American Identity Dbq

Although through the trial and hardships, from 1492 to 1877 the core of the american identity, the frontier had a constant presence through the years, but through the founding of Jamestown and Plymouth, the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklins virtues, letters, Abolitionist, such as William Garrison, Fredrick Douglas, and the civil war, the definition of american identity as the frontier grew and developed into something that defines what it means to be an american. The american identity started to develop in 1492 when Columbus set sail west under Spanish authority to find a new faster route to Asia, the indies, where the riches of gold, pearls and spice awaited. He ended up founding a vast new land full
At this time the new world had grown into 13 colonies. After all these settlers had lived secluded from their mother (salutary neglect), they had come to make their own laws, food, family, and a life without the help from England, they had become their own individual. once the king wanted to regain control of his colonies after being gone for so many years chaos struck, which led to the American Revolution, with the goals of becoming an independent nation, creating a new system of self-governance, and rid themselves of tyranny. During this time they were still looking ahead, just looking at something different. Instead of looking at surviving the land, and all the opportunity they had yet to accomplish, they were looking not at the land, but at their independence from the mother country, unifying the place they live. The declaration of independence of 1776, unified the colonies in the time of war and separated then from England, but most importantly evolved the american identity into something different with these words, “…all men are created equal…they are endowed…with certain unalienable rights…that are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Whats important to take away from these words that it says “pursuit of happiness” instead of “pursuit of property.” Previously in 1492 to 1750 land meant wealth, and although it still does it isn't as important for everyone,as in the natives and slaves, to have land.
Through the established liberty by releasing Americans from European mindsets and the old, dysfunctional customs of the mother country, treaties with foreign nations and native tribes; political compromise; military conquest; establishment of law and order; the building of farms, ranches, and towns; the marking of trails and digging of mines; and the pulling in of great migrations of foreigners, freedom, voting, citizenship, blacks, whites, war within, the use of the land, the development of markets, and the formation of states, created the evolution of the american identity and a prosperous nation full of equal opportunity. But this Evolution of the american identity of the frontier isn't over yet, John F Kennedy once said, that “there is still today a frontier that remains unconquered—an America unreclaimed. This is the great, the nation-wide frontier of insecurity, of human want and fear. This is the frontier—the America—we have set ourselves to reclaim.” The frontier is evolving everyday from scientific innovation to today Electronic frontier. Americans never stop moving