American Values Throughout History.

Essay by dizza1877High School, 11th gradeA+, May 2003

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Throughout history the values of Americans have changed a great deal. With time, come changes in the way people think about their life. Some of those changes are for the good and some are for the bad. Although different people have different things they value everyone still has a common bond in that they value life. After viewing the reading there are 3 main things I feel Americans value. The first thing Americans value is freedom, next is equality, and finally life. Those are the three main values that I noticed after reading the documents

The first value that I think is the most important would have to be freedom. Now a days people take it for granted and don't know how lucky they are to have such a wonderful thing as freedom. Martin Luther King was a firm believer that the African Americans have there right to their freedom.

In his "I have a dream" speech he says "This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves, who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice, it came as a joyous day break to end the long night of their captivity". This shows that he was angry that people we held in captivity as slaves but also he feels that there release in there freedom granted to them is indeed a "joyous day". Another firm believer of freedom was Patrick Henry. Henry Lee said "I consider it as nothing less then a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate". Those are some examples for why think an American value would be freedom.

Another value that feel Americana's value is life. Life is a very special thing...