What does it mean to be american?
by Anjali Patel
The fourth of July is often celebrated through gatherings which include barbecues, fireworks, and of course, delicious food. Although all of this accounts for a thousand genuine laughs and cherished moments with the valuable people in your life, there is one aspect that many overlook. Everyone knows that July 4 is American Independence Day. The date is also a symbolic representation of the emerging and developing American culture.
Is it possible to define the modern day culture of the United States? After taking its dynamic and unique history into consideration, it is definitely not the easiest task. America is composed of varying ethnicities from all across the globe. From the Africans imported in the early seventeenth century to the large numbers of Irish and German migrants during the nineteenth century, America is constituted of immigrants. Unless someone is Native American, its people’s heritage could be traced back to all corners of the world.
Since the United States is made up of not one but multiple races and nationalities, there has to be something that connects everyone. Lifestyle varies, and although not everyone eats the same type of food, celebrates the same holiday, or practises the same religion, we may have something significant that holds all of us together.
That something is this energy and spirit to thrive and continuously improve to earn the best quality of freedom, opportunity, and voice. We have seen this energy in motion during the development of the constitution. People in office advocated for the bill of rights and debated over how the people’s rights should be interpreted. We still use the constitution to this day. If it weren’t for those individuals and America at whole to step up and make a change, our future would have been of course, much different. During the Civil War, there was a clash over whether slavery should be abolished. Eventually slavery was something that became outlawed. What allowed for this complete depletion? The answer is this universal characteristic of persistence which is clearly visible in all successful communities throughout the world.
Hence, this quality is present not only in America, but everywhere. It is a universal necessity to advance in society. This concept occurs on a daily basis no matter where you are on earth. However, it is important to remember that not everyone agreed with decisions made on the constitution, slavery, etc. We are all entitled to our own opinion and we can individually obtain this attribute of motivation and persistence to personally make a change. This feature that tied America and many nations of the world together is just as vital as keeping it in yourself.
Therefore, if you live in the United States and celebrate the fourth of July, remember to have a good time and look into your country’s past. Think about how the same traits that have held the nation together during times of hardship can be applied to yourself. If you do not live in the United States, think about a struggle that the country you live in went through in the past, and how you can apply those qualities to your personal life.