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A firm believer in the separation of church and state, Roger Williams was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay colony in 1635 for his refusal to conform to Puritan beliefs. He supported the idea of a mutual consent government and though radical, his beliefs began a journey to the American Identity by setting a foundation for religious liberty. Being free to make your own choices and believe what you want to believe is large part of what it means to be an American. -
Approved on July 4th 1776, the Declaration of Independence was the formal declaration of the 13 United States of America. It was originally drafted by Richard Henry Lee and was later edited by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. The date the Declaration of Independence was approved not only plays a role in American Identity because of how largely it is celebrated each year but having a formal government in place has shaped our nation into what it is. -
In 1817 Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and other politicians gathered to promote the American System. A system that encouraged commerce between states over trade with Europe and the West Indies and aimed for America’s economic independence. This system helped grow of the American Economy. As Americans, we understand the importance of a strong economy for our financial success. A strong economy means higher employment and wages, things we rely on and this play a part in our American Identity. -
Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election in 1860, though few actually believed him to be a strong candidate at the time and weeks after Lincoln’s inauguration, the new Confederate States of America opened fire on Fort Sumter, prompting Lincoln to start the Civil War. This was a turning point in the American Identity because the Civil War lead to milestones that put an end to slavery. -
After war, Abraham Lincoln proposed the Emancipation Proclamation and to solidify the abolition of slavery, Congress passed the 13th Amendment on January 13th, 1865. The 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship and “equal protection of the laws”. The 15th Amendment prohibited discrimination in voting rights on the basis of race, color or previous status. With the amendments in place, it granted freedom to a wider range of the population, fostering the American Identity of freedom.