Jack Hawkins English Period 5 4/7/2014 What is an American? In todays world, the word !

"erican,# has co"e to "ean "any di$$erent things% &he word !"erican# is de$ined 'ased on its history% !n !"erican is so"eone who ca"e to the (ew )orld in search o$ religio*s $reedo"+ ended *, taking away $reedo"s o$ those li-ing there 'e$ore the", and is now trying to "end those actions 'y acce,ting all ethnicities and races, and 'eco"ing a "ore di-erse nation% .ne o$ the "ain reasons ,eo,le $irst "igrated to the (ew )orld was to esca,e religio*s ,ersec*tion, 'e a'le to ,ractice their 'elie$s $reely, or to s,read their religion to nati-es% &he /,anish, as well as other coloni0ers, *sed a 1issionary syste" in order to s,read their religion% 2atholic ,riests and $riars -ent*red into re"ote areas to '*ild "issions where they worked side3'y3side with the Indians ,lanting cro,s, h*nting ga"e, and ,reaching 2hristianity%# 41onterey Instit*te $or &echnology and Ed*cation%5 In the instance o$ the Protestant 2h*rch, there were two di$$erent gro*,s% P*ritans wanted to ,*ri$y the ch*rch $ro" the inside and to ,*rge the ch*rch o$ its 6o"an 2atholic in$l*ences% 4Instit*te $or &echnology and Ed*cation%5 Pilgri"s were se,aratists who wanted to lea-e the ch*rch co",letely and "o-e to the new world, in order to get away $ro" the corr*,t ch*rch in E*ro,e% 7asically, religion had a h*ge ,art in "oti-ation $or "igration to the (ew )orld, which wo*ld later 'eco"e !"erica, and an !"erican is classi$ied as so"e'ody who "o-ed to the (ew )orld $or -ario*s religio*s reasons% )hen settlers ca"e to the (ew )orld, they didnt think "*ch o$ the nati-es li-ing there at $irst% /oon, when relations 'egan with Indians, things went di$$erently $or di$$erent coloni0ers% /o"e gro*,s, like the /,anish, i""ediately started o$$ with 'ad relations, 'y atte",ting to steal $ro" and con8*er Indian tri'es% .ther coloni0ers, like the

Jack Hawkins English Period 5 4/7/2014 9rench, had good relations, which in-ol-ed trade and alliances% :enerally, the Indians lost al"ost all o$ their original land $ro" either disease 'ro*ght 'y settlers, or $ro" interactions with the E*ro,eans% In the ti"e 'e$ore the ;nited /tates were $or"ed, it 'eca"e o'-io*s that the settlers and colonists wanted to e<,loit the nati-e !"ericans land and a'ilities, and the colonists atte",ted to inter"i<, and 'eco"e one ,eo,le# with the nati-es% 4&ho"as Je$$erson5% Howe-er, this co"'ination was $or the gain o$ the colonists, and loss o$ the nati-es% &he colonists and their leaders 'elie-ed that =o*r increasing n*"'ers will 'e calling $or "ore land=# "eaning that they needed the nati-es land $or their *se, and were willing to take it $ro" the"% 4&ho"as Je$$erson5% &he settlers took land that originally 'elonged to the (ati-e !"ericans, and the nati-es were s*'>*gated and taken ad-antage o$% &odays !"erican soil $irst 'elonged to the nati-es, and was taken *n>*stly and *n$airly% .ne i",ortant thing a'o*t !"erica is that it has 'eco"e a "elting ,ot o$ ethnicity, race, and c*lt*re% /tarting $ro" the 'eginning, !"erica has always had a large di-ersity% (ati-e !"ericans ha-e li-ed here since 'e$ore any others, and settlers $ro" all ,arts o$ E*ro,e ca"e to the (ew )orld in search o$ a new 'eginning% &he original colonies s,orted ,eo,le $ro" "any di$$erent origins li-ing there, and the "iddle colonies were known $or 'eing the "ost ethnically di-erse d*ring the colonial ,eriod%# 4Instit*te $or &echnology and Ed*cation%5 /la-es $ro" !$rica were 'ro*ght to !"erica, and e-en today ,eo,le $ro" all o-er the world are co"ing to the /tates in ho,es o$ a 'etter li$e% 7eca*se o$ this h*ge glo'al in$l*ence, !"erica has a large di-ersity o$ ethnicity, race, religion, and c*lt*re%

Jack Hawkins English Period 5 4/7/2014 &here are "any di$$erent as,ects o$ what de$ines an !"erican, '*t one thing that can 'e said is that an !"erican is a "i<t*re o$ "any characteristics% !n !"erican is so"eone who co"es $ro" a di-erse 'ackgro*nd, and ca"e to the new world thro*gh religio*s "oti-ation, while taking land $ro" those already occ*,ying it% &his de$inition o$ an !"erican gi-es the historical 'ackgro*nd o$ what it "eans to 'e an !"erican, and altho*gh land was taken, negati-e actions are 'eing re,aired thro*gh atte",ts o$ acce,tance o$ di-ersity and $reedo"%

Jack Hawkins English Period 5 4/7/2014 )orks 2ited 1onterey Instit*te $or &echnology and Ed*cation% /,anish and 9rench E<,loration? 1ission /yste"# National Repository for Online Courses: n% ,ag% )e'% 25 1ay 2012% 1onterey Instit*te $or &echnology and Ed*cation% &he (ew England 2olonies? &he P*ritan 6eligion%# National Repository for Online Courses: n% ,ag% )e'% 25 1ay 2012% Je$$erson, &ho"as% @etter to 7en>a"in Hawkins% 1onterey Instit*te $or &echnology and Ed*cation% 2olonial @i$e? Ai-ersity%# National Repository for Online Courses: n% ,ag% )e'% 25 1ay 2012%