be considered a total striving for the organization, classification and categorization of any concepts around the world. This follows from the history of the formation of the American nation itself, its multi-ethnicity. The New World was formed from citizens of different countries. They all had their own laws, traditions and customs. Without a clear structuring of the concepts of a nascent nation, it was impossible to coexist on the same territory. Hence the strict regulation of any social activity.
A common trait for North Americans and an expression of their mentality is patriotism. This feeling is quite justified, since the period of the struggle for political independence in America ended not so long ago. This event brought the North Americans together. The victory in the war with Great Britain brought pride to the nation in American society.
One of the main features of the American mentality is the principle of self made man - a person who made himself. The character of such a person is reflected in the works of famous American writers such as T. Dreiser, A. Haley, and others. The image of a person who started from scratch and made himself a position in society with his own hands is very popular in American cinema.
