American GreedThere was a time when America's ideals and motives were pure, but that era was short-lived. America reached its peak of idealism during the Revolutionary War. The dream of escaping British rule and continuing their lives on land enriched by freedom led the colonists to victory against injustice and tyranny. However, once the war ended and the dust settled, reality set in. The colonists realized that no matter how passionate they were about their ideals, they could not use these principles to survive in a materialistic world. It was then that America refocused its priorities from hopes and dreams to greed for money and power. Under the new rule of its chosen vices, the United States was prepared to take whatever measures it deemed necessary to secure its way of life. Thus began a new era in America's almost non-existent history. America had turned over a new leaf, and not for the better, so soon after its founding. The key was keeping new citizens aware of the changing tone, but greed can be an effective motivator for politicians and citizens alike. In their quest for power, politicians have used every card in the game to keep their citizens playing. For example, as Americans searched for a way to expand their union while searching for justification, John L. O'Sullivan coined the term "Manifest Destiny" (Cohen et al. 371). These two magic words dominated American diplomacy in the 1800s and provided the means and motivations for expansion, even if it meant provoking war. That's exactly what he did. In 1846, James K. Polk petitioned Congress for a declaration of war against Mexico. His reason for the war was that the Mexicans had shed "American blood on American soil" (Kennedy and...... middle of paper...... immediately after his takeoff, just like so many other colonies .Americans were The United States is blessed with its resilient character and determination to succeed. Even though its practices may seem questionable at times, it is only because it has to operate within a flawed system. Ultimately, the United States remains true to its original principles of equality and freedom as much as possible. This precarious balance between practice and belief and its consequences can be illustrated by a passage that John Steinbeck wrote in his book Cannery. Row: “It has always seemed strange to me...the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system and those traits we hate, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, malice, selfishness and self-interest are the traits of success..”