Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Own definition of freedom
Martin luther king
Mlk impact on civil rights movement
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Own definition of freedom
“Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we’re free at last,” are the first words I think of when I think about America’s gift to my generation. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights activist, is one of many that represent America’s gift to my generation. Freedom, defined in the dictionary as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint, is the basic principle behind what this country was founded on. It is the idea that all men are created equal and are born with the same fundamental rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Ironically, however, since the existence of this great nation has begun, freedom is something that, in essence, has never been “free,” as so many have
Throughout history, Americans have sought to spread the spirit of equality, which is believed to be the realization of true freedom. Before establishing this freedom, every American had only one question stuck in their head: What is freedom? Our country received it in the year of 1776 from the British through a series of difficulties and wars. African Americans defined it as an escape from slavery, while immigrants defined it as their acceptance into a new society. More yet, women of the women’s suffrage defined their freedom as their recognition into society and for their rights to be equal to that of every other man. These different perceptions of cultures/groups in America tied together to form an American view of freedom. Freedom is something that every American should be willing to do anything in order to maintain. We may have weapons of mass destruction, but when it comes to living in a peaceful, American lifestyle, our freedom is our greatest weapon.
Freedom has been discussed and debated for a while now and yet no one can completely agree that it exists. Since the Civil, War America has been conditioned to be divided politically. The conflict over the meaning of freedom continues to exist from the civil war, throughout the sixties and in the present. The Civil War was fought over the question of what freedom means in America. The issue was in the open for all to see: slavery. Human slavery was the shameless face of the idea of freedom. The cultural war in the sixties was once more about the question of what freedom is and what it means to Americans. No slaves. Instead, in the sixties and seventies four main issues dominated the struggle for racial equality: opposition to discriminatory immigration controls; the fight against racist attacks; the struggle for equality in the workplace; and, most explosively, the issue of police brutality. For more than two centuries, Americans demanded successive expansions of freedom; progressive freedom. Americans wanted freedom that grants expansions of voting rights, civil rights, education, public health, scientific knowledge and protections from fear.
Freedom. This influential idea has lead many of people march to demand their freedoms. Whether that freedom be from Great Britain or slaves owners, many of American’s have marched for their rights. What is the definition of freedom? Freedom is defined as the power to act, speak, or think as one wants without opposition. Freedom is a part part of American culture. Some may even say that America’s very foundations were built off of freedom and the right to do as we wish with our lives. In the eighteen hundreds American Colonists were feeling the pressures of the British that would soon lead the the Revolutionary War and our freedom. Some people might consider this idea of freedom as radical and possibly way ahead of it’s time back then. But it
America. It was a dream come true in a New World that was envisioned by artists, politicians, and monarchs alike. The ones who believed that anything could be achieved by God, the mind, and manpower. Even through opposition from governments, kingdoms, nobles, and naysayers, these brave individuals strived to establish a better life for themselves and their families, aimed to retain a secure future in the process, and wanted to worship God in their own way.
Freedom is open to anyone who will fight for its existence, even if that fight is only to say that they yearn for it. On the most part, we see freedom as free. If we want to go out at 3:00 a.m. for ice cream and shotgun shells, we are "free" to do just that. We, as American citizens, are accustomed to many freedoms that we sometimes take for granted, such as the freedom to speak out against anyone who is trying to infringe upon our civil liberties, the right to choose who will represent us to the rest of the world, and the freedom to make and change any rule set forth if it does not apply."
Freedom is not a reward or a decoration that is celebrated with champagne...Oh no! It's a...long distance race, quite solitary and very exhausting." -Albert Camus. The dictionary defines freedom as the condition of being free from restraints. Freedom is not just a word one can say without meaning. It is a privilege, a privilege not everyone is granted. Freedom gives the liberty to choose what should is done and how.
