The American flag is a symbol of our freedom itself. We gained our independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. Since then, we have only known how we are going to remain a free country. After gaining our independence, we stopped viewing freedom