CHAPTER ONE WHO ARE WE american identity is shaped by the the US Constitution These documents express nation’s history This history dates back to the Declaration of Independence and what it means to be an American American identity is also expressed in symbols landmarks and traditions The US Constitution on top of the American flag 5
History and Identity Thirteen American colonies gained their independence from Britain in 1776 The Declaration of Independence lays out their reasons for wanting to separate It also outlines their basic beliefs One belief is that all men are created equal Another is that people have the right to a happy life Prominent men wrote the Declaration of Independence These doctors lawyers farmers and politicians are known as the Founding Fathers When writing the document women African Americans and Native Americans were not foremost in their minds However the document they created came to represent the new nation’s ideals The Founding Fathers The Founding Fathers helped to shape American identity But like all people they were not perfect Thomas Jefferson wrote all men are created equal in the Declaration of Independence Yet like many people of his time he owned slaves 6
The John Trumbull painting Declaration of Independence shows the presentation of a draft of the famous document A Nation of Immigrants The United States is a nation of immigrants People of any race or religion can be American The country