I feel inspired and patriotic every time I see a car’s back bumper sticker featuring an American flag stating, “Freedom Isn’t Free!” The moral clarity of those words rings as true as the Liberty Bell. Those Americans that do not fathom the significance of the motto Freedom Isn’t Free suffer from the very problematic “victim/slave mentality,” which ultimately will become a future reality should more citizens not heed the simple message the sage language conveys. Yes it indeed bears repeating, “Freedom Is Not Free!” Its acquisition from King George’s England involved struggle, its maintenance throughout the first two and a quarter centuries of our Great Republic required sacrifice and its continuation demands perseverance. Wise people fully realize that struggle, sacrifice and perseverance are the vital characteristics of freedom, democracy and independence.
Throughout history freedom has had many different meanings and definitions; based on race, gender, and ethnicity. According to the dictionary freedom means the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint (“freedom” def. 1). Freedom may seem like something given to everyone however it was something workers had to fight for. Not everyone believed that workers’ rights needed to be changed, which led to a long battle between workers, employers and the government. To the working class people freedom meant making higher wages, having regulated hours, workable conditions and the right to free speech.
Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. In America there is numerous of choices that someone may make on a daily basis. If someone were allowed to make their own choices and were being told what to do; then they would not be free. When someone is allowed to speak when they want to, and say what they want; such as their opinion or view of something. Being allowed to have a right to speak is one of the most important characteristics of being an American. Thinking and stating your opinion in any predicament it a strong part in being a citizen because people in the United States are known for being able to think in their own ways. Freedom can stretch too many things such as being able to do as they please, they are not forced into doing anything that someone may want. The citizens of the United States are not made to do anything that one may not want to do; like
In this essay, I am going to be talking about the gift that America has given to my generation and what it has done to affect people’s lives. Most countries are not like America because of the freedoms and the technology that we have in our society. Did you know that most Americans are connected by the internet, jobs, and technology? Almost every American has a smart phone or tablet for them to talk with their coworkers, friends, and family.
Freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one desires without undergoing any form of hindrance or restraint that would limit one from doing so. Although over time the definition may have altered due to various circumstances, the word “freedom” remains a symbol of hope and of independence to millions worldwide. When you think of a country that the word “freedom” most applies to, many would most likely agree with the United States of America. Throughout the nation and even across the globe, many associate the lines “Land of the Free” with America, especially since they have been sung religiously in the national anthem written by Francis Scott Key in 1931. Ever since 1931 America has keyed into the slogan “Land of the
“Freedom.” It is a word with many different connotations, but symbolizes one central idea: Liberty. Freedom has always been deeply embedded in the history of our nation. Throughout time, many Americans have fought for freedom. From the Pilgrims, who set sail from England to the shores of Cape Cod to escape religious persecution, to the Founding Fathers of America who fought for freedom from England’s oppression, our fellow Americans have always fought for what they believed in. They gained certain freedoms that they thought would not only be important to them, but to future generations. However, it is evident that society today does not value those same freedoms.
Freedom is often spoken of in what can be referred to as a loose sense of the word. One country has more freedom than another; a twenty-one year old has more freedom than a fifteen year old. What exactly does this word mean? For different people it may mean different things, but there has to be an equilibrium that can be reached in order to determine the meaning of freedom itself. In one form, freedom can mean that a person has "exemption from an obligation."* If only the root (free) is looked at, it can be interpreted that one is "not under the control or power of another."*
Many people might say that freedom is defined by these famous words of the Declaration of Independence: “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.” The United States of America was founded on these principles; however, freedom is not something people get to enjoy all over the world. Ironically and rather absurdly, many Americans don’t even get to experience proper freedom. Whether it is discrimination against certain ethnicities or an entire gender, it is a fact that freedom is not always simply given without a fight. History has proven time and time again that freedom will not be given unless it is demanded.
“It’s a free country!” That is a common phrase we hear and say. Yet, after thinking about this phrase, we discover that this should be about our real freedoms, and our independent country. Our independence and the freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly and the Redress of Grievances. Honestly, as a privileged American many people do not think about these freedoms, because we just are used to it.