Camden Central High School
 Camden, Tennessee
 Teacher: Mrs. Wanda Allen


Defining Americans
By: Kendra Cheyenne Summers
 11th Grade

 

On July 4, 1776, a document was signed that would change history. Our Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, creating a new nation free from Great Britain’s grasp. Freedom is a major definition of an American. Our Founding Fathers moved to the “New Land” to be free of the King’s control; to become a new nation where the people are heard, have a voice in the decisions, and have a chance to change things by majority rule.   

 

We are all the time hearing about what is going on in our country. The news feeds all kinds of negative information. People are being shot because they live on a certain street or because they look different, old men are taking advantage of innocent children. Is this really what our Founding Fathers intended for our country…: all of this violence, and crude messages? Our Founding Fathers are probably turning in their graves, seeing how we are in the 21st Century.

 

Our government plays a huge role in defining us as a people. The decisions [of politicians] and their ways of life reflect the American people. We are the ones who voted them into office. It gripes me when I hear people [speak ill of] our president and other figures in politics. They are the ones who voted them into office in the first place. If your candidate did not win, get over it. Complaining is not going to change anything. The people who did not vote are probably the most un-American. They have the right to vote,…but they do not, yet they voice their opinion negatively against people [claim]ing it is their freedom of speech. …

 

Our laws, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, all define us as a nation. Americans are free people with morals and rights and have minds to think for themselves. Some countries do not allow freedoms and rights to their people. They are brain washed to believe certain things and think certain ways. They do not have a choice. Americans take for granted what we have,- “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Those are very famous words. They are a promise to the American people of what they have and will always have.

 

Americans are people who help one another out. They have respect for others and do not act upon others’ wrongdoing. In our military we have strict codes to go by when treating Prisoners of War (POW). They are to be treated humanely. Knowing that in some countries if the situation were switched they would be horribly tortured, we still have morals and that natural law that GOD instilled in people. It makes me proud to be an American knowing our military has that much morality to be able to do that.

 

Patriotism is defined as devoted love, support and defense of one’s country. I think that clearly describes an American. Americans have a sense of pride in America. They have fought for this land and they will fight some more to keep this land. It is about protecting something that is ours and the price you are willing to pay for it.

 

Patriotism is a major part of an American. Americans as a whole are very loyal to America and support it even in times of controversy. You will always have those who do not agree with what the politicians are doing, but they would never be disloyal to America. America brings hope and freedom to people. It is a sign that things can and will get better. It just may take some time. The flag helps symbolize that freedom and hope [that] Americans feel. When they see Old Glory flying in the wind they think of all the bloodshed and the tears that helped make this country what it is and helped shape our people to who they are- Americans.

 

People often ask, “Does America have an identity?” I think people misinterpret this question and say we do not because of so many different cultures and nationalities in our country. But that is our identity. America does not have an ancient past that defines who we are like most other countries. We are defining our selves each and every day and by each and every decision we make. The many cultures and races are what make us Americans. Americans are not a certain color, a certain belief, don’t look a certain way, or talk a certain language. Americans are those who have a different home country. Americans are a collage of many differences that come together to make a beautiful piece of artwork.

 

Questions Re: the Required Reading and Certain Current Events

 

Q1- Explain, in your own words, the three developments in our culture that have contributed to the disorder Professor Huntington senses in the USA today.

 

Multiculturalism is when a group of people move to another country and bring with them their own culture.

Transnationalism is where people of different nationalities come together to form a group. 

Hispanization of America means we as Americans are having to adapt and become more informed with Hispanics because so many are coming to America .

 

Q2- Define and discuss the American creed, the ideology that Professor Huntington cites as one of the historic sources of our national identity.

 

The American Creed is that everybody is free and has rights. Everyone is equal and we can choose our government. The American Culture defines our beliefs as a nation- what we have fought to believe and keep the rights to believe.

 

Q3- Explain the difference between culture and creed, according to the Professor.

 

Culture is a country’s language and their religion, and how they define freedom and liberty.

Creed is individual rights that apply to all men and the agreement of a government.

 

Q4- Professor Huntington thinks culture is more important than creed. Do you? Explain.

 

No, I think they are both equally important. Your culture defines who you are, and is a part of you. It is important to know about your culture. Yet, it is just as important to have a fair government that believes in equality and that everyone has freedom.

 

Q5- Discuss “founding” as expressed by Aristotle’s Politics.

 

Founding means to give a country the law, institutions, offices, and precepts that chiefly make the country what it is, that distinguishes it as a republic, aristocracy, monarchy or so on.This arrangement is what Aristotle calls regtime, which establishes who rules the country for what purposes. Founding means what our country was based on, and what and who makes it what it is.

 

Q6- Complete the sentence attributed to Aristotle’s thinking: “We are just free enough to____________________.” (Fill in the blank.)

 

We are just free enough to be able to take responsibility for the things in life we cannot choose- the geographical, economic, cultural, and other factors that condition our freedom, but don’t abolish it.

 

Q7- Which took precedence in the founding of America ; natural law and rights or the British Constitution?

 

They went hand in hand. Because of British Law, it made our Founding Fathers want a change. They believed in morals and what’s right and wrong from GOD’s perspective. Natural Law is what our Founding Father’s based America on, but it was because of the British Constitution that made them want to change.

 

Q8- What was the reason for the traditional conservatives’ opposition to the rationalism that fueled the French Revolution?

 

Government must be a native growth, and must emerge from the spontaneous evolution of the nation itself.

 

Current Events

Q9-American Intelligence efforts uncovered a group of Taliban leaders attending a funeral. By current military terms of engagement no action could be taken against these “sitting duck” enemies. Why? Is this, in your opinion, a good or bad outcome? Defend your position.

 

As Americans we have morals that were laid out to us by our Founding Fathers. We were based on Christianity and by that we would never interrupt a ceremony in honor of the dead.

 

I think it is good and bad in different ways- good because it says a lot about our country in not disturbing something like that. However it is bad because they could get away and they don’t care and if it were turned around the Taliban would attack the funeral.

 

Q10- The Geneva Convention requires signatories, (the USA is one of a multitude of signatories) to enact their own laws in keeping with the ban against torture. Currently U.S. law prohibits conduct denigrating the dignity and rights of foreign prisoners that is so narrowly defined as to be codling in the opinion of many Americans. The military acknowledges that this conduct would not be reciprocated by Al Queda and Taliban terrorists.
 

Does this military code of conduct make you proud to be an American? Why or why not. If not, what should be done to correct the situation?


It makes me very proud to be an American. Knowing that we have strict and clear rules on how to treat Prisoners of War and knowing that they are not being horribly tortured like in other countries. Even knowing that the Taliban and Al Queda members would torture any prisoner we still know what is humane and how to treat people no matter who they are.
 

Q-11 Can or should America impose its form of government on other nations?
 

It depends on the circumstance. I think they could suggest or explain our government, but they shouldn’t make a country become a democracy before they are able or if they don’t want to.

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