American Literature A
Mr. Harrison
10/20/12
Open Library
American Values One’s beliefs are formed through experiences or what this individual had learned growing as a person. A person chooses what is right or wrong according to their personal beliefs and lives life according to these choices. A country is formed when the rules of right and wrong are established. Once citizens understand and live by these rules, a country can be united as one. Values that are essential to the meaning of being an American are determination, independence, and acceptance. The citizens of the United States value their strong determination. Every nation has room for improvement, but it is up to the people to identify the issues and take action to mend them. If one distinguishes a matter of negative impact, yet does nothing to help the situation, they are being of no benefit to themselves or their country. Many American citizens love and value their country and will do whatever it takes to fix the issues at hand. This selfless attitude has been apparent in the United States for years and has inspired people to fight for what they believe. In the 1850s, an African American woman, Harriett Tubman, was determined to assist in the ac of freeing slaves in the South. After achieving freedom of her own, Tubman led the Underground Railroad, a channel of underground tunnels leading from the southern states to the North. Harriett Tubman freed thousands of slaves and led them to a better life. With persistence and determination, she was able to make her country a better place. Americans, just like Tubman, care about their country and are determined to show respect and help improve it at any cost. American citizens honor their nation’s freedom. They fought for their independence to form a country that they could truly value and to pursue a future of their choice. Americans are fortunate enough to now be able to sculpt their own life and excel. The importance of independent choice is so that one can be confident and proud of what they have done. When the United States was formed, the founding fathers wanted their nation to be free from British rule. As a result, Americans fought and won the Revolutionary War in 1775. They fought for what was right and gained their ability to build their own country. Today, freedom has become increasingly valuable because America is one of the few countries in the world to allow broad personal freedoms. Citizens of America have their own choice of voting, religion, language, education, and more—whereas many countries do not grant the same privileges to their people. With America’s freedom, a newfound respect was highlighted for all hardworking and passionate citizens. The freedom