What Makes An American? (The Qualities that Make Someone an American) What makes a person an American? Americans cannot be noticed by their looks or by the language they speak. The people that make up the population of the United States are of all ethnicities, cultures, and religions. An American does not discriminate another because of their gender or skin color. All Americans are free, but to be a true American they understand what it means to be free. An American is someone that is part of a melting pot, someone who knows what equality is and understands what it means to be free. Americans are a part of a melting pot because America is made up of all ethnicities, cultures and religions. When people first came to America, they were from England, Spain, and France. Then a little while later, people from Africa came to America. Others from all around the world slowly trickled in. Immigrants came in seek of freedom and safety after WWI and even …show more content…
But even though slavery was abolished, the discrimination against African Americans didn 't stop, which lead to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950 's and 1960 's. The Civil Rights Movement lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which granted equal rights for all American citizens, no matter color, ethnicity, race, gender, or religion. Now all Americans have the right to vote and are protected under the law. America, even though our history isn 't the most graceful thing to look back on, Americans, beginning in school are taught about these time periods. When I was younger and in elementary school, we were taught about these points in our history because we learned what life was and what was done to make it the way it is for us today, so we could appreciate how easy our lives are today without discrimination. In America, the true Americans realize the hard journey it took for all citizens to become equal under the law, and therefore they respect and appreciate the rights and equality they
The term melting-pot has been used since the 1700s. It has always been a metaphor to describe immigrants coming to America. The melting pot is a fusion of cultures and ethnicities into one larger culture. Americans did not like the idea of immigration to their country, viewing their country as beautiful the way it was. Many thought America would be ruined if too many people immigrated and left their cultural mark on the country. The melting-pot concept on immigration seems to highlight historically how America came to be, but for more current immigration, Americans views are more negative. American attitude towards immigrants in the 1900s was not very favorable. Since they feared them, immigrants were often treated horribly by Americans. Robert H. Clancy says, “Vigorous complaint and more or less bitter persecution have been aimed at newcomers to our shores. Also the congressional reports of about 1840 are full of abuse of English, Scotch, Welsh immigrants as paupers, criminals, and so forth.” (Clancy,
America was founded on change. Past revolutions were fought to make new ways in which to live life in this country. Our families all came to America, at one point, to feed into this definition of being an American. The term melting pot in my mind means structure, meaning what we, as Americans, are made of. It was many ethnic backgrounds that came to make up our country. So as more and more people migrate to America, stand up for the changes they believe in, this country will only continue to get stronger.
Slavery has been entwined with American history ever since Dutch traders brought twenty captive Africans to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Slavery in America is a subject with minimal truths and stories rarely told. The public school system excludes the fact that eight of the first twelve American presidents were major slaveholders. Emancipation brought freedom, but not approximation. The civil rights movement killed Jim Crow, but shadows remained. Affirmative Action created opportunities, but racism continues.
Americans can cherish their freedom of expression and are part of a diverse culture. An American is someone who would embrace freedom and liberty. Overall, to be an American, it is crucial to embrace the culture and become a part of it disregarding where you were born.
What makes an American an American? Is it the accent, the clothing, the fact that you
American families are becoming more diverse every day. The merging ethnic diversity in our country is becoming more apparent daily as we see different people of different cultures becoming involved with each other. America is a melting pot. The influx of immigrants and with their varied cultural backgrounds was essential in molding America’s identity. The United States became a refuge for all those suffering persecution for political or personal beliefs. America has become a shelter for a wide variety of faiths and beliefs.
Scorching heat, pure exhaustion, and constant fear convey the bleak image of war. The definition of war is varied, and “often the proposed definition masks a particular political or philosophical stance” (Moseley). Colonel William Travington portrays his beliefs about the brutality of war through one simple sentence; “You know, it's an ugly business doing one's duty... but just occasionally it's a real pleasure” (“The Patriot”). Our country is home to a diversity of perspectives on what it means to be an American, and the loyalty that comes from this earned title. Being an American is a privilege, not a right. The sacrifices made in war show the true cost of being free. Freedom is the basis of our country, and the measures Americans are willing to take to protect that freedom reveal their devotion to their country. What costs will we take to maintain the well-being of our nation? The answer to this question is a direct result of the “patriotism” shared by the members of this great nation.1Analyzing popular music, classic art, educational films, and American literature allows us to define American identity through the basis of opportunity, hard work, and loyalty.
