force, democracy, independence, tolerance, and many other attributes of our country. The elements of the flag, the stars, stripes and colors, can also be elaborated on. The stars represent each state in the nation, and the stripes for each of the original thirteen colonies. One of the main reasons America was able to maintain its freedom over the years was its incredible wealth. Once freedom was obtained from Europe, America had to fend for itself in the trade and industrial market. It had to produce goods, as well as import and export them to maintain economic stability. Gaining independent wealth from Europe was a key factor in gaining freedom from it, and the importance of great wealth in this country has never faltered. Wealth has become so important in the past few decades that some have lost perspective of what is truly important in life in the quest for more and more money. Tied in with the symbol of wealth is the symbol of competition, for there is always an ongoing competition for wealth in America. Competition occurs on a personal as well as industrial level. Competition for the best job, best mate, and best salaries are among the top prizes in the game of life for Americans. In the business industry, advertisements for different product bombard us daily, competing for our hard-earned dollar. The idea of capitalism is an important key symbol in America and strongly encourages competition. It summarizes a basic American belief that a person has the right to choose for themselves, and that the government should not be allowed control of everything. Competition has helped this country become what it is today, and is therefore a widely held symbol of American life.Through our battle for freedom with Europe centuries ago and our never ending resolve to keep our country free, America has become a country embodied with the symbols of power, wealth and competition. These symbols can be seen in the every day life of ind...
