Hector St. Jean de Crèvecœur's "What is an American?"
An Early American Identity
by Eric F. Rangel
Hector St. Jean de Crèvecoeur was born in France in 1735 and later educated in England. A French-American writer and farmer who immigrated to New York and later became a naturalized citizen. He is best known for his collection of essays, Letters from an American Farmer, which, for this analysis, will focus on his most famous letter, “What is an American?” Written during the colonial period with the purpose of differentiating Americans from Europeans and to define what Crèvecoeur calls a “new man.” Crèvecoeur best depicts these Americans as a new people defined by their independence, cultural mixture, industriousness, social mobility, and freedom from standard European customs and social traditions, thus creating an early vision of the United States as a “melting pot.”
In “What is an American?” Crèvecoeur highlights the diverse European nationalities coming to America: “They are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes”(Crèvecoeur). These diverse populations of people who crossed the pond in search of better opportunities and freedoms would form a new collective identity: Americans. Thereby, creating a “new man.” These new Americans arrived at a new land of possibilities and took on a new identity. After all, what old national pride could one have if their birth soil couldn’t feed, clothe, or educate them properly? What allegiance could these new Americans have to their old country if those in power ruled for their own benefit and didn’t care for its constituents? These new Americans left their unique identities behind, came with the clothes on their backs and some, and welcomed the uncertainty. Marriages, the mixing of bloodlines, and the development of communities among these different European nationalities would help solidify the phrase “melting pot” because, at the American core, we are derived from immigrants with diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and economic statuses, seeking a second chance and fleeing religious persecution.
Across the pond, European peasants had limited opportunities for economic and social prosperity under an aristocratic system. In the Old World, ordinary Europeans possessed very few assets they could claim in comparison to the great lords and aristocratic families, “who possess everything and of a herd of people who have nothing” (Crèvecoeur). Whereas the American farmer owned his land and had his well-being tied directly to their labor. Crèvecoeur argues that Europe’s hierarchies and inherited privilege hindered many from ascending the social and economic ladder. Thus, owning and working your own land granted you economic liberty, self-reliance, and a place in the New World. Crèvecoeur asserts that prosperity in every sense of the word originates from labor instead of inherited privilege: “they receive ample rewards for their labours” (Crèvecoeur). He also ties hard work and industry to civic and moral virtues. He argues that labor was no longer a tool of oppression, but instead, the foundation for freedom and the American Dream.
In addition, Crèvecoeur makes the argument that Americans in the New World have more equality compared to those in Europe: “The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe” (Crèvecoeur). In his letter, he emphasizes that the people on this new land are cultivators and work collectively, and have access to improved means of transportation, whether through good roads or navigable rivers. Laws also exist to protect Americans, and these laws were created by the people for the people, signaling early democratic tendencies, “derived from the original genius and strong desire of the people ratified and confirmed by the crown” (Crèvecoeur). It is worth noting that while this quote foreshadows tendencies towards the American Revolution, it also highlights the colonial reality of the time.
Ultimately, Crèvecoeur argues that Americans, these new people, are defined by their independence, cultural diversity, social mobility, and freedom from the Old World. In the process, creating a “melting pot” land where different languages, cuisines, and customs intersect and breed a new identity: Americans. Crèvecoeur’s literary work helped raise interest among the French, and his early ideas helped shape conceptions of the American identity that are still felt today. He not only makes the case for why this New World is the greatest, but also that Americans should love this new country more than their birth nation, “love this country much better than that wherein either he or his forefathers were born” (Crèvecoeur), because this New World and its colonies offered the opportunities to be free from hunger, gain liberty through hard work and owning land, and not be ruled by a set of concentrated power. However, all this rhetoric of opportunities and freedoms comes with limitations, as some marginalized populations, such as Native Americans, enslaved Africans, and women, would still be faced with the reality that they may not have access to some opportunities compared to white men.