My definition and ideas of the American person have not changed after discussing and reading the poems in class. When I think of America I do not think of just one specific race. Growing up I had always heard of the United States being the melting pot. Even going through history since elementary school I was taught that the first people to settle on North America were not white but Native Americans. According to deGevecoeur’s poem when he says that he can name a family who has different backgrounds, I think that is what makes Americans unique. We are not all the same, we have certain nationalities that set us apart from the next person. Our country was built because of immigrants, even the white English men were immigrants. Immigrants from all over the world would come over to the United States to seek a better life and I do agree with the poem of “New Colossus” about the Statue of Liberty representing a symbol of freedom. For many immigrants seeing Ellis Island gave them hope and those people have now settled their families here, which makes their families immigrants. Although when thinking of the United States I can not think of one specific race that Americans would fall under, I do agree with the poems that Americans are very patriotic. We love our country and come together to fight for it, hence why we have the strongest army in the world. Many men and women have fought to make our country how it is today and I believe many Americans appreciate that and that is why we are all so patriotic and proud to live where we do.
