Connecticut western news., 1919-05-29
MORE SNAPPY ESSAYS
 IN NEWS PRIZE CONTEST
Same Subjects Treated m Different Manner by
 Students

As the News Prize Essay Contest for High School students is drawing to close, keen interest is mani fested by those who have entered. A first and second prize will be awarded to the winners at commencement.
 Why Am Proud of My Country
 America IS .hs land of the free and the home of the brave. How proud everyone should be when he remembers that he is an American and thinks of what America stands for.
 In order to realize more fully un- der what conditions this great repub- lie was built and grew, we ought to trace briefly its history.
 Most of the people came and settled here for religious purposes We find that in England all who did not attend the Church of England were persecuted. The Plymouth and Boston colonies were settled by tho Pilgrims and Puritans who wero cruelty treated because of their re- ligious beliefs.
 In 1775 the colonists revoIteA against England the mother country The chief cause was the taxes i'm posed upon them. After severe struggle, in which our famous gem eral George Washington played am important part, the English wero defeated. After this a republic was formed with George Washington aw the president.
 The colonists were molested and their rights on the seas were not reo- ognized. The impressment of Amer ican seamen was the direct cause of Q second war with England in 1872. Most of the battles were naval batties in which America was victorious Again England was defeated. This proved that the Americans were abb to hold their own against the most powerful nation in the Eastern heffiS- sphere.
 Up to the time of the Civil War, slavery kept increasing, causing much ill-feeling between the North and the South. Finally the South seeded from the Union. In 1891 war was declared. Lincoln w2. president of the Union with Jeffdr- son Davis president of the Confedr eracy. A bitter struggle followed The North was victorious and -in 1868 the Emancipation Proclams- ton was issued by which slavery wan abolished, and the states were once more united.
 In 1898 the Spanish American WxT was fought. The Cubans were ep4 pressed, and to protect our rights wd fought against Spain. The, Philx4 pines, Porto Rico and Guam camck under American control. Cuba INas freed with our promise to protect her if necessary.
 It is useless to go into details about the Great War in Europe but we all see and realize how valiantly our soldiers fought, how we answered tho call of humanity and the result.
 So we see that in all of the con- ficts America has not fought se much to gain power and territory as to protect the rights of others and her own rights.
 Our constitution is the most wonA derful of it's kind. Since the repub- lie was formed after the Revolution. only eighteen amendments have been added to the Constitution.
 We rank first in the world com- We won this place honor ably and fairly and are respected by all the world. There is SC much of mineral and agricultural value in tho United States that it is known as tho of the world Our policy has always been to help others, while helping ourselves. The Panama Canal was built by the United States thus reducing the distance of tho trade route between the East and tho West. The government is constantly building canals and various other things to make transportation quick sr and easier.
 Our system of education is won ierful too. In most states education S compulsory for those under four cen years of age, and for those not ret having completed the sixth grade is of vital importance in democracy, since we are the law makers and law-givers.
 Now we have considered those ,dints but there is one more, our learts should thrill with joy and pride when we remember that AmerS- a stands for liberty and freedom Iris liberty alone that gives tho
 fow'r
 )f fieeting life it's lustre and per-
 fume, Ind we are weeds without it." - Caunpr