Beginnings

We probably don't think on a daily basis about how our country was founded and the impact that it has on our lives as well as the ideals we hold closely to, but our country's founding actually has great deal to do with how we live and what we think today.  Every country is affected by how it was founded and the first people that arrived in the country.

The pilgrims decided to come to America to escape religious persecution because they wanted to find freedom in the new world.  They had a hard life where they were living and they wanted a better, easier life in America.  The people that first arrived here, chose to come, and when they got here they managed to overcome insurmountable odds by gaining independence from Britain.

This story is very different than the story of how Australia was settled.  England was running out of room for their prisoners, and James Cook had just discovered a new world down under so they decided to send the convicts there to get them off their hands.  They decided to send prisoners to Australia because the land there was very hostile and unsuitable for plantations of sugar, cotton and tobacco.    There were more than 700 convicts sent to Australia as part of the first fleet.  They were separated from their family, friends and the only life and home that they knew, and they certainly did not choose to go to Australia.

The strories of the beginnings of these two countries are very different and still affect the views held by their citizens even now.  Here is a brief comparison of the views held by Australians and Americans today and how they have been formed by the countries beginnngs-

America
- Believes that we should dream big! We can accomplish anything we set our minds to
-Very indivdual, the indivdual is the center of life
-We strive to have a lot of pride
-We want to stand out against the crowd, be our own person
-Our value is determined by success
-If you work hard, your life will be just fine
-We use flattery a lot and don't always say what we mean

Australia
-Don't have expectations, because if they don't come to fruition, you'll just be disappointed
-This is as good as it is gonna get so don't screw it up
-Don't stand out because people will just cut you down
-Rely on fate
-Opposed to authority
-Don't care about being politically correct, more blunt
-Egalitarian, everybody gets a fair-go
-Very laid-back