What It Means To Be An American Essay

The soil of the middle-east stained with the blood of our American soldiers just so we can not take advantage of our right to vote. Though sometimes questionable, America's overall image portrayed to other countries is an honorable one. America is known for its democracy and as well as being a land of opportunities and many freedoms. America's assortment of ethnicities and cultures is proof that our country is a desirable one. Wars are being fought at this very moment to defend these freedoms.

An American can be defined by a variety of things. A natural born citizen is just as American as an immigrant searching for a new life, just like in “America and I” by Aniza Yezierska. An American can be a rich businessman or it could be a dedicated soldier like in “Veteran’s Day: Never Forget Their Duty” by John McCain. An individual’s definition of being an American is shaped by their life experiences. A person’s view on being an American is different because of experiences, such as being a veteran, being an immigrant, or living in poverty, all of which affect one’s perspective.

What does it mean to be an American? In my eyes to be an American means to have privileges, rights, and freedom. America isn't perfect, but it is one of the only countries that have rights given to people of different diversities and gender. America does not have tremendous poverty. Instead we have choices given to us by the people who fought and died for the American people. Without George Washington and the other patriots who planted the first seed in the ground and help plant the American nation we live in now who knows what America would be like now.

Many people dream about being an American. They dream because they envision America as the land of peace and prosperity. But is it? At times it has been, and at times its not. It is hard for the United States to be correct all the time because they have been unwilling designated as the "World Police". Throughout history there have been examples politically, economically, and socially, where being an American is rewarding and times where it is embarrassing. To be an American means progress. We evolved from a world ruled by white men to a world of equal opportunity.

“America is another name for opportunity. Our whole history appears like a last effort of divine providence on behalf of the human race.” This statement made by Ralph Waldo Emmerson signifies many peoples’ views of what it has meant to be an “American” for the past few hundred years. Still, the world continues to evolve around us, and times continue to change. With these changing times, how one defines what it means to be an American has also evolved. It is no secret that today especially, in our country, times are in turmoil and our country is divided. With this division come differences in how we view each other and ourselves as Americans and what things should look like in our country. Aside from our own views, comes the views of the outside world and their ever-changing views of America, and the citizens living in the country. These things combined work together to help answer the question, “what does it mean to be an American?”

Liberty is another thing that makes someone a real American. Being an American you have the liberty to do almost anything you choose. If you want to practice a different religion you are free to with out anyone telling you that you cant. This is one of the many reasons that immigrants came over to America. Their lives were threatened if they tried to practice a different religion then

America. The land of the free and the home of the brave. This sentence from the national anthem describes what it means to be an American perfectly. Americans are on a land of freedom that is fought for by bravery. They should show it in how they act every day.

Definitions of what being an American have changed drastically over time. People seem to have forgotten what it really means to have freedom, life, and liberty. Today’s new definition is and will probably always be so much different than what your grandparents or maybe even parents grew up with. Trump riots are a perfect example of how things have changed over time. Back in the day, people just dealt with what had happened, and moved on.

Many people dream about being an American. They dream because they envision America as the land of peace and prosperity. But is it? At times it has been, and at times its not. It is hard for the United States to be correct all the time because they have been unwilling designated as the “World Police”. Throughout history there have been examples politically, economically, and socially, where being an American is rewarding and times where it is embarrassing. To be an American means progress. We evolved from a world ruled by white men to a world of equal opportunity.

To be an American in my opinion means you have freedom, and the right to do what you desire. An American can decide what sports they want to play, what classes they want to take, what job they want in the future. Being an American means that you have the right to choose your religion and the type of person you are. Also, to be an American it means that you serve the country in the best way possible and respect those who do serve the county, such as soldiers. Being an American means you have the right to vote for a worthy president. Many countries lack the privilege that America has, and sometimes a person doesn't realize the opportunities they get when living in America.

Candelario Felix Felix 1 Mrs. Brown English 11 December 2,2015 What It Means To Be An American What does it mean to be an American? Most of the people in America would say Freedom if asked that question. Although that is a big chunk of what it means to be an American there are also of definitions to what it means to be an american. For example for you the meaning of being an american can be freedom but for someone else it can be that everyone is equal and treated the same. Being an American is a privilege some countries don't get the rights that we do and us as americans sometimes don't really consider that.

Now that I am older and a little wiser, what best describes Americans are our belief system and our ability to overcome obstacles and thrive. Our government is made of and by the people of America. Despite our differences, in America, if you work hard you can succeed. America is boundless, her tenacity is protected, and her essence is freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

An ideal American is not just someone who was merely born in America, but rather it is someone who exhibits certain exemplary character traits in his everyday life. First, an ideal American needs to be honest because a country cannot be truly united if its people are not honest with each other. Next, he has to have integrity due to the line between savagery and altruism in a society hanging on its people's understanding of right and wrong.Also, he has to be knowledgeable about politics, so that he can vote effectively. A person’s vote can only better America if he is truly aware of what or who he is voting for and why. In addition, he needs to be courageous because the great freedoms that America enjoys are not products of Americans cowering

Since this great country was first established many intuitive minds have tried to answer the question; "What is an American". This country is full of individuals of many backgrounds, and diversities and each person has a different opinion on this question. In my opinion, an American is someone who values freedom and equality and pursues the "American dream." Every American exercises these rights and these are great adjectives to describe our country. Each of the seven readings, and the one image I compiled help mold this broader definition into a more precise description of an American.

As we know, the United States was a British colony and there were native American live here before; after the Europeans settled America, a new group of Americans was created. But what is truly American? And what was their real life like after they came here. The ideal of America was a heaven for the people who wanted to get a new life that is happy and free. But there is always a gap between the ideal and the reality; the reality will never be as good as the ideal and people would always have opinions towards the society and the government.