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American Definition Essay

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American Definition Essay
ENC 1101
The Definition of an American

An American is defined by The Oxford Dictionary as “a native or citizen of the United States.” An American can be many things; with the extensive amount of opportunities that are available to not only the native citizens, but also the immigrants and their families. In his farewell address, Ronald Reagan spoke of John Winthrop when he said America was like “a shining city on a hill” and its inhabitants like “the early Pilgrims” that first stepped foot on this rich American soil many years ago. Americans operate on commerce as they did in colonial times, growing ever stronger with each day. Americans are free to do as
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Thomas Paine demonstrated this in his pamphlet, Common Sense, when he said that all Americans should rebel against England because of what they have done to the colonists and their families but though he made a great argument there were still Loyalists after the fact. They loyalists weren’t Americans; they were just British folks camping out in America while the people around them were being attacked, raped, and butchered by the people the loyalists were steadfastly supporting. The Americans of the past are far different than the Americans of modern society. The Americans from the colonial times were at first light-hearted explorers who eventually turned into heavy-fisted rebels who wanted nothing more than to break from the scum that held them down in the years past. This ideology is what led up to the acts inflicted at the statue of George III almost immediately after Independence was declared. The Statue of him was torn down by rebellious colonists and carted off to be melted down into bullets that would later be used to inflict wounds on his own troops. Throughout history the Americans changed more and more. From being cabin building colonists to industrial park executives they have experienced a maturing process from the experiences they’ve had along the way. This maturing process is a big deal; it brings a person who is on fire, ready to fight at any time and mellows them down into a laid-back professional that attacks in a non-violent

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