Essay, Research Paper: What Does It Mean To Be American

What does it mean to be "American?"
What makes it
"American?" And how does it make us "American?" American stands
for the beliefs, the music, as well as the people that come from
this great nation. The beliefs of this great nation speak every language.
These beliefs stretch from the furthest reaches of Africa to the
city life of New York. These beliefs are pride, freedom, and
equality. American means to be proud. It means to stand up for
what you believe in and to fight for it wholeheartedly. American
also means to have freedom, freedoms to do what you wish, to
practice your own religious ceremonies, customs, and beliefs.
With these freedoms comes a responsibility, a responsibility to
be accountable for your actions. Equality is the basis of
American society. Before equality for all, there was slavery.
With this slavery came accounts of cruelty and disillusioned
violence. Without help from first hand accounts of slaves such
as Frederick Douglass and Olaudah Equiano, we would have never
emerged from this dark era in American history.
American music is the envy of nations around the world.
From Led Zeppelin to Snoop Doggy Dog, American music continues to
diversify and grow. American bands develop large masses of
followers in nations of all different ethnic backgrounds. From
Asia to Germany, American music continues to influence the music
styles of the rest of the world.
Proud American men and women joined the armed forces to
serve the country that they love and protect. These people show
what it means to be American. Just as the colonists fought the
British for Independence in April Morning, they risk their lives,
for something they believe in and cherish. These same people
also stand for exploration and discovery. The first white people
lead by Captain Smith, traveled to the newly discovered Americas,
to explore and colonize. They show the American strength of
character, determination, and will.
To be "American" is to be many things. It means different
things to different people, yet they all agree on the basic
American fundamentals. The beliefs, music, and people of a
country define the essence of that nation.