There are various definitions of what it means to be an American because the people in this country are so diverse. Often these definitions are stereotypes that call all Americans lazy, obnoxious, rude, etc. While many can be defined by this statement, it cannot be applied to the majority. That’s the thing about Americans; there is no single unifying factor. We all have versatile culture backgrounds, personalities, and traditions. The belief that everyone has the chance to advance themselves and become anything they want is one of the only ideas that link everyone in America together. Believing in this idea, and having faith in the system to follow through on this commitment, is what it means to be an American.

This idea and its examples are the symbols of freedom that thousands of Americans, not just soldiers but citizens too, have fought for years to preserve and prefect. Unlike other countries, this country is made up of immigrants. Everyone’s ancestors worked hard to get to this country – whether boat or plane. Many of them started with nothing and worked their way up in society because they could. In America, there is no rigid caste system or an overpowering government. Anyone can pick what job they want and how productive they want to be if they work hard enough, because no one else can decide that for them based on their gender or race. The idea that anyone can achieve anything, that this country is full of equal opportunity, not equal outcomes, is an important belief that defines what it means to be an American.