The Great Concept of American Freedom
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The Great Concept of American Freedom
Early America was a place for anyone to live their life the way that they wanted, as it is now, but back then this was a new concept. Much of this idea comes from the freedoms obtained by living here. Many other countries in the world had many freedoms, but not as numerous as they were in America shortly after the country was founded. Americans during the late 1700s and early 1800s embraced their freedoms and became leaders and expanders, and what we now consider the founders of many present-day cities and towns. One thing that has been present throughout the generations of people living in America, is the desire to set themselves apart from other nations. This want was supplied to the American people in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. These two documents gave the American people everything they needed to set them apart from the rest. Based on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, America was able to create an identity including freedom, religion, and individuality that is very unique to this country.
Perhaps the most exclusive aspect of American freedom is stated directly in the Declaration of Independence. It states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson). This well-known statement truly incorporates all facets of what it means to be free in America. The citizens of this country have the right to live. They have the right to be free of restriction and control, to do what they please. And they have the right to be happy in whatever way that might be. These rights are so basic, yet so vital. Many governments had not thought to even write these in their constitutions up to this point, and at the time, many countries were ruled by royalty, where the ruler was the law. Therefore, the American people had a freedom that was distinctly different from anyone else, because they were guaranteed these basic rights without question.
The American citizens of the early 1800s considered freedom as a privilege. Many of these people were direct descendents of immigrants, if not immigrants themselves. The countries that they came from had distinct lines between the rich and the poor. One reason of this distinction was that the rich kept their money in their family. It was past down from generation to generation. Therefore the wealthy kept the wealth and the poor were not allowed to have any of it. Not only did the rich keep all of the money in their family, but they also owned much of the land, which was also past down through their family. This type of phenomena occurred in England and other parts of Europe. When the poor, living in those areas heard about the freedoms and opportunities in America sometimes they would come to see for themselves what America was all about. Many of these foreign people soon became American citizens and held their freedoms and rights in high esteem.
Another important factor that played into people moving to the U.S. was that a person had the ability to create their own destiny. Theoretically, one could move here with nothing but the clothes on their back, and become a millionaire using only their mind and hard work. Many people did just that, but perhaps one of the most famous was a man by the name of Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie came to America with nothing but a dream, a dream to become rich. He started with menial jobs and worked his way up until he was the owner of his own business. Carnegie and others like him were the founders of the American dream; the “self-made man.” America was the perfect place for this dream since there was plenty of land and growing industrialization, not to mention that freedom was abundant. Carnegie and others made their accomplishments known and soon the “self-made man” was an American dream and belief. This sense of freedom and the creation of ones own destiny were two of the most offsetting features of early America. There was almost no other country where such a thing could happen.
Another decisive feature that American freedom had was that the country accepted everyone. No matter what race or what country, no one was turned away. This obviously does not take into consideration racism, which was prevalent at the time. It was a simple fact that anyone could move to America and flourish in whatever they wanted to become. Many took advantage of the open door to the U.S. and immigrated. The government had not begun to regulate immigration, as it was still in the early stages of establishing a workable system in which to live by. America had all these great freedoms, and they were offered to anyone who wanted to live here.
At the time right after the revolution there was a belief that set the U.S. apart from all others. This was the