Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, a nation was in trouble. Newly created not ten years past and divided into thirteen states, it found itself in an era of darkness and uncertainty. There was worry amongst the people that the cruel king who had just recently been overthrown would return and reclaim his throne. The harsh laws and strict taxes of the old regime had been abrogated, but the federal government had no power to enforce the new, fairer ones, and crime raged rampant throughout the land. The farmers, who had fought so courageously in the Revolutionary War for a country of their own, found their land gone and coffers empty when they returned home. The national treasury had no money to support the states and could only watch helplessly as their people lay suffered in the throes of poverty and destitution. These troubles culminated into one large revolt by the people, dubbed Shay’s Rebellion, and the government was unable to quell it. The future looked bleak; yet, the people persevered. Nine months later, delegates from each of the thirteen states came together to fix the problems of their country, and, on September 17, 1787, they drafted the Constitution of the United States of America, a document that still plays a major role in our government today.
     From the dawn of our nation’s existence to present times, America has met with dozens of trials and tribulations, but we always overcame any obstacle we faced. In the 1800’s, America was almost torn asunder over a war on slavery between the north and the south, but, in the end, we resolved the issue and remained united. In the 1930’s and 1940’s, thousands of our valiant men and women answered the call of our sister countries in trouble during the two world wars, for America stands for justice, democracy, and freedom and we will never be a bystander to tyranny and oppression. In the 1960’s, we sent three of our own to a place we had previously only dreamed of, the moon, for America is, was, and always will be the land of pioneers and innovation. At the dawn of the 21st century, after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we declared a war on terror, for America is on the side of justice and democracy, and we will never allow evil to triumph.
     The time has come again when our future seems uncertain. America is currently 17 trillion dollars in debt, and the day seems far away when we can ever dig ourselves out of such a deep hole. Our nation is still recovering from the stock market collapse of 2008. 11.3 million Americans are unemployed and struggle to provide for their families each day. Problems like obesity, global warming, and the shortage of landfills to dispose our waste plague our nation, but I am optimistic that we will rise above these crises. The same great American values that have served as well in our past will surely lead us forward to a better future. As Dwight D. Eisenhower famously said, “There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and energy of her citizens cannot cure.” For example, I am confident that American ingenuity and technological prowess will not only lead to more jobs, but a more comfortable lifestyle for all of its citizens. Every day, we are making advances in medical technology that will soon wipe out the scourge of diseases, such as cancer, obesity, and genetic disorders. Democrats and Republicans are learning to set aside their differences of opinion and to work in cohesion to make policies that will benefit the entire nation. The mighty economic engine of American business is recovering, albeit slowly, and is sure to eliminate the national debt in the near future.  If we only look back through the rich history of our country, through all of the blood, sweat, toil, and tears put in by thousands of fearless men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep the United States of America “the land of the free and home of the brave”, we can see that the indomitable American spirit will always prevail.