The Defining of a Nation

"My country tiss of thee, sweat land of liberty...." These words begin a patriotic song taught to many Americans at an early age. They are also a good beginning for this essay. To define my country in its entirety would take a life time, which would be an impossibility in this essay. But it is possible to give a few characteristics that, to me, provide meaning to my country.
One of the greatest attributes of America is the people that populate its vast lands. From the beginning of America's young history, immigrants fleeing persecution, famine, tyranny, or looking for a fresh start a…