Author: Ryan Lewis

July 4th, 1776

The Fourth of July celebrates the United States gaining independence from the British on July 4th, 1776. To me the Fourth of July is the “most American” holiday there is and it should be. Today, this day is celebrated with friends and family. It is a relaxing day in the heart of the summer filled with fireworks, beer and barbecue. This day serves as a reminder to all Americans of the generations that came before and sacrificed in order to establish and maintain the freedom we have and deserve today. Simply, Americans would not be Americans without this day in history.

Civil War

The Civil War is one of the most important times in America’s relatively brief history. This is because it was a time when the leaders of the country looked inwards and were self reflective. Instead of taking the easy way out and pretending to be oblivious to the wrongdoings that were taken place in certain parts of the country, action was taken. This war marks the beginning of America’s fight against racism, but not the end. Unfortunately, even today America and its citizens are not perfect and while slavery was abolished at the conclusion of the Civil War and the country as a whole has been trending in the right direction, racism still exist in society. The Civil War is a reminder that we were not perfect and we still are not, but there is always something that can be done.

J.P. Morgan

J.P. Morgan was one of the figure heads of the Gilded Age, a period in history of great industrialization in America. Morgan was a financier and a banker who was very successful during his lifetime. Morgan controlled some of the largest companies of his time including J.P. Morgan and Co., some of which still exist today. He and others during his time are responsible for how important business is today as a factor of U.S. wellbeing, as not only did he gain a lot of personal wealth but he also used this wealth to better the country. As an aspiring Finance major, J.P. Morgan and the way he was able to contribute to the modernization of the U.S. is an inspiration.

Entertainment

One of the most iconic tourist attractions in America is the Hollywood sign. The Hollywood sign itself does not impact Americans or my identity in a great capacity, but what it stands for does. Music, Movies, TV shows and other forms of Entertainment are represented by those nine large letters up on the hill and they hold a dominating influence in American society. Entertainment is something that I find to be of great value, whether it is learning a life lesson as a young child, learning about people and emotion, getting a laugh or finding inspiration. Movies, TV shows and music can provide all of this. While it may be true that these aspects of life are more meaningful through personal experience, entertainment can help us get there.

Being a part of a team

Being part of a team and learning the meaning of being a good teammate is one of the more impactful contributions in shaping my identity. Growing up playing sports my whole life means I have been on many different teams and this has introduced me to some of my closest friends. I’ve played on losing teams and winning teams and both have taught me a lot: working hard, sticking up for your teammates, being prideful and having an open mind. While these things help a team win, when implemented into everyday life they translate to success. Working hard in everything that you do benefits you but also those around you. Sticking up for the people you care about and making sure they are doing well. Being prideful in what you do, making sure you are proud of your actions. And having an open mind, knowing when you’re wrong or being open to learning something new. These are just some of the things that I learned from being on a team and they have positively impacted my identity.

Boston

While I do live in a suburb just outside Boston, I do consider the city to be my home as well. Boston and the people in it have a character and a sense of community that I love. It’s something that I notice when I am in town with my friends and family catching a game or dinner in the North End. Or if I am out of town and bump into someone wearing a t-shirt that represents Boston in some way. People are proud to be from Boston whether it is because it is a historical city or has four major sports teams that win and force us to bee the enemy to outsiders. This pride paired with the resilience exemplified after the Boston Marathon bombings tied together by a one of a kind accent is what makes the city so important to me. I have many great memories to thank the city of Boston for that have shaped my identity.

9/11

September 11, 2001 is a very important date in American history. On this day a terrorist attack devastated the nation, knocking down the World Trade Center, killing thousands of people. This day marks the launch of the War on Terror, an initiative started by the U.S. to fight global terrorism. September 11, 2001 proved to be a lesson to the United States that security is very important and afterwards many precautions were taken by the government to reduce the likelihood of something happening like this again. Although acts of terror have presented themselves since this day in history, our security continues to improve as we try to prevent future tragedy. An event like this impacts everyone and changes the way that people think about their safety. There is no doubt in my mind that, although I was young, 9/11 impacts the way that I think and in turn, impacts my identity.

Ellis island

America is known as a “melting pot” and for good reason: its inhabitants came to land from all over the world to create what it is today. Many of immigrants passed through Ellis Island in New York to make this a reality. This is true for members of my family, as I have roots from England and Ireland on my dad’s side of the family and roots from Russia and then Czechoslovakia now Czech Republic. All four of my mother’s grandparents (my great grandparents) immigrated to this country through Ellis Island, making it very important to my identity.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and one that is very important to the history of America. Growing up in a large extended family thanksgiving is one of those times that I got to see all the people I love at once and that fact that we all come together in big numbers sometimes makes it feel like the first thanksgiving. A truly American holiday, it is a time when we give thanks for our friends, family and everything else that is great in our lives. My past Thanksgivings are filled with delicious food and fond memories of playing football in my grandparents backyard with my cousins.

Family

My family is very important to me and while this photo only includes my immediate family, my idea of family includes the extended members as well. I am lucky in the sense that I am blessed with a supportive and caring family. Growing up my family always pushed me to be the best that I can be, but were never upset if I didn’t come back with success, instead they applauded the effort. I am sure that I would not be in the place I am in life without my family, they are a big part of my identity.

Sports

Professional sports are a large part of American culture. Being from an area with for major sports teams I see this first hand. Having something to root for and believe in provides a sense of bigger community as well as a sort of escape from the grind of everyday life for the common person; this makes professional sports very important to American society. To a “die hard” sports fan the joy of winning and the heartbreak of losing is certainly felt even though you aren’t actually the one playing the game. Some of my fondest memories are going to sports games with family and friends and in a time when all of the seasons are on hold, I realize how much these games mean to my identity.

