Heike Paul

This essential introduction to American studies examines the core  foundational myths upon which the nation is based and which still determine  discussions of US-American identities today. These myths include the myth of  ¬ªdiscovery,¬´ the Pocahontas myth, the myth of the Promised Land, the myth of  the Founding Fathers, the melting pot myth, the myth of the West, and the  myth of the self-made man. The chapters provide extended analyses of each of  these myths, using examples from popular culture, literature, memorial  culture, school books, and every-day life. Including visual material as well  as study questions, this book will be of interest to any student of American  studies and will foster an understanding of the United States of America as  an imagined community by analyzing the foundational role of myths in the  process of nation building.

The Myths That Made America

Heike Paul

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