Similarities Between The Declaration Of Independence And The Constitution

According to the oxford dictionary, a nation would be defined as “A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular state or territory.” With this definition, an American nation would be considered to be in existence. However, there are various attributes associated with being in the American nation, and these characteristics vary greatly compared to those of other nations around the world.

The American nation is unlike any other nation in the world, with Americans having characteristics that differ from those from other nations. However, despite all of this, an American nation does, in fact exist. Americans pride themselves in their patriotism, uniting them all under their love for

America. Though America is unique in that it is a country founded by those from other countries, and its people all come from various places around the world, those living in America are often proud, and even boastful of their American heritage.

Recently, more and more Americans have begun to identify themselves primarily as American, rather than their ethnicity, region or state within the USA, or religion. And, Americans having to fight for their freedom from Great Britain has united Americans and made it dignifiable to be an American, since it was a large accomplishment for America to gain its independence. Since America was once a colony, American people highly value the concept of freedom, especially since America prides itself on being a place where everyone is, according to the Declaration of Independence, seen as free and equal, despite any differences, in dignity and in rights. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is one of the reasons that makes America a nation, since it provides for an effective government, meaning that all of the United States is united under one governmental power. However, the idea of freedom can be a lot more difficult than in ideology, as it forces one to have to make their own values and moral decisions (Class lecture, 1/31). Though this freedom can lead to mistakes by some individuals, it is a vital aspect of American society, having the power

to make those mistakes even, on account of one's personal freedom. Going along with the value of personal freedom, is the shared value of individualism, allowing for a wide range of opinions, as well as the freedom to express these opinions as they please (Kohls, 3). These values of freedom and individuality differ when looking at other nations, as most nations have a social hierarchy of sorts made up that everyone fits into in one place or another. Needless to say, America definitely has a hierarchy of sorts going along with one's’ social status, yet Americans don’t let these roles define them in such a way as other nations, and Americans always have the freedom to try to change their status in society.
America differs from other nations in a multitude of ways, as it is unique as a nation.

Our society is under the belief that human rights derived in Europe and America, with certain changes such as a rise of middle class, development of modern science, and the rise of mercantilism, and that these changes led to the “emerging liberal vision of human rights” (Course Syllabus, Ishay). New emerging ideas brought about to challenge society and its ‘norms’ is what continuously allows America to be so unique and grant individuals such rights. An important aspect of the American nation is its drive to continuously improve on itself. Though the American nation has come a long way since its beginning, liberalism is not entirely achieved yet, and is still continuously changing and working to better itself (Class lecture, 2/26). America has made many improvements in its goal to be more progressive, such as outlawing slavery, and granting women’s suffrage, and more modern examples of legalizing gay marriage, yet America always has areas for improvement, and for the most part America is always willing and trying to improve itself. Americans have an extremely work-driven attitude and lifestyle. They believe hard work pays off and they can continue to work to better themselves and their lives, as well as the nation as a whole. This work oriented attitude that many Americans have adopted causes Americans to identify themselves by their professions (Kohls 4). Compared to other Countries,

America is significantly more work-oriented, having much longer hours and significantly less days off or breaks. Even pregnant women or new mothers are given little to no time off work in America, meanwhile in other countries they are given months off of work with no consequences. This again emphasizes the American ideal that ‘hard work pays off’, in the idea that by working hard, one can climb their way up and improve their social status.
The American nation is truly unique from other nations, raising debate over whether it could even be considered a nation when compared to others. The American people have certain values, such as freedom, individualism, and a hard work ethic, that they hold to very high standards. The American values differ from other nations’, as America is unlike any other nation around the world.