Education

The right to an education is a constitutional right in the United States and an important one that defines American society. So much emphasis is put on getting a good education in this country and every year more and more people seek higher education because of it. Although it has become expensive, higher education is important and this fact has been stressed to me my whole life. I believe the stress on a good education to be a great thing as knowledge is power. Getting good grades were a top priority in my house, as I believe they are for many families across the country. For almost my whole life I have gone to school, I have been a student. School is where I have learned a lot of what I know and made some lifelong friends, so I think its fair to say it has had a large part in shaping my identity.

Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza and Egypt are linked in most people’s minds. For most people the Pyramids are the first thing to come to mind when thinking about Egypt. They were built for ancient Egyptian kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure around 2500 BCE were among the seven wonders of the ancient world and they still stand today. The pyramids represent Egypt’s long and important history for Egyptians, they are structures to be proud of. As a symbol of Egypt, the pyramids definitely impact an Egyptians identity.

The Nile River

The Nile River is the longest river in the world and it served as a staple ancient Egyptian’s stability. To Ancient Egyptians the Nile was necessary to maintain and preserve life in Egypt. Even though the Nile is not leaned on as much today, it is still a reminder of the people that came before and who lived and worked for the future of Egypt. The land near the Nile was one of the few places in Egypt that was fertile due to their desert landscape, so many people settled there and made it their home. Something so important to its ancestors must mean something to Egypt’s people today.

The Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is a man-made canal that was completed and opened for the first time in 1869. The Suez Canal has had a large impact on trade, when it was first opened it was a one-way canal that shortened the route from the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Africa. After the expansion of the canal it now supports two-way and more ships can pass through making it more efficient. Although it was in British control for a long time, but in 1956 the Egyptians gained control of the canal. Such an important part of commerce in Egypt’s recent history would have a profound impact on an Egyptian’s identity.

Al-Azhar Mosque

Pictured is the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, it is one of Cairo’s earliest mosques founded in 970 C.E. This is a place of worship for Egypt’s most popular religion, Islam. Egyptians in general are religious people, whether it be Islam, Christianity, Judaism or another religion and the places of worship are sacred. Being a Muslim Egyptian, Islam would be a large part of your identity and so would the Mosque you worship at whether it be the Al-Azhar Mosque or not.

The Sphinx

The Great Sphinx of Giza is located near the Pyramids of Giza, it is one of the world’s largest monuments. The Sphinx is a prominent figure in ancient Egyptian mythology as well as Greek and Asian mythology. Symbolizing great wisdom and strength, the Sphinx was erected around the same time as the Pyramids by Pharaoh Khafre. Similar to the Pyramids, the Sphinx is one of Egypt’s great tourist attractions today. Egypt is one of the world’s fastest growing tourist destinations, tourism is great for Egypt’s economy.

Pharaohs

Egypt has had many great and well known rulers through out its history and many different names for these rulers. One group of rulers that seem to be especially important to Egypt are the Pharaohs. This is because the Pharaohs had a religious aspect to their rule, they were thought to be a representation of the gods in human form. The Pharaohs played an important role in Egypt’s dominance during ancient times and were a big reason why the civilization could survive and thrive when many other civilizations were dying out.

Egyptian Gods

The Ancient Egyptian gods were the deities that the ancient people of Egypt worshipped. Just as any deity or religion does, these gods provided Egyptians with answers to questions that they could not answer themselves and gave them faith and hope for the future. The ancient Egyptians had gods that coincided with many important aspects of life as well as physical things that human depend on like the sun.

Moses parts the Red Sea

When the Jewish people were enslaved in Egypt, it was Moses who freed them and parted the Red Sea. After this Moses climbs Mount Sinai to get the Ten Commandments. The fact that Egypt played such a large role in this and its proximity to the “holy land” or Jerusalem, makes Egypt a central location and very important to all religions. This is probably why today Egyptians are so religious and three major religions are practiced in the region.

Abbasid Dynasty

 

 

 

 

 

The Abbasid Dynasty ruled over the Islamic Empire in its peak from 750 to 1517 C.E. This was a long important period in Egypt’s history when its leaders were not constant in where they were from or their thought process. This period saw the crusades as well as many other attacks on Egypt and divisions among its people, but Egypt prevailed and continued to be independent.

The Book of the Dead

The Book of the Dead was very important to the ancient religion of Egypt. This book was thought to hold the keys to having a pleasant afterlife making it highly sought after. Today the Book of the Dead is studied by historians as it gives them insight on the way that ancient Egyptians thought and the ethics and morals that they held close.

Egyptian Revolution 1952

In 1952 there was an Egyptian Revolution. This marked the end of the monarchy in Egypt, establishing a republic, as well as Egyptian independence which entailed the end of British occupation and Sudanese control. The fact that the Egyptians revolted shows that they valued their voice and wanted to be heard. Egyptians would no longer tolerate the corrupt monarchy that had been in place and valued their independence showing their pride in being Egyptian. This would certainly have a role in an Egyptians identity as it is relatively recent and had big implications for the Egyptian public.

Aswan High Dam

The Aswan High Dam is a dam that was completed in 1970 in Aswan, Egypt that crosses the Nile River which created a reservoir called Lake Nasser. This dam allows the Nile flood to be controlled by man, improves navigation along the Nile and provides enormous amounts of electric power. This does hurt the naturally fertile soil along the river that depended on the flood of the Nile. This dam greatly impacts the lives of the Egyptians that live near the Nile and also affects other Egyptians which could affect their identities.