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https://www.canva.com/design/DAC3JYNbIy8/5_A8nB500ZxeaFRYUKA6vw/view?utm_content=DAC3JYNbIy8&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton

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This is a great add to solving the puzzle to what it means to be a TRUE AMERICAN. It talks about the stereotypes that people place on Americans and basically in their eyes what it means to be an American.

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This political cartoon does a great job of showing how each individual may identify as. But, little do we all, we all identify as one certain thing...Americans.

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"Most Americans agree on certain things that are objectively important to calling yourself an American. Across party lines, there was strong support for the importance of respecting American political institutions and laws, having citizenship, and accepting people of diverse backgrounds. Well over half the people in both major political parties agree that these things are fundamental to being American. More than 90 percent of self-described Democrats think openness to diversity is important to American identity, and 80 percent of Republicans agree." This was a really good quote from the article I read because it shows that BOTH
Democrats and Republicans agree that openness to diversity is important for the identity of an American.

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Within the Republican Party, however, differences emerged with respect to the importance of European ancestry. Only 9 percent of G.O.P. primary voters who reported supporting John Kasich (when asked in a July 2016 wave of the survey) thought European background was important to being an American, while 16 percent of Ted Cruz's supporters, 22 percent of Marco Rubio's supporters and 30 percent of Mr. Trump's supporters thought so.

Across all primary candidates in both parties, Mr. Trump's backers stand out on this issue.

Between the parties, the most significant disagreements about American identity centered on the importance of living in America for most of one's life, being born in America and being a Christian. Forty-nine percent of Democrats thought it was important for people who want to call themselves American to have lived here most of their lives, and 47 percent believed being born here was important. In contrast, 63 percent of Republicans weighed spending one's life here or being born here heavily. Among those who supported Mr. Trump in primary votes, those numbers rose to 69 and 72 percent.

The role of religion in American identity revealed another divide. A third of Democrats and just more than half (56 percent) of Republicans thought being a Christian was important to being an American. Within G.O.P. primary voters, Mr. Trump's voters once again stood out. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of his primary supporters thought being a Christian was important to being an American.

The distinctive emphasis Mr. Trump's primary voters placed on the importance of European ancestry and Christianity explains a lot about the 2016 presidential battle over the meaning of America. Would America be "stronger together," as Hillary Clinton believed, or weaker because of the non-European, non-Christian people knocking on its door?

This context makes it easier to see why many people interpreted Mr. Trump's appeal to "make America great again" as a call to exclude some groups of people from belonging or feeling like Americans.

While Mr. Trump's focus on ethnicity, religion and American identity was the catalyst that united a relatively small set of Republican primary voters behind him and helped him defy expectations and become the G.O.P. nominee, nationwide trends in what is important to American identity have been moving in the opposite direction.

The General Social Survey asked these questions of a representative sample of Americans in surveys in 1996, 2004 and 2014. In 2004, people in America, on average, held views similar to Mr. Trump's primary voters: 64 percent of the population thought being Christian was important to being an American. This was up 10 points from the 53 percent who thought so in 1996, an increase most likely caused by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But a decade later (in 2014), the number of people who thought being Christian was important to American identity had not only gone back to where it was in 1996 but had also dropped further - nearly 10 more points - down to 44 percent on average. In the Democracy Fund study of voters in 2016, the average was 39 percent. Similarly sized drops are evident for being born in the United States and living in America for a long time.

These data clearly show that the nation as a whole is moving away from exclusionary conceptions of American identity even as Mr. Trump's strongest supporters hold on to views that look more the way the nation did in 2004 than in 2017. They found a champion among the crowded field of candidates in 2016, but it's important to keep in mind that only one of the many contenders for the Republican nomination embraced these views - even after it became clear they were popular with a key bloc of voters. The battle for the meaning of America is lopsided, and despite the recent success of exclusionary views, they are waning.

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The Great Political Divide Over American Identity

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Within the Republican Party, however, differences emerged with respect to the importance of European ancestry. Only 9 percent of G.O.P. primary voters who reported supporting John Kasich (when asked in a July 2016 wave of the survey) thought European background was important to being an American, while 16 percent of Ted Cruz's supporters, 22 percent of Marco Rubio's supporters and 30 percent of Mr. Trump's supporters thought so.

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"Over the years we have come to reach a state of equilibrium between the opposing groups for a stable and functioning society." This is showing how over the years America has tried to come to a point of equilibrium between the groups of people "stereotypically" made due to cultural stereotypes and such.

