What It Means to be 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.

Over the course of the first century and a quarter of the history of the United States of America, what it means to be an American has been defined by a number of different documents. The authors of those documents have come from varied backgrounds all searching to find their place in the growth and development of this country. At the beginning of the nation, those authors came from the English tradition of what government should look like and what those who were looking to change that government should do. When the country experienced some early growing pains, many of those same people came together again to try and develop a new system of laws for the country. As the nation grew up, it also grew apart and faced arguably the most

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.

With all the controversy in what it means to be American at this point in history, coming to a consensus on the meaning of the term is crucial. The meaning of being an American can often be tied to one’s emotional connection to the United States of America. If this attachment is taken away from the definition of the word, the most authentic and traditional interpretation of what it means to be an American is revealed. To be an American means to be a citizen of the United States and to align yourself with the ideals of America.

According to the Scholastic News Online, when individuals were given the question of what it means to be an American, most of them described it as “being free” and having certain rights while others gave explicit examples and mentioned the fact that we as Americans receive opportunities such as “voting”. I somewhat agree with most of these individuals. I believe that being an American consists of having certain rights and a given amount of freedom, to a certain extent. I also strongly believe that by being American, we are guaranteed opportunity if we work hard for something. Being an American also means we have the power to make a difference and express what we feel in order to make this country better than before. Coming from a family that had a much more distinct experience than

What is an American? This question cannot be answered by one word. There are so many different characteristics, qualities, and features that can be used to describe an American. Besides features, someone is only a real American if they take advantage of all of the many privileges that are given to them. Any person that is not grateful for the privileges that are given to them to me are not real Americans but this is only my opinion. Real Americans use their privileges to benefit themselves and everyone around them. In today's society there are certain things that are expected from American citizens, for instance being a responsible citizen.

Throughout the life span of the United States, from its infancy after the Revolution to the present, people have asked, “What is an American?” This question goes far beyond asking who is a citizen or who resides in this land. No, it asks what the identity of an American is? Through popular, art, film, and literature, the American image is defined as being based on embracing our individual identities.

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.

Since the birth of America, our nation has been debated as one of the best countries in the world. From our freedoms to our military strength to our boundless opportunities, America has almost always been a great place to be. Our history shows a few rough patches, but we have gotten through them and become a stronger nation because of it. However, how is a person defined as being an American? How do you know when you are an American? When it comes to being American, there are many ways that a person can define it. How a person knows they are American is totally up to them. Thoughts and feelings as well as legal processes can contribute to the identity of an American, although a few things really define a person as an American. I think that to be an American, one should understand the American tradition, have a sense of patriotism because of our history, and understand that other people and nations do not have the opportunities or abilities that we as Americans have.

Defining what really is to be an American does not sound as easy as it seem. It will always be complex process. As immigration continues to fuel the growth of the population of our nation, racial and ethnic gap increase and evolve along with it. Racial and ethnic identities become more and more convoluted and difficult to understand. Race and ethnicity continue to intermingle and push a cultural shift in the US– a shift that plays a significant role in redefining America in a day-to-day basis.

How does our generation define what it means to be “American”? Being in America gives us the freedom to become who we want to be and, to do what we want to do. We are using technology to get places or to make a point. We want to support things we don’t know anything about. For example, Black Lives Matter. I’m not saying I know everything about it but I know enough. So one day as I was scrolling through Facebook I came across a post. The post was about a 9/11 “Never Forget” picture. A teen one or two older than me had said something along the lines of “When is our never forget day?” along with the hashtag “#Blacklivesmatter”. I got pretty upset by that. Not to mention it was said on 9/11. I was thinking about how they have a whole month to

American. What is an American? Well, the current dictionary definition someone would find of an American is slightly flawed. For example, the Merriam Webster Dictionary describes an American as “a person born, raised, or living in the U.S.”. The problem with this definition is that it’s only one part of being an American. Yes, an American does need to be involved with the United States, but there’s more to that in order to be an American. An American is someone who welcomes diversity, cares about the good of America, and follows the ideal of a strong work ethic. That’s what a real American is.

What is an American? Can Americans be categorized as just one thing? Is it something you can even define? The definition of American according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary is simply “a native or inhabitant of the U.S. :a U.S. citizen” (American). However, to me the idea of being American is such a broad idea that it’s hard to describe in just a few words. An American can be so many different things, can be of every kind of religion, ethnicity, views. Yet, we all manage to come together under one flag.

When the American colonies declared themselves independent from on their mother country, Britain, on July 4, 1776, they sought to devise a plan to govern themselves without the constraints that had been imposed on them leading to their detachment. Prominent leaders in the thirteen colonies worked together to strike the perfect balance between the rights of the federal government and the rights of the states. On June 12, 1776, a committee was formed to put together a document that would bring together the states in the form of a confederation. Within the committee, John Dickinson was chosen to head the committee. Dickinson had begun his political career in 1760 when he served as the speaker of the Three Lower Counties in Delaware. Starting in 1965, Dickinson used his journalism skills to assist in the rebellion against Great Britain. His most famous work took place from 1767 to 1768, which was a series of newspaper articles, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle. His articles protested taxation policies enforced by the British government, but insisted that he preferred a peaceful solution over going to war with military world power. In 1771, Dickinson wrote a petition on behalf of the Pennsylvania legislature, which was unanimously approved, to King George III, suggesting a compromise in the interest that both parties could avoid a drawn out war. Unfortunately, Dickinson’s civil form of protesting caused the public to lose interest in