美國自由論

張幸

關鍵詞：美國 文化 自由 國家 歷史

I chose What Is An America by Edward L. Hudgins to explain my thesis statement， what is the mean of freedom for American， how it invented in America， and what is the development of the freedom. “Two thousand years ago， when Western civilization was bounded by the laws and legions of the Roman Empire， the proudest words a man could utter were： "I am a citizen of Rome." A century ago， when the world was girdled by the British Empire， the Englishman's voice sounded from the earth's far corners： "I am a British subject." Now， in the middle of the 20th Century， the most arresting tones of history said something else： "I am an American." （TIME， THE NATION： What Is an American？ 1948） What is An American by Edward L. Hudgins provided greatly evidences to proof what is freedom. What Is An American is an essay of Letters from an American Farmer， the author is J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur， he educated in England， moved to America in 1754. He Wrote “Letters from an American Farmer” at his farm in New York， Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur praised highly the freedom and opportunity to be found in this new land. This is a great literature in the world， especially for America. The literature brought huge impact to America and every American who read this literature， that include a lot famous people in America， it is a esteemed in role as consul by President Washington； acquainted with Ben Franklin. More than 500 families emigrated from France to America based largely on his “letters.” “Letters” one of the first texts to describe the average American Subject matter appealed both to former colonials （Americans） and to Europeans trying to understand the new America. The core idea of What is an American is told every American who you are， why you in there， how do you do？ Theses are simple questions， but very hard to answer them. Until now， American people never stop the step of aspire freedom. Freedom become a symbol of United Stats， it is the soul of American. Nobody doubt how the freedom important for American， it like oxygen for every life.

“It is not composed， as in Europe， of great lords who possess every thing and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here are no aristocratically families， no courts， no kings， no bishops， no ecclesiastical dominion， no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one； no great manufacturers employing thousands， no great refinements of luxury.”（P49） America is a new land for every people who came to America， there no king， no bishops， no ecclesiastical， etc. These kinds of things are feudal. When began of the founding of United States there no feudal. Feudalism is the killer of freedom， it control peoples thinking and actives. Almost every country had feudal history， but America is an exception. So the freedom just sated when people who come from around the world came to this land. It explain why freedom is so important for America， it as a foundation of America. Tow thousand years ago， had a lot of bondman in the world. European countries to establish a colony in the world， and the slave of a large number of civilians became bondman. They lost freedom， but they washed to get it. When those people came to the new land， and established their own country. They got their own life with freedom. So this is why “he must necessarily feel a share of national pride， when he views the chain of settlements which embellishes these extended shores. When he says to himself， this is the work of my countrymen， who， when convulsed by factions， afflicted by a variety of miseries and wants， restless and impatient， took refuge here.”（P48）

“The American is a new man， who acts upon new principles； he must therefore entertain new ideas， and form new opinions. From involuntary idleness， servile dependence， penury， and useless labor， he has passed to toils of a very different nature， rewarded by ample subsistence. --This is an American.” This is a very powerful proof. Lets think about what is a new man， what is old man. Old man means who earlier be labor in Europe no freedom. Those people lived very hard， and they want to get free. Now， those people came in America， they build a new country， it named United States. They got freedom， and they got the life that they wanted. This “new” means a new soul； a new idea， a new life style.

In “What is An American，” author write people built a new civilization，technology and art. This is a marvel in the world， for everybody who is an American. The power came from the faith of freedom. The faith is so strong， that made all American be brave. Because all American have the faith， so they could be a family and living together. When freedom became a faith in mind of all American. The power can defeat every enemy. Of cause， catch the freedom is every Americans dream， that is a important source of the faith. In America， every wish been true of who came to the land.

“Every thing has tended to regenerate them； new laws， a new mode of living， a new social system； here they are become men： in Europe they were as so many useless plants， wanting vegetative mood， and refreshing showers； they withered， and were mowed down by want， hunger， and war； but now by the power of transplantation， like all other plants they have taken root and flourished！ Formerly they were not numbered in any civil lists of their country， except in those of the poor； here they rank as citizens （P52）.” I like this paragraph that it shows a new America to every reader. That is a great job. There have new laws， a new mode of living， a new social system etc. Totally “new” things with the core mean is freedom， freedom is the foundation of every thing in America. “What Is An American” is a really great letter from “Letters From An American Farmer”， it better than other letters for me. Freedom is not only for American， it for every people， whatever who you are， where are you in.