What Makes You American?

What makes an American an American? Is it the accent, the clothing, the fact that you can speak the English language, or is it the fact that you were born on American soil? I believe it's certain characteristics that set us apart from other countries. The fact we are self-reliant, and competitive, and the compassion we bring to others are some, of many, American characteristics that help set us apart. These are the three characteristics that I have chosen to write about. Our self-reliance begins in the1600's when English settlers came over to America on the Mayflower because they wanted religious freedom. These people were called Pilgrims. The Pilgrims didn't just come to America for religious reasons. Some of the reasons stem from their desire to preserve their own language and customs of life while others involved their livelihood. It was difficult finding similar employment that they were accustomed to in England. Therefore, their work was hard and took its toll upon the health and well-being of not only the adults, but the children as well. They came to America not knowing if they would even have any good resources in order to survive. They relied on their own judgement and things didn't turn out too bad for them. And what about the Native Americans? Most people know that they helped the Pilgrims grow crops and also taught them how to survive on this new land, but what about the Native Americans? Who taught them? They depended on their own self-reliance, judgement, or resources. They had no one to tell them which berries were good and which were poisonous, no one taught them how to kill an animal and prepare it to cook. They taught and relied on themselves. Another example of America's self-reliance was in1776, when Americans liberated themselves from Britain. After the French and Indian War the British needed to recoup some of the cost of the war from the colonists. They decided to tax the Americans which then resulted into the