Book excerpt: What does it mean to be American? What was the vision of founders who built this nation? This revised and updated edition of The American Patriot's Handbook gives an authoritative and concise introduction to the ideas, events, and personalities that have shaped American freedom, ideals, and values. Included are important and inspirational speeches, poems and song lyrics along with profiles of presidents and prominent individuals who have shaped the nation's history. Key documents featured are: The Mayflower Compact The Declaration of Independence The lyrics to "The Star Spangled Banner" The Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy The Letter from the Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. A wonderful amount of new material delves even deeper into our national identity to showcase not only our fighting spirit, but strong compassion, including: Epitaph of a Patriot by Anne Bradstreet The Defense of the Alamo by Joaquin Miller Nobel Prize Acceptance by William Faulkner September 11 Address to the Nation by George W. Bush The American Patriot's Handbook is the perfect resource for anyone who wishes to understand this majestic country, from its historic founding until today...