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Noah White
Mrs. Taylor
AP Lang
3 October 2016
What is an American Essay
The word American is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as of, or relating
to, or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants. Being considered an American in
todays society is a very high achievement, especially among those not born here. Being an
American is much more than just being born in the United States, it is about national unity,
putting aside differences for a united nation, and its about the liberty of every citizen under the
Bill of Rights.
In the United States, Americans everywhere have had a general sense of unity until recent
years. This unity has been among us since the days of the Revolutionary War, has stuck with us
since the raging battles with the Nazis and the communists, and has brought us together on our
nations darkest day, September 11th, 2001. The only issue that we have been divided on in the
last few decades is the racial injustice issue. But even in the wake of disaster, with violence
against police officers and senseless killings in movie theaters and elementary schools, our
nation has never once blamed a specific group for these senseless domestic killings. We have
instead picked up the pieces and kept going.
As the United States of America has gone through their struggles, many Americans
resolve to have a positive outlook on the situation no matter what the circumstance. Every time

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that we fall, we get back up. Its the American way. Millions of people illegally/legally
immigrate to the United States each year, and the rates grow every year. Americans are very
serious about their sense of nationalism. They feel as if they need to express how patriotic they
are whenever they can. Take my best friend, Jeffrey Craven, for example. On every occasion he
deems appropriate, he wears red, white, and blue. This type of American spirit embodies the true
patriotism that is needed for our success as a nation.
Another reason why people strive to become Americans is that we are the freest nation in
the world. There are no oppressive leaders, as there are in many other nations in the world. We
take pride in our Bill of Rights, the documents that guarantee the basic rights of their citizens that
cannot be infringed upon by the central government. Americans really take pride in their
freedom, proven by Jeffrey Cravens singing of the National Anthem during the 2016 Europe
Trip while on a ferry in France. Although other people see us as fat snobs that contribute nothing
to the world, we often try to set them straight, saying that we saved them during World War II,
and that we invented hamburgers and stuff like that. However prideful that we are in our
freedom, we understand that we havent done much for the world during our existence, we still
hold steadfast to our beliefs that we invented democracy and that we are the land of the free and
the home of the brave.
In conclusion, the word American means much more than presiding in the United
States, it means unity in every aspect of society, it means national pride no matter what, it means
personal freedoms under a unified government.