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How I define American identity is living in the land founded by both political and religious leaders, and being part of the American culture. As Americans we are viewed as the abolitionist who fights for what we believe is just. During the founding years of our nation we were led by thoughts of both the radicals and constrictive, religious and political leaders. Over the years we have come to reach a state of equilibrium between the opposing groups for a stable and functioning society.

Most Americans value civil rights. Compared to countries around the world, the United States is a younger country. From day one the United States has always been known for its freedom and democracy. Today's society is in a constant state of evolution. Every day there is new progress made somewhere; whether it is along the lines of technology, medicine or knowledge, somewhere in the world there are new advancements beings made continually. With America being such a young nation compared to other countries around the world we evolve at a rate much faster than most. If you look at the recent revolts over the past few years, they take place in regions where the governing limits the power of the people. In our society we the people limit the power of the controlling government. The Declaration of Independence opens with "We the people," including all of those who make up the nation. When the power is literally placed in the hands of those who it directly effects, by no means does this limit our people but pushes them to explore and question the unknown of the nation we control.

Even though our society can be broken down into different ethnicities, as a whole we are a culture of our own. A very unique bread of all our own, the values, dedication, hard work, and perseverance makes us American. With America being an infant country, we pull the strengths from all different regions of the world to build what we call the American identity. Regardless of where your blood has come from Americans come together to value hard work, perseverance, freedom, and determination to better their lives. Even though we all come from something different we all have the pursuit of happiness. All of this combined is why we call ourselves American and is what makes up the true American identity which we all can relate to.

To me, I am myself and no one else.I don't find following the role of someone else to be unique or enjoyable.I do what I enjoy regardless of other people's opinions. I personally would much rather become my own leader then follow someone else. Setting aside others' views on how I live my life allows me to live my life how I enjoy it, not how others think I should.

I enjoy a lively social life while still having my own personal alone time.One of my favorite pastimes is motocross or, anything a little on the edge mixed with speed. At the end of the day when the small things start to get to me, I always have my bike to hop on and just let everything go while I ride. When I am riding it allows me to have that time to myself and just enjoy what I am doing. Not having to worry about what else is happening in life with all of the stressors and responsibilities. Once I reach that point when I am relaxed I start to rewrap my head around all of the thoughts. I find that time important to clear my mind for that point in time. This allows me to regroup my thoughts and process them clearly.

One example that strikes my mind is from a few months back right at the start of my first semester at SUNY Fredonia. In early August I had experienced a loss in my family that really was quite mind-blowing, the death of my uncle and the next day the death of a friend. After the news was first relayed to me I didn't seem to believe it to be true. The first thing I did was grab my keys and load up my bike and take off to the local track for the rest of the day. That afternoon I spent what seemed to be like ten minutes riding my bike, when in reality I had been riding for hours. During that time I first managed to just lose myself and forget about everything. The very next day I spent the entire day on my bike again in attempts to straighten out what had seemed dreamlike and bring it back to reality. Over the second day, I used motocross as an escape to help clear my head, allowing it all too slowly once again be comprehended and accepted for what it's worth.

I believe that for myself motocross and bike are just two things that help me identify who I am. At times I am a bit outspoken; I have created enemies over speaking what is on my mind. To me it is very important to express your thoughts freely and clearly so others can understand your ideas. Sometimes I am not always right but when someone brings up a valid point and backs it up I respect it. When I was younger one of my teachers Mr. Frank Burst had told me, "Having enemies is not always a bad thing. It shows that over time you have stood up for something you believe in; consequently you will be taken seriously and never as a joke." I always try to keep that in the back of my mind during everyday life. By doing this I will never be pushed around and walked over for having a different opinion on something. I believe if you feel strongly about something you should stand up and support what it is you believe in. If you don't have the courage to stand up and support the belief you should not have the belief in the first place. I have learned that you sometimes have to act alone before others start to follow. Most of the time if you have a unique view on something there is someone who also has the same view, and if you act first others will follow. While I am not always the most open with discussion I am never afraid to support something I believe in. If it is something on personal side I most likely will not share it with you. When it comes to personal privacy I am respectful. If I feel the need to share something from my personal life it will be known. The odds are if it is something a bit more personal than I am not willing to share you will not clue there is something relevant there to relate to.

