This letter was written six years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the man that wrote this letter was a farmer who believed in the American dream. This quote shows what the founding fathers imagined how America would be. It was though of as a place of boundless opportunity to succeed where new thoughts and ideas would be valued and a place where everyone would have an equal playing field.

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Similarly to the previous quote this is about how originally the American dream was based on the idea that you can use this new and undiscovered land to pave a new path on your terms. Westward expansion showed that taking a leap of faith into the unknown could produce a very large reward.

This excerpt from a poem is about African Americans fighting for equal rights. I believe that this is a perfect example of what it means to be an American. Fighting for your rights and not giving up is what America was built upon and it is that passion in fighting for what is right that is a quality shared among every person living in America.

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Roosevelt's mission with this speech was to inspire the people of America at that time. A significant driving factor that inspires a lot of Americans is status. In this speech Roosevelt is trying to highlight that feeling and make people want to succeed for future generations. He is trying to convey that a part of being American is being prideful in what you do with your life.

I envision this quote to be a woman raising her fist in the air and taking a big step into the unknown. Hurston perfectly shows that you don't need to be physically strong to be a great fighter. Similarly to the previous quote this shows the fighter spirit in Americans and that anyone can be the one to take that step to fight for what is right.

As much as people would like to try and imagine things as always being perfect that is not the reality. Nothing in life is perfect and that's what makes it special and unique. There is no set definition of what an American is but this quote does an excellent job of trying to define it. All being an American is, is trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel and fight for what you believe in. Kingsolver shows that for some people their American dream isn't to become a millionaire or president. It is a woman trying her hardest to provide for a child she calls her own and that's all she wants.

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blue=on my own

This song was written to inspire others to follow their dreams. A girl playing the drums in a pile of trash can become a Rockstar if she believes in herself. At its base core what it means to be an American is to follow your dreams. This band A Great Big World shares a very inspiring message that you are capable of doing whatever you set your mind to and that is what I believe it means to be an American

This is a quote I remember often and I think it does a great job of showing not only the genius of Morgan Freeman but also a great answer to what does it mean to be an American. Think of someone who has been successful in their life. Although success is subjective I would say that success is a product of determination and self confidence. If you never give something an honest try you will never know if you could have succeeded. To be an American you need to believe in yourself and believe that you are capable of doing great things.

This movie is all about taking your shot for America and thing about being an American is that whether it is real or not it is the idea that there is a hope of tomorrow and there is a chance to be safe is enough incentive to fight with all your heart.

This is a speech given by a United States president and the message behind this is that if the people of America have their heart behind what they are passionate for that they can achieve anything and that it doesn't matter what it is as long as the people come together anything is possible.