What It Means To Be An American Essay

What does it mean to be “American”?

At first glance some may consider being an American to be as basic as having citizenship, but the term is deeper than what meets the eye. Each person has an individual idea of how this term defines them and their relationship with society. To explain this further, someone who considers themselves to be an American may have an abundance of nationalism and pride in the freedom granted to them. On the other hand an American may be unhappy with the corrupted capitalistic views of our government. Many people also base their definition of being American on a multitude of contrasting freedoms and laws. Every person’s definition of what it is to be an American is different, it relies upon perspective and morals.

Hard work can be a factor in deciding how successful a person can become. Perseverance is important to continue pursuing your goals and dreams. It goes hand in hand with hard work and will leave you content when your dream is complete. Autonomy of thought is a major aspect of the American identity. Socially, for example, it can help people choose how to interact with others and opinions on social issues. Politically it can give us the freedom of thought to decide who we want to vote for and how we want those ideas represented. A majority of Americans descend from immigrants looking for a better life and after years of oppression either within America or from external forces freedom is a key factor in the American Dream and identity. Therefore we must uphold these values and continue to reflect these qualities if not for ourselves, then for

It isn’t really about becoming rich or famous. It is about things much simpler and more fundamental than that. – Marco Rubio The author I have chosen is Marco Rubio. He is an American Senator in Florida. In the quote he says the American Dream is not about fame or wealth, but of simpler things. While someone's dream may be to be rich and famous mine is not, that is why this quote resonates with me. I read that essentially Marco Rubio’s dream was to discover who he is and to make something of himself. I relate to this idea because I want to be able to explore who I am and become successful. I think this is where Rubio and I differ. Our dreams of success may be interpreted differently, his idea of success might entail making his name known and doing something to benefit the masses. My dream of success is to grow through unique experiences and becoming self-sufficient and