To Be An American Essay, Research Paper

To Be an American

In all of Americas history we have stole bits and pieces of traditions from

other cultures. Throughout this we made new traditions of our own. Whether it

is gathering around the table once a year to have a full course feast, visiting a

loved one that has past away, and/or lighting up fireworks to celebrate our

independence. This makes tradition inseparable in today?s American society.

Even though we all have different beliefs.

The one tradition that all Americans have in common is Thanksgiving.

Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, rolls, stuffing, apple pie,

pumpkin pie, and anything else we stuff our face with. This is the time of the

year that we come together as a family and forget the entire ruckus that happens

during the year. It started way back when Christopher Columbus discovered this

continent. It never would have happened if the pilgrims didn?t meet the Indians.

That shows you that it took two different cultures joining to celebrate to create

an everlasting tradition. That is what American tradition is all about. Sharing

with other cultures.

To say tradition out weighs experience and vise versa is very ignorant.

They coexist like peanut butter and jelly. Who makes a peanut butter sandwich

without jelly? It is just that plain and simple. We have learned from many

people and things. That is why we have holidays. Columbus day, Veterans Day,

Memorial Day, and Martin Luther King?s birthday have come through experience

and we remember them to this day. They have shaped today?s society and with

their great minds and we have thanked them for that.

In all actuality, Americans have developed vastly since the taking of this

continent. We have soared to become one of the most powerful countries on

earth. We did this with experience and our tradition of being very hard workers.

We started from scratch and now look at us. We are the people that so many

envy. All in all, Americans are people who combined their cultures and hard

work to create tradition through their experience. That is what defines us as

Americans.