Exactly how did America become so powerful?

[SBR_John]

My seven year old watched Pearl Harbor yesterday and at the end asked that question.

After stumbling around trying to explain I got that gaze that only a bright seven year old can deliver; the one that says 'I aint buying that crap - you really don't know'.

Basically I explained that many of Europe's brightest entrepreneurs came to America and flourished in an environment of zero taxes, near zero government interference and a working class that had strong work ethic. And that the US was insulated from homeland attacks in both WW1 and WWII by two large oceans. That the US benefited from the mass destruction of war in Europe and Asia. Once WWll ended US had a giant head start because besides Pearl Harbor the US did not have to spend great fortunes of both time and public money rebuilding infrastructure.

On second thought, maybe I got that glazed look because my explanation was too long?

[TheCentaur]

It wasn't by taxing then redistributing and government spending. I hope when he's 27 he doesn't have to ask you how we got so weak

[King Mayan]

It's simple.. Back then Americans had pride in American built products.. Now nobody gives a shit

[jjgold]

We are one of weaker nations now

China
Pakistan
India
North Korea
Israel
Russia
USA

[cant call it]

Fascism at work.

[FourLengthsClear]

Good answer SBR_John!

[King Mayan]

It wasn't by taxing then redistributing and government spending. I hope when he's 27 he doesn't have to ask you how we got so weak

didn't the rich get taxed at a higher rate back then?

[mrmarket]

Slave trade
Export
Slave wage
Export

[nosniboR11]

john please learn some history

[big0mar]

Weapons/violence

[Emily_Haines]

Who says were so powerful?

We get our ass kicked in every war.

[Sam Odom]

Capitalism
Strong Military
Western European Mentality
Geographics

[MartinBlank]

It also didn't hurt that the United States has incredible natural resources, and used immigrant workers in the coal, steel, and manufacturing bases as slaves for 40 years to develop our country.

Andrew Carnegie didn't sell his 480 million dollar steel empire to JP Morgan by overpaying his employees--- i.e, The Homestead Strike of 1892 can attest for that.

[RubberKettle]

Capitalism

[shari91]

john please learn some history

I actually know a fair bit of history and I wouldn't be able to provide a 7yo with a short answer I don't think. It's kind of hard to wrap it all up in a bite-sized nutshell for a child. Every post in here is awesome but then I think something is missing... and then the next one adds that forgotten part.

A lot of factors made the US what it is today. IS not WAS forsberg.

And fwiw, at least John wasn't this bad

[TheCentaur]

didn't the rich get taxed at a higher rate back then?

Good point. I was looking at the historical tax rates and they were all over the place. For example in 1917, income tax was 2% on income up to 2000, and 67% on income over 2 mill. Usually these ridiculous percentages were just on extremely high levels of income, like around 80% on income over 5 mill in 1936-41, not the lower threshholds that get the max tax today. But yeah there were some insane rates at times.

[sideloaded]

One word, Illuminati

[Sam Odom]

The IRS tax rate and the amount an individual pays are 2 DIFFERENT % after 'loopholes'

[gregm]

There was great documentary called guns,germs and steel that looked at why some cultures have thrived but its not just natural resources, there are countries in the world like Russia,China,Canada and Brazil with more natural resources than the US.

American power, at least in the business world, was already a source of resentment even before World War 1. We have been lucky to attract some brilliant people to these shores, its like what happened with silicon valley, once the ball starts rolling you start attracting bright engineers and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Maybe other nations will build something comparable to silicon valley and all that entrepreneurship coming out of top universities like Stanford but it hasnt happened yet.

[Inkwell77]

It also didn't hurt that the United States has incredible natural resources, and used immigrant workers in the coal, steel, and manufacturing bases as slaves for 40 years to develop our country.

Andrew Carnegie didn't sell his 480 million dollar steel empire to JP Morgan by overpaying his employees--- i.e, The Homestead Strike of 1892 can attest for that.

Natural Resources were the key

With the current global marketplace everything has changed

[Jaug]

Capitalism, low minimum wage and "people have to work to live".

[wantitall4moi]

As a history guy the answer is pretty simple.

The US was the only country not to have a major war fought in or around them. We have two relatively safe borders with only one country on either side. Countries we dont have to defend against (other than their citizens trying to emigrate).

When we came here the country had been purged of a massive amount of the original inhabitants by diseases brought here by the Spanish a couple hundred years prior, so in the late 1600s when the English settlers came the country was an Eden of fre land and no real competition. Once the Euro powers solit it up and eventually what became Americans took it over the country was an unspoiled, untouched, raw cornucopia of natural resources. It was raped and pillaged and sold for profit which continued to build us up. Slavery didnt hurt either for the first couple hundred years. Cash crops being shipped to the countries that had the money to buy it. So America became rich basically selling its natural resources and products. Gold, Silver, cotton, tobacco, timber ll were bought at ridiculously high prices by other countries perpetually at war. While we had out fair share of wars the worst one we had was our own civil war. Which for all intents and purposes could h ave 'ruined' us.

