City Upon A Hill Analysis

Would the Puritans like the way America is, or would they want it to change? “City Upon a Hill” is a short summary of what the people in colonial America wanted America to come to be. They wanted the other countries to look up to America as better which also means that those people would watch closely for failure. They wanted everyone to have the same values and to worship God to be a Godly country. America has not become that but, with work, it could. America has many core values that make up its structure, however, four of them seem to stand out the most; individualism, equality, materialism, and progress.
America is known for having many different types of people and excepting that fact with open arms. “‘We should share our corn and put …show more content…
“We looked down on our own relatives and gave them nothing. Look what has become of us” (“Shades” page excerpt is 27). People believe that if they can help others they should because nobody is better than anyone else. As they believed they were not any better than their family, women believe that men are not any better than women. “‘Maybe I don’t like being told what to do,’ Dena said.” (“The World Made Straight” page excerpt is 114). This shows the equality between men and women because in some places women have to listen to men. In some places the people have no choice in what decisions are made while America lets people help to decide. “The third party is to listen only to the discussion of the first and second parties and if an error is made or the proceeding is irregular they are to call attention to it…” (“The Iroquois Constitution”). Even though the Iroquois were split into three different groups, they technically all had equal say in what decisions were made. Although not all people feel that everyone is on the same level as them, everyone has a job to do whether they get paid for it or not. “The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work…” (“I Hear America Singing”). The women were included in what was considered to be their work so there was equality among men and women in the aspect of being included. In the times of “City Upon a Hill”, the people longed for …show more content…
“Then a man of the people who had little corn went and talked to them. ‘You have brought this on yourselves,’” (“Shades” page excerpt is 27). The people who had little corn kept pushing to get what they wanted and did not give up until they received progress. People do the same with going to school to advance their lives. “‘That GED you mentioned a few weeks ago,’ Travis said. ‘I’m thinking it wouldn’t hurt none for you to look into it.’” (“The World Made Straight” page excerpt is 103). People like to better their educations to further themselves in their lives and careers. There are other forms of progress that some people do not notice. “If any Confederate Lord neglects or refuses to attend the Confederate Council, the other Lords of the Nation of which he is a member shall require their War Chief to request the female sponsors of the Lord so guilty of defection to demand his attendance of the Council” (“The Iroquois Constitution). This symbolizes progress because they will not progress if they have people holding them behind so they get rid of those people. When people have a good work ethic it goes a long way to help them advance. “The carpenter singing as he measures his plank or beam, the mason singing as he makes ready for work” (“I Hear America Singing”). The whole poem is about people singing while doing their job which is helping in the