The Greatness Of United States: What Makes America Great

What makes America Great? America offers me freedoms and opportunities many people around the world don’t enjoy. Here, my opinions can have an impact. Here, hard work can be translated into fortune. It is easy to overlook America’s greatness, however. Unlike much of the world, America provides its citizens with freedom, equality, and justice. From a historical perspective, America has had a tremendous impact by bringing the world closer to a freer, more equal place. America is great because of its strong culture of innovation, its adaptable constitution, and its endless opportunities.

In America, more so than anywhere else, achievement resulting from persistence, hard work, and innovation is rewarded, and failure is regarded as a teaching tool. Consider the persistence of one of America’s greatest inventors, Thomas Edison, who experienced several unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Edison used his failures as a teaching tool. ‘I have not failed” he said, “I have just found ten thousands ways that don’t work.” In their quest for a better life, immigrants from all corners of the globe have brought with them new perspectives and great ideas to America. Andrew Carnegie, who emigrated from Scotland, started out as a textile factory worker at the age of 13. Through various business ventures, he worked his way up to build the largest steel manufacturing company in the world, and later became a generous philanthropist. My own family members came to America to escape from poverty. My great grandfather left Europe for Ellis Island all by himself. He was two years older than me - a teenager. He spoke not a word of English. He learned the language, got a job at the Pacific Railway, saved up, bought a house, and started a family. He lived a long, successful life. No country has created a better ladder than America for people to ascend from modest circumstances to success. That is because America offers something unique. It offers the chance to fail, and therefore, the best chance to succeed. I can testify that America fosters a culture of innovation. For the past 2 years, I have participated in science fairs where my research was awarded at the state and international level. I witnessed firsthand the creativity and innovation present in our nations youngest and brightest. As I met more kids, I realized that we were privileged to live in a country that fosters innovation among its youngest and brightest citizens. Our nation is great because it invests in its youth and inspires people like me to think beyond. America is great because it gives us hope for the future.

While I was privileged to work in a lab, many of the kids I met from around the world were forced to work in poor conditions with limited resources. I believe a country should be judged by how it treats its richest citizens, but by how it treats the average person. My family came to America seeking the freedom and opportunity it promised. As a son of immigrants, I realize the opportunities and freedoms America has to offer are unmatched in the rest of the world. I realize that America provides an incredibly good live for the ordinary person. Many citizens endure very hard lifestyles in many parts of the world. In developing countries, many fight for their lives, laboring hours a day, and enduring hardships. For example, in Hong Kong, the poor are forced to live in confined spaces because of high costs of living. For many poor people, life is characterized by indignity and injustice. Yet, America remains a special exception. Compared to other nations, America’s poor have the same rights as the richest citizens. I feel fortunate to be born in a country where I can work hard and live a successful life. This is what makes America great.

America is great because it is a selfless nation. What other nation fights for the freedom of others? From World War II to Vietnam, America had little to obtain financially. America has been the first to rush aid to humanitarian crisis, such as Hurricane Sandy in Haiti, and the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami. No matter where a calamity is, domestic or abroad, Americans raise millions to send food, clothing, and supplies to people they don’t know. Additionally, Americans help their poor through nonprofits and volunteer efforts with food banks and shelters. America is a great nation because it helps other nations around the world and its poorest citizens.

America is truly a great country. While America isn’t perfect, American values and American democracy have been a great force for good. Today, America continues its impact by bringing the world closer to a freer, more equal world. I am proud to live in a country that is at the forefront of technology and innovation. I am proud to live in a country that invests in my talents and ideas to solve problems at the national and global level. It makes me grateful to live in a country where even the poor have a chance at success. I am proud to live in a nation where countless veterans and fallen heroes have molded America into the place it is today. Furthermore, America is great because of its diverse population of immigrants, its ability to solve its own problems, and its impact on the world.