Many of us take for granted that we have. You can deny it all you want but we do. Being an American and have the freedom we do is a big deal. In other countries they still have a monarchy, and yes I would love to be a Queen, but most likely I wouldn’t be. So I would be just a normal citizen. It doesn’t really sound like a lot of fun having other people telling us what we can and can not do. That’s why I’m glad we have the freedom we do here in America.

Gaining our independence from Britain changed the world. It may not seem like it, but back then Britain had control of so many countries. So the fact that Americans fought back and won their freedom shocked a lot of people. If it wasn’t for the Revolutionary war we would most likely still be under British rule. To some kids it may not sound like a big deal, but it is. It means we wouldn’t have the freedom we do today.

Our forefathers’ risking their lives to win that war was the best thing that could have happened to the U.S. The signing of the Treaty of Paris gave Americans the chance to change everything. A fresh start for a new country where everyone would be considered equal and their rights would be protected. Even though we had a rough start trying to decide what kind of government we needed, it all worked out. The major reason was the Constitution and The Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights protects us every single day. The major right is freedom of speech. We have the right to say what we want up until a certain point. Another major right is freedom of religion. This right is pretty important to a lot of people. Without this right the president could tell everyone they must be catholic. That’s not fair to people who have other religions or are atheist. The bill of rights lets us own guns and lets us have our privacy. Without the Bill of Rights the police could just walk in your home and take your stuff. Someone could try you again and again for the same crime. You could be forced to let soldiers live in your home. That goes against your rights, and that’s why we have the Bill of Rights protects them.

I know to some people history isn’t the most exciting subject in the world. I myself really don’t like history. This year I learned it’s pretty important though. I learned that freedom isn’t something you can take for granted, because it took a lot to gain it. It’s more than just a word, its something to appreciate. So even if 75 years from now, I don’t remember much from Mr. J’s class, or even who Mr. J is, I’ll remember to appreciate the freedom I have. I’ll remember how hard it was to gain this freedom and I’ll remember that forever.