Americans are famously diverse, and have changed in many ways over the course of their country’s history. Despite this, all Americans are brought together by our shared immigrant origins, success as a country, and the pride we should all have for the wisdom employed by the people who founded this country. The ideas presented by the men who founded the United States stand today as a proud experiment of freedom and democracy that we are all a part of. We are associated even more so by the hopes and dreams within our ancestors who made the decision to leave their home in search of a better or more prosperous live for themselves and their descendents. I believe these unions with our peers are what connects us to our country and that is what makes any of us an American.

It is incredible how the first truly American documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights) are impressively well written pieces that represent some of the best ideas for human rights and government that have been recorded by humans up to the present. "An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the god-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness." (Hudgins) Hudgins is talking of the economic and world leading success that America has had as a country and as a people which he attributes to the roots set by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence. I believe he is very correct in this assertion. The themes of freedom from an unfit government and representation of people have guided this country for a long time. This supports my claim of how great this document was and how influential it became to the American government and its people in praising the idea that everybody should have an opportunity to be as happy as their life and their work ethic permits them to be. Or at least to not be oppressed in the pursuit of happiness by the government or ruler of their home. This small part of one of several documents is a good example of the multitude of great ideas brought forth by the people who founded our country.
As a nation of mostly very recent immigrants (last 300+ years) a large part of being American is taking the brave and risky step of leaving home and country in search of a better life in a place you don’t know too much about. “Uni panis, ibi patria” (Where my bread is earned, there is my country; de Crevecoeur) This quote says that despite where a person comes from, wherever they currently make money or grow food in is their home. This is a genius simplification of how a person decides which country they belong to and feel pride for. This supports my position by making the claim that even our ancestors who had only just set foot in and started to make a living in the country were truly Americans. As the lineage continues the family only grows more American with generations of families living, forming relationships, earning food, and having children in America.
America has been a relatively important nation since its conception. After World War II, with Britain and France economically and physically decimated, the U.S. was able to become a great world power; along with the U.S.S.R. who has since fallen. “We will have the biggest, baddest missiles, and we will point them in any direction we like, across the galaxies, through eternity, forever and ever.” She is making a joke at how many resources the U.S. puts into the military and formerly into going into space. Though there are likely better things to focus on, having a strong military is very important in this worldwide society. We have the best military in the world, not in manpower but in training. Another type of missile, one that transports people, animals, and probes into space, is more important in America’s legacy than any weapon of war. During the space age, America was very successful in its competition with the U.S.S.R. Culminating in the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Despite America’s contributions to the space race trailing off recently, what America has already done is enormously important to the potential next age of exploration (exploration of space has not ideologically taken off yet). Economically America has long been a powerhouse, with its citizens generally able to maintain supportive jobs and its corporations large and important worldwide. American’s enjoy a historically high quality of life living in the most famously first world country. In short, many American successes come from the U.S. government and many come from America’s people and ideas. All of these successes bring us together as a people due to shared pride.
Individually, Americans are many things. An American might be intelligent, wise, or awe inspiring. Some are certainly evil or petulant. Despite an American’s individual deeds or thoughts, as Americans, we are one great, hard working, successful, and proud entity that has stood up to crimes committed across the world and right here in our own country. Americans take care of eachother. Americans form relationships not based on race or status but based on content of one’s mind. Americans forgive and admittedly Americans forget. Perhaps the world could have gotten along without America’s far reaching impact. America is certainly not wanted or thought of positively everywhere. But this American for one is grateful for the people who surround me and who have lived in this land before me.