What Does It Mean to Be an American

397 Words2 Pages
What does it mean to be an American? Being an American has many different meanings to many different people. To some people you are born an American and to others you have to become an American. To be an American one must act like an American. They must pay taxes, vote in elections, and serve their country whether it be home or abroad. First of all, an American is born with many rights and freedoms. Some of our freedoms and rights are as follows: freedom to express yourself, freedom of religion, right to a prompt, fair trial by jury, the right to vote for public officials, right to apply for federal employment, right to run for elected office, and the freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Freedom to express yourself means that you have freedom of speech and you can express yourself however you feel like it. Freedom of religion means that you have the right to worship as you wish. The meaning of having the right to a prompt, fair trial by jury is that everyone is innocent until proven guilty by a jury and state of law. The others speak for themselves. In order for American citizens to have all of these rights and freedoms our country had to go to war. Individuals that were Americans fought for our country to stay a free country. To have all of these rights and freedoms. We then eventually got the Bill of Rights and the Constitution that stated all of our rights and freedoms as American citizens. Many individuals died in order for us to have our freedoms and rights. Everyone should be thankful for every one of those people that fought for our freedoms. They deserve all of our respect. In conclusion, to be an American means that you have all of these rights and you take on the responsibility of being an American. You should respect and be grateful for all of the individuals who made America they way it is today. Our country is
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