My own personal experiences I've had with American identity are something you cannot teach in a classroom setting. To me they are something that is much easier to comprehend with reflection on your own experiences as you grow up. Over the years I have been fortunate enough to travel all over the country and different parts of the world to experience culture first-hand. The American culture is truly unique, like no other. The American identity is full of perception and personal opinions. What your beliefs are something only you have to own up to. Not every family lives in a beautiful two-story home with a dog and a yard. Today the true American identity is becoming more of another radical. While we all have the same endpoint, individually we have our own pathways in the succession of achieving the goal at the end. Everyone takes in their own past experiences to create how they see topics differently. Psychology has proven that we all reflect back on our past experiences when it comes time to make a choice. In fear of committing the same mistake twice, we learn how use our experience to dictate our future actions.

Even though I am very proud of my Native American and Irish heritage it is not very often that I will identify as strictly that. I am sure that my ancestors before me have worked very hard of what they had become and shaped the lives of those after them, but I have been shaped by more than just my ancestors. I am one person who has been shaped by everything I am exposed to, from my heritage to those I come in contact with daily.

For me in my own experience from around the world the American lifestyle is something idolized by those who do not have it, and taken for granted by those who do have possession of it. I personally have spent the time over the years to sit down and talk with others from various parts of the world and hear their opinions about Americans as whole. The general consensus is that most do not appreciate what they have and how lucky they are. Over the well-invested time I have spent talking with others, I have heard several people mention radical gestures stating what they would do to just live the life of freedoms Americans have. I myself have been in both public and private schools going up and have had the chance to meet all different people. Some of my best friends are anything but a similar person--much more like opposites of each other. One of my best friends growing up would always tell me "you are so lucky that your parents are not divorced." Even though I would get into fights with my parents I would not have to deal with the stress of living out of two different homes with different sets of rules. I am come to understand how lucky enough I am to have only one place I call home. Another one of my good friends came from a very wealthy family with what most would call a very expendable income. This allowed me to witness the difference between someone who had too much and someone who hardly had enough. In high school he would buy new shoes every week simply because the other pair was dirty or scuffed. At the end of senior year for graduation he was handed the keys to a new truck while the rest of us got a pat on the back from mom and dad as they said, "we are proud of you, son."Most people would be happy with just having a car being me age, when he would not settle for a vehicle that was nothing less than what some would consider a small mortgage.

By being exposed to different extremes it has opened my eyes to how different the people of America are today but how as a whole we can come together as one country. One of my favorite questions I have always managed to ask over the years is "how would you feel if the government took away just half of your freedom and threatened your pursuit of happiness?" Oddly enough most people respond with very strong feelings of how they would feel obligated to stand against it and fight for it back. As Americans as a whole we are very fond of the privileges that we do have, even if we all do not use them to their true potential.Each individual has a unique place and without them, the country would not be the same. My own personal life experiences and those shared by others have helped develop who I have grown to become today.

Today I would identify myself as who I am and what I have become over the past 19 years. Everything from my hobbies, heritage, friends and family, personal characteristics, and past experiences have helped me find myself on what I would use to call my own personal identify. With my own personal identity discovered it can be used to contribute to another variety or blend into the personality that we have come to known as today's American Identity.

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How I define American identity is living in the land founded by both political and religious leaders, and being part of the American culture. As Americans we are viewed as the abolitionist who fights for what we believe is just.

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On LIVESCIENCE.com I read a very informational article on the true American Culture.

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On LIVESCIENCE.com I read a very informational article on the true American Culture.

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This article does a really good job on explaining the, religion, language, american style, american food, arts, sports, and american holidays. They go more in depth to explain each one. The diversity in America is huge.

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American Culture: Traditions and Customs of the United States

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American culture is a diverse mix of customs and traditions from nearly every region of the world. Here is an overview of US holidays, food, clothing and more

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Precisely because we are not a people held together by blood, no one knows who an American is except by what they believe. It's important that we do know our history, because our history is the source of our Americanness.
—Historian Gordon Wood

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Survey to Americans on "What does it mean to be American?"

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Survey to Americans on "What does it mean to be American?"

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In this article/piece of writing, it is completly first person and biased on what it means to be american.  Not only is it giving off the writers bised opinion on what it means, it also asked several other people on theirs.  For example, "Becoming American means following the rules. It means respecting your neighbors, in your own neighborhood. —Francine Sharp, 73, retired teacher in Kansas (born in Kansas)." This is showing one perspective on being an American, which is very true, but that guideline can follow every culture, not just an Americans.

