Essay On Becoming America

The expectation for new opportunity in America was an aspiration held by all those willing to leave their native counties—seeking a land of promise. While the United States certainly provided a chance of these fortunes, these freedoms came at a steep price. The initial process of traveling abroad was grueling. Away from the comforts of home, precious belongings and a culture that felt familiar—adjusting to

America is a wonderful place to live, because we are free. Freedom is important, and many people in other countries do not have much freedom. I am glad I have a place like this to grow up in; where I know that I can be equal with other races and other genders. Also, I am glad I have a place like this that will respect me and I know it will be a great place to have my children grow up in.

The physical side is at one time they did love each other because kids were born. The shared activities are the fact they have children and they still do things as a family.

What it means to be American? Everybody you ask this question to will have a completely different response. Some responses might have similarities but none will be exactly the same. In the beginning of the year my response was “To be an American means having a rich history, having opportunities to better ourselves, and having freedoms.” Unfortunately not everyone has had the same opportunities or freedoms. Native Americans, who are indigenous, dealt with having their freedoms taken away, less opportunities even though they had rich history in this land before it was taken away from them. Look at what Zitkala-Sa endured. Not only that, but African Americans have fought long and hard for freedom and equality as well. W.E.B. Du Bois stood for

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.

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.

An American is someone who doesn't rely on others for their individual happiness. Someone with the freedom to independently make decisions towards becoming a better person without conforming to society's standards/sentiments. Americans have equal rights no matter where they come from. “Of every hue and caste I am, of every rank and religion... I resist anything better than my own diversity,” (Whitman) Walt Whitman is saying that no matter the color of your skin, your rank/wealth in society, or your religion, you are just as equal as everybody else. We are all so different and diverse yet so equal. Although we are equal, we cannot rely on one another for our own happiness. “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in

Many mornings i would wake up to the mouth watering smell of Sancocho, a traditional latin hot stew with chicken, carrots, plantains, corn and potatoes.Loud Bachata would be playing in the kitchen as my mother cooked. The warm,rolled and cascading sounds of the guitar filled the house . “Llora guitarra llora!!” my silly father would say scream off the top of his lungs, enjoying the music as he read the morning paper and family would all laugh at the comment.

The “American dream,” a promise of the ability to turn your life from rags to riches if you try hard in the United States of America, has been the definition of what it means to be an American. But over time it the American dream has changed and its pledge perhaps more viable than ever. This is due to the simple fact that America as a nation has evolved over time and the core values which its people encompass are a reflection of the times. So as an American how do we define ourselves and our nation outside of the American dream? America has been known over time as a “big brother”- protector of mankind. Yet many of our citizens did not have equal rights until the 1960’s and it took the fourteenth amendment to guarantee equal protection

A question most fascinating to me is where in history does the first hint of American ideals and identities originate from? If we were to look at where the fiery passions of an American identity first arise we have to look to where the colonists first fought for their right to be a recognized citizen of America. American colonists formed their identity through the ideas of liberty, resistance to unfair British jurisdiction, and cultural diversity. Their identities formed between the Seven Years War and the American Revolutionary War as these two events deeply brought out what the colonist’s ideals were and what they fought for so passionately. Between these years 1763 and 1775 we see the first American ideals being born in the colonies. An example of such ideals is the want and need for Liberty. A reason for wanting liberty was that British control suppressed the lives of the people living in America and over time grew harder for colonists to live with. Americans are revered to have a passionate patriotic view of their country and this is true as it is seen throughout history but in my research I will try to explain where these ideals first arose.

America. The greatest country. The strongest country. The one country most people want to live in. The country that provides help for the ones in need and free education for everybody. America has lived up to the ideals in the Declaration of Independence such as democracy, opportunity, but most importantly, liberty. In America, we are all born with liberty or as others call it, “rights.”

Americans have not only defined themselves by their religious, ethnic and racial identity, but also by their individual freedom and common values. America has become a nation where its people can fight for what they believe in. Our founding fathers have formed America to be “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. Being apart of the American culture and living on the land founded by our leaders specifies the meaning of the American Identity.

American identity has been created by many events throughout the course of history. This country was founded on the clashing and mixing of many different cultures and lifestyles. One of the most important periods of time for this country was during the period of conflict between Americans and Native Americans over land rights. Americans had an idea of manifest destiny and that this land was theirs for the taking. The Americans were going to walk through anyone who opposed them in this quest for land. The treatment of the Indians during this time period was harsh, cruel, and violent to say the least. It is in this treatment that Americans came to view the Indians as a ?racialized other? and

The United States of America is a country known around the world as a great melting pot. A place where a person of any race and background can come and work hard to achieve their hopes and dreams. When people think about the founding of the United States, they typically think of a rebellion and revolution that colonists had to do to resist against the cruel tyranny of the British colonial rule. The American Revolution is celebrated as the start of a country and looked at with pride and patriotism by Americans; So much in fact that there is even a national holiday in America that celebrates the founding of the country on July 4th. What typically isn’t mentioned when talking about the history of America is the exploitation and oppression of certain groups of people that was used as a foundation that this country was built upon. Although the founding of the United States opened the doors of opportunity for millions of people, it also resulted in the abuse and entrapment of a huge population. The oppressed groups had little to no rights and experienced political, social, and economic inequality.

According to the text, “The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don 't have to waste your time voting”, (Bukowski 1). The decisions made in this election will affect the future of America. According to Oxford Dictionaries the president is “an elected head of state in a democratic setting”, (Oxford dictionaries 2). A good president is someone who is: experienced in political matters, intelligent, a good leader, has quality communication skills, a good decision maker, and confident in their ideals. This election will go down in the history books no matter what the result is and will be looked back on and analyzed by future generations. The opportunity is there to elect the first female president of the Unites States, Hilary Clinton. Women have gone from fighting for the right to vote, now one is on the ballot with the opportunity to be the commander and chief. We are on the brink of the third election where a Caucasian male will not be the president. Or, the other side of this coin is the Republican Nominee Donald Trump. Donald Trump is a businessman, television producer, and politician. He was born in New York City on June 14th, 1946. He attended New York Military Academy from the age of thirteen, but he never formally served in the military. He received control of his father’s real estate and construction firm in 1971. He took his father’s business and turned