But we switched gears and actually started making a business of war itself. Akin to out european counterparts and forefathers. But we also becae a naiton based on the quick and easy buck. Where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. But basically where we are today all got started a little m ore than 100 years ago.

But we arent nearly the nation we once were. Everything we had or made is gone or can be made cheaper somewhere else. We have now gone into the final stage that all collapsing empires reach, the shifting of money around to make it appear that their is a distribution of wealth, and when that doesnt work you print up more to put more in 'the people's' pockets to make them feel like they have something. When in reality theyve been the slave force that was eliminated 150 years prior.

To explain that to a 7 year old might be a little difficult however.

[Deuce]

Well, here is a short and simple synopsis. We really weren't the world power until after WW2.

During the war, the togetherness of Americans was obviously at an all time high. We all put our minds together and a great product flourished.

Industrialization was booming, the broads actually got out of the house to work. Children were made at all time highs which flourished the economy. Homes were built and bought. The war itself stimulated the economy.

[gregm]

I actually know a fair bit of history and I wouldn't be able to provide a 7yo with a short answer I don't think. It's kind of hard to wrap it all up in a bite-sized nutshell for a child. Every post in here is awesome but then I think something is missing... and then the next one adds that forgotten part.

A lot of factors made the US what it is today. IS not WAS forsberg.

And fwiw, at least John wasn't this bad

Rabbits

[edawg]

FREEMASONS

[shari91]

There was great documentary called guns,germs and steel that looked at why some cultures have thrived but its not just natural resources, there are countries in the world like Russia,China,Canada and Brazil with more natural resources than the US.

American power, at least in the business world, was already a source of resentment even before World War 1. We have been lucky to attract some brilliant people to these shores, its like what happened with silicon valley, once the ball starts rolling you start attracting bright engineers and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Maybe other nations will build something comparable to silicon valley and all that entrepreneurship coming out of top universities like Stanford but it hasnt happened yet.

Most countries will lose out because of the language, the weather or the taxes if you choose your state wisely. The countries, and even the cities, that are consistently topping the best places in the world to live polls are just too bloody expensive. And the people you're talking obviously about aren't going to be concerned about what the minimum wage is in America so that negative is taken out as well. America has a very pervasive culture which is a big draw card. And it seems to go in cycles ie when I started university, IT people were in huge demand. When I finished grad school it was people in the medical and financial fields while my friends who had studied IT were left in an over-saturated market taking those Microsoft certification courses. I'm sure that's flipped many more times in the past however many years.

I'm going to hunt down that doco. Sounds awesome

[minet123]

an overabundance on natural resources
and greedy petty criminals
remember we sent the real criminals to Australia

[doublej95]

to answer a seven year old.

America became powerful through hard work from resilient people that believed in their country. Believed that anything is achievable to them if they have the desire to pursue a dream.

[RubberKettle]

There was great documentary called guns,germs and steel

Yes, it was by Jared Diamond the books are an interesting read.

Weird looking Amish chin beard on that dude.

[WvGambler]

Those big pond commercials are priceless. poor SOB

[shari91]

Those big pond commercials are priceless. poor SOB

yeah they're hilarious... there was a few of them

When I was in Bali, Nasi Goreng was on every menu and I was pissing myself laughing every time thinking of this guy. I'll never forget these commercials and they're like 4 or 5yo

[AribaAriba]

if you want a better distribution of wealth and an even playing field to have value on your hard earn money we should look into how private federal reserve favors few elites and fuk all the middle class.Also,American became so great because of free ideas and the republic is controlled by the people. People came here to have less intervention from govt and have the opportunity that they didnt have from most European tyranny .

[Optional]

I think a lot of America's prosperity can be traced back to one factor. Fast population growth at the right time.

[Creditsforedits]

Huge and complex answer to your question, a lot of which has been already alluded to in your and subsequent posts.

Something that was essential and most fundamental to creating the USA that was to become the greatest nation on Earth was the patterns of society that were formed that were able to utilise the vast natural resources, the isolation from war and limited natural disasters to create such greatness.

By patterns of society I mean future preference and infinite material demand which instilled an ethic into people (that originiated in Northern Europe) to work hard, save for the future, fostered entrepreneurialism and allowed the flow of capital and goods to areas of demand.

This, coupled with a very christian ethic of charity, compassion and concern for ones fellow man laid the foundation for all that was to come.

Many countries have great resources and benefit from similar serendipitous circumstances - Latin America is a very good example, but here their patterns of society are more focused on the here and now, they care more to have pleasure today with their money etc and so do not look to the future.

So, as simply as possible, it is the people that made America great, their ethics and future orientated desires.

[KingJD31]

Cause were thugs and th rest of the world is our bitch