My Country, The Thee, 'God My Country Tis Of Thee'?

America is a country rich in history, which can be dated back to 1776 with its independence from the British. With this new-found independence came a great loss of life and new found freedoms. This land did not come without struggles and bloodshed, from people that believed that this land was worth fighting for. It wasn’t necessary the land that was special, it was the belief of what this land represented. With the new-found freedoms, giving to individuals where the freedom to express them self in many formats, many express their patriotism in forms of poetry and in music. There have been several songs written by many different musicians, but the most significant to America’s core values are My country, ‘tis of thee by Samuel F. Smith, God

Smith in 1832, while a student at Andover Theological Seminary in Andover, Massachusetts. The song was known to around world and Europe in many variations even Beethoven was known to make a version of this song, but it was best known as “God Save the King.”. In August 28, 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King quoted Smith 's lyrics when he stated as he stood in front of hundreds of thousands in the middle of the Lincoln Memorial "I have a dream" speech and called on the nation to "let freedom ring." The Library of congress states that the song written by Samuel Smith was once used to greet George Washington as he arrived in New York City for his first inauguration in April 1789 and as recently sung by Aretha Franklin for President Barack Obama inauguration. Samuel’s “My Country ‘tis of Thee,” Was one of the first songs children learn in American schools. The lyrics are easy to sing and filled with liberty and pilgrims, and its message of patriotism. The first three verses encourage and increase of national pride, while the last verse was specifically kept as an appeal to God for His continued favor and protection of the United States of America. The song depicts the struggles and loss of life it took in this country to be what is has become today. Within the fourth lyrics it says “land where my fathers died”, for America to gain its freedoms blood had to be spilled and many lives were lost. With this loss of life new found freedom was given to its new