Eugene Debs Essay

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Eugene Victor Debs did many things in his 70 years on this planet. More thing than most people does if they were to live twice as long as Debs. But was Eugene V. Debs a real “American Hero”? First, you must know the definition of American Hero. An American Hero, to me, is a citizen of the United States, whom tries and succeeds immensely in helping the country to succeed in its quest to become one of the most, if the most, powerful countries in the known world. No matter what sacrifices they must make. This is my own definition based on a mixture of Hero, which is: “A man of distinguished courage or ability; admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities,” (Dictionary 1). You must also take the basic definition of American, which is a more obvious definition, meaning simply: “A Citizen, of the United States of America,” (Dictionary 2). Eugene Victor Debs was a great man, but was he really an American Hero? “Eugene V. Debs was born on November 5, 1855, in Terre Haute, Indiana to Father, Jean Daniel and Mother, Marguerite Marie Bettrich Debs,” (Wikipedia 1). Eugene V. Debs’ parents were immigrants from Colmar, Alsace. Colmar is a small town in France that is very well known for its wine and is also home to painter/engraver Martin Schongauer, as well as the sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi (Wikipedia 2). Eugene V. Debs’ father, Jean Daniel, was born in to a very well-off family which owned 2 businesses, one being a textile mill and the other being a meat market. Debs was married on the ninth of June, 1885 at the age of thirty, to Kate Metzel. The two never had children, but their home is still standing in Terre Haute, Indiana, on in the middle of the Indiana State University campus. Eugene V. Debs dropped out of school at the age of Fourteen. This is not a very good trait of a real American Hero. After Debs dropped out of school, he went to work as a painter on the

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