There is some debate as to whether America arose because of what the federal government did for the people versus what the people did on their own because the federal government didn’t get in their way. Lets start at the beginning with the pilgrims since they are considered the group that got the ball rolling. This group started in England, but left due to religious persecution. Homes were raided and several were arrested before the remaining members fled to the Netherlands. Even there the English authorities attempted to arrest one of their members because of his writings. So they fled even further, getting a land patent from the London Virginia Company to settle in what is now the United States of America. They got financing from the Merchant Adventurers and traveled across the Atlantic on the Mayflower. That winter in 1620 was so harsh that only seven residences (of a planned nineteen) and four common houses were constructed during the first winter.

Quoting as best I can without mistake from “Of Plimoth plantation” by William Bradford, page 110, which puts us near the end of 1621

After y departure this ship, (which stayed not above 14 days,) the Gove’ & his assistante haveing disposed these late moers into severall families, as y best could, tooke an exacte accounte all their provissions in store, and proportioned y same to y number persons, and found that it would not hould out above 6. monthat at halfe alowance, and hardly that.

In 1622 they received provisions that “yet Gods blesing it upheld them till harvest. It arose but to a quarter of a pound of bread a day to each person” Here is what is written about the 1622 harvest: “Now y wellcome time harvest aproached, in which all had thir hungrie bellies filled. But it arose but to a litle, in comparison a full years supplie;… Also much was stolne both by night & day, before it became scarce eatable, & much more afterward.”

What is important about this? Some people were being pursecuted for their beliefs and writings, even after moving to another country. Their government was persecuting them even when they left their country. They went to private companies, the London Virginia Company and the the Merchant Adventurers, to get a new start in another land. They didn’t go to a government, but private companies. Since they really didn’t know the true power of private property they started by setting up a communal system that failed miserably. They were barely able to feed themselves and much of what they grew they themselves stole from the common fields. So how did this grow into the world’s strongest superpower? Again, let’s go to William Bradford’s writtings: Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647

All this while no supply was heard of, neither knew they when they might expecte any. So they begane to thinke how they might raise as much corne as they could, and obtaine a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length, after much debate of things, the Gov[erno]r (with the advise of the chiefest amongst them) gave way that they should set corne every man for his owne particular, and in that regard trust to themselves; in all other things to goe on in the generall way as before. And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number for that end, only for present use (but made no division for inheritance), and ranged all boys and youth under some family. This had very good success; for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corne was planted than other ways would have been by any means the Gov[erno]r or any other could use, and saved him a great deall of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now wente willingly., into the field, and tooke their little-ones with them to set corne, which before would allege weakness, and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.’

Edited version of chapter 16 (Of Ply Plant)

All this while no supply was heard of, neither knew they when they might expect any. So they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could, and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length, after much debate of things, the Governor (with the advice of the chiefest amongst them) gave way that they should set corn every man for his own particular, and in that regard trust to themselves; in all other things to go on in the general way as before. And so assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number, for that end, only for present use (but made no division for inheritance) and ranged all boys and youth under some family. This had very good success, for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could use, and saved him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn; which before would allege weakness and inability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression.
The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years and that amongst godly and sober men, may well evince the vanity of that conceit of Plato’s and other ancients applauded by some of later times; that the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God.

Oh, very interesting indeed. So they divided up the land and let each family grow their own corn. No longer did they have socializied food production. And the results were greatly improved. That was one of the basic tenants that made America rise to power in a few short decades, and pass up century old countries. Private property ownership. You owned your land, and you got to keep the results of your own labors. Their fair share was 100% of their labor. Their fair share was not paying for their neighbors’ shelter, clothing, food, medical care, retirement, or other desires.

So what about these infamous roads and bridges? If the federal government created them, then we would not had any until the founding of our federal government in 1776. That obviously is not the case. So roads and bridges came before the federal government was established. But some argue that sure, there were roads and bridges, but not that many. Or they weren’t good ones. And that is the reason our country grew? Looking at the date congress passed the Federal- Aid Road Act of 1916, proves otherwise. We were already a world-super power with the world’s third largest navy and were producing so many goods that went to Britian, France, and Russia that the trade inbalances were destroying the value of the French currency and had already done so with the Russian currency. So again, we were already a global power prior to federal government taxing the successul private sector for money to build roads and bridges. Businesses were created, and built, and grew long before the federal government started building roads and bridges.

Even today, many roads and bridges aren’t initially built by the federal government, state government, or even the local government. Today, most are built by land developers, using privately invested funds. They don’t use tax dollars. They buy the land, put in roads, bridges, curbs, and sidewalks. Anything that is needed. They lay water, gas and sewer lines. Power and phones lines are run. Then they divide up the land, build houses and sell them. These roads, bridges, some of the water and sewer lines are taken over by the government and then maintained. The sidewalks and some water and sewer lines are taken over by the new home owners. Federal government You didn’t build that.

The phone lines started with dedicated lines run from one house to another with a phone on each end. If the same house wanted to talk with a second house, a second line was run and they had two phones. Today the telecommunications companies, which are private companies, own the phone lines. Federal government You didn’t build that.

Power plants and power lines also started by private individuals. Power plants and transmission lines today are privately owned for the most part. Federal government You didn’t build that. Hoover Dam is probably one of the biggest known exceptions. But many successful businesses were created and our country was a world super power prior to these federal government additions to our infrastructure.
The same can be said for gas lines. Federal government You didn’t build that.
The same for cell phone towers. Federal government You didn’t build that.
The same for radio stations/towers. Federal government You didn’t build that.
The same for televisions stations/towers. Federal government You didn’t build that.

So who built that? The private sector built that. You DID build that! And when it wasn’t built by the private sector, it was the taxes of successful people in the private sector that funded what little the government did build.

SOURCE:
PDF “Of Plimoth plantation” ( http://books.google.com )
Edited version (Of Ply Plant) ( http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu )
Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647 ( http://www.swarthmore.edu )
Pilgrims and Plymouth ( http://en.wikipedia.org )
Federal Roads ( http://inventors.about.com )
* Much more pulled from wiki *