The American Way

The traditional family was central to the American story. Only recently has it fallen into neglect. The American Way is the narrative of how this happened.

Many history books emphasize American individualism and enterprise, but in The American Way, Allan C. Carlson shows that Americans saw the family as central to their national identity.

Not only did the traditional family shape public policy in the twentieth century, but the American family moved us towards the “melting pot” vision of America. Whether it’s Theodore Roosevelt, the campaign for a family wage, or Life magazine’s ideal of the family, we see that the family has been the heart of the American dream, and it is only in recent decades that we have abandoned it.