After hundreds of years of slavery in the western world, the end of the American Civil War brought forth a new age of questions which debated what rights qualifed as unalienable civil and human rights, and who should be afforded them. Whether it be the right to marry, the right to own land, the right to work, the right to vote, or the right to be a citizen, African Americans had to fight for and prove that these were rights that could not be denied to them as freedmen in America. After the Civil War and the abolishment of slavery, there was a great split in opinion between white and black Americans about what American freedom entailed and whether or not African Americans had fair access to it.
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.
Slavery. Many people today would like to forget that part of America 's past but, for African Americans, it is not so easily forgotten. For African Americans, life in America has been tumultuous to say the least. Since those first few horrendous centuries, African Americans have been making strides towards a better existence. Things are better now because of the countless African Americans who strived and believed that things could be better for their people. Even though African Americans still have a ways to go, African Americans have come a long way over the course of 100 years because the foundation of the NAACP, the Harlem Renaissance, the "I Have A Dream" speech, and the fact that an
There is no clear definition of “becoming American”. Everyone has a different view of what American truly means. The term differs depending on what era in history it is. During the American Revolution, the United States was not a nation, therefore no one was truly American. While the Cherokee Nation fought for sovereignty, the definition of “becoming American” expanded. Both the American Revolution and the Red Clay simulations conveyed how race contributed to “becoming American”.
What does it mean to be an American? Can this statement ever really be defined since America is a melting pot of different races, religions, political views, social views and so on and so fourth. To be an American can mean virtually anything and whether or not somebody supports national symbols is just another part of being and American. As Americans we have the right to disagree with the government, the right to protest against something unjust, the right to burn a flag in disgrace because after all we have freedom of speech. To some these things are un-American, but to others they are the reasons America is such a wonderful place to live. There is no definite answer to this question, but many different possibilities.
The definition of an American, is someone who is a citizen of the United States. Many African Americans, and immigrants struggled to become actual Americans in their lifetimes, because others didn 't see them as actual people; and based it on the color of someone. In today 's world people who live in America consider themselves as Americans, but to me there is certain qualities that make a person an American. To me being a true American is not based off of what Country they were born in, or what race their parents are, or even if they were immigrated to the United States. People from all over the world would say that maybe people could base this off of someone 's family heritage, or where they were before they came to America. If you were asked what makes an American an American what would you base it off of? To me there are four specific characteristics that make a person a true American; those three things would be, freedom, individuality, belief in the country, and happiness.
When we look back on the history of America many events occurred that are either frowned upon, or seen as the glory days. The events that are the glory days or the highest points in American life such as Independence from England helped to make America what it is today. Those events that we look back on, that are not the best periods of time, such as slavery and African Americans fight for Rights in the 1960's, also helped to make the United States what it is today. When in the 1960's, leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and religious leaders such as Malcolm X, stood forward to talk about the rights that were taken away from African Americans, they were look down upon. Today however, they are heroes to us. The steps and actions made by them to free the African American people from segregation, and for them to have a chance at having equal rights and liberties as stated by the constitution. After the end of slavery and the writing of the Emancipation Proclamation the first steps were made towards civil rights. The 1940's to the 1960's were a section in time where racial injustice was done to the African American people. As we came to the 1960's a change came to the United States in the goals, strategies, and the support towards the movement for African Americans civil rights.
The age old question that many ask today is “what is an American?” America is continued to be called the “melting pot” of the world. This statement refers to the combination of different cultures and ethnicities throughout the United States. The diversity of America should not take away from the history and foundation it was found upon. ...