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In 2014, New York Times reporter Damien Cave traveled the length of highway I-35, which runs south to north through the middle of the United States, for his "The Way North" project. Along the way, he asked 35 people, "What does it mean to be American?" These are some of their answers.

Becoming American means following the rules. It means respecting your neighbors, in your own neighborhood. -Francine Sharp, 73, retired teacher in Kansas (born in Kansas)

If you work hard, you get good things in life. -José, college student/roofer; immigrant without legal status in Tulsa, Oklahoma (born in Mexico)

Being American is making a change, and making good changes. Being American is being welcoming, being caring about other people, being proud of the country. And it's forgiveness. It's not holding grudges on anything-I mean, where's that going to get you? -Natalie Villafranca, 14, in Texas (born in Dallas)

Being American means protection by the law. Anyone can say whatever they want and, even if I don't agree with them, they're still protected by the law it's my job to enforce. That's their freedom. That's their right. -Sean Larkin, 40, sergeant with Tulsa Police Department's gang unit in Tulsa, Oklahoma (born in Virginia)

Being American is red, white and blue and being free. It doesn't matter what language you speak; if you're born in America, you're still American. No matter what you look like, no matter what. -Sebastien de la Cruz, 12, student who gained attention, and backlash, when he sang the national anthem during the 2013 NBA finals in a mariachi outfit (born and lives in San Antonio)

I want all girls, especially girls of color, to know that they can be a part of science. And more than that, they can be leaders in science. I want them to know that, because I know that I am America. That I am science. I'm just the part that people refuse to recognize. -Taylor R., 13, speaking about her ambitions at the March for Science in April 2017

The following excerpts are from other Americans discussing what they think it means to "be American." Among these voices are historians and writers who think about this topic a lot, as well as individuals from other walks of life who participated in a discussion for the documentary film A More Perfect Union.

Precisely because we are not a people held together by blood, no one knows who an American is except by what they believe. It's important that we do know our history, because our history is the source of our Americanness. -Historian Gordon Wood

When people wrote "All men are created equal," they really meant men; but they didn't mean any other men except white men who owned land. That's what they meant. But because the ideas are powerful, there's no way that they could get away with holding to that. It's not possible when you have an idea that's as powerful and as revolutionary as a country founded on the idea that just because you're in the world, just because you're here, you have a right to certain things that are common to all humanity. That's really what we say in those documents. The idea that we begin the Constitution with, "We, the People" . . . even though they didn't mean me! They had no idea I'd ever want to make a claim on that. And they'd have been horrified if they'd known that any of us would. But you can't let that powerful an idea out into the world without consequences. -Writer Rosemary Bray

The American Dream has no meaning for me. What it was founded on, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in many ways I feel are used as billy clubs against minorities and cultural minorities, whether they be gay, or different in any way from the norm in this country. I, for example, don't think I'd like to go to California because of what I look like. I could be pulled over and carded, and I would have to prove my ancestry. And look how long my family has been in northern New Mexico. Ten to twelve generations! -Vicente Martinez

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In 2014, New York Times reporter Damien Cave traveled the length of highway I-35, which runs south to north through the middle of the United States, for his "The Way North" project. Along the way, he asked 35 people, "What does it mean to be American?" These are some of their answers.

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I came across this very weird/unknown website and read it. It talks about the basic stereotypes of an American. This website is telling people that if you follow these guidelines, you are American. Not only, is this very incorrect (definition/reality wise), it is stereotypically judgmental to our culture. (even though some of these things may be true).

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You are familiar with English and Kemrese programmes; but American programmes are ubiquitious on the television. Nevertheless you recognise local celebrities when they appear on your screen, especially those who have passed the test of time. Local television has its own range of soap operas, darkly fantastic classics played after 7:30pm, comic serials, science fictions and a variety of other types.

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Article Link from (What makes someone a real "American")

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Article Link from (What makes someone a real "American")

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Washington Post

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Article on - What makes someone a real "American"

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Article on - What makes someone a real "American"

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In the article from "Washington Post" is states, "Does being American depend on who you are — your country of origin, your skin color, your religion?...Or does being American depend on what you believe, such as your respect for American ideals and institutions?"  Later on it shows this info-graphic on the criteria of being an American and to most people this seems accurate.

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A·mer·i·can

əˈmerəkən/

adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants.

noun

1. a native or citizen of the United States.

2. the English language as it is used in the United States; American English.

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This video shows how people feel about what America truly is. From race and society this video shows the true meaning of what American is in the eyes of Americans.