Being American

We all know that apple pie, the Pac-Man phenomenon*, and colour without the ‘u’ are American, as are even more minor things, such as the pronunciation of ‘lieutenant’. However, the broader sorts of things aren’t generally well-recorded, unless you don’t look in encyclopedias and fact-guzzling guide books.
Americans may tell you that the United States of America was founded on independence, liberty and freedom. For many, these virtues and others -democracy (and with it, often, apathy), the principles set forth in the Bill of Rights and patriotism...