What It Means To Be An American Essay

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What it means to be an American
The majority of Americans would say their country, United States of America, is the greatest country on the face of the planet. However, our country didn’t acquire this reputation overnight. There is a story behind the term “land of opportunity”, which is embedded into our country’s core. Americans are people who make their own decisions, express themselves freely, and connect with their neighbors through the sense of freedom and the pursuit of the American Dream, as this country grants equal rights and opportunities to every one of its citizens. Having the ability to make our own decisions helps to describe what it means to be an American, as this is the difference between being free and being controlled.
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We can bond over the common goal to change this country for the better in the future and work with each other to do so. Roosevelt best describes the relationship between American citizens as “The realization that we are all bound together by the hope of a common future rather than by reverence for a common past has helped us to build upon this continent a unity unapproached in any similar area or population in the whole world.” This idea brings us together as a nation, as it provokes a sense of hope and unity. In addition to this, practically every American citizen shares at least one goal, which is to live the American Dream. This notion of the American Dream can’t be clearly defined, though, as the term means different things to different people. For some it might be having a job that makes decent money and has flexible hours, for others it might be making a difference in the world. Almost everybody that pursues this dream, though, is searching for the life that best fits him or her. That’s what captures the true essence of the American Dream; being able to live the life that best suits who lives it. No matter the race, religion, or ethnicity, we find ourselves connected to one another through nationality and pride in our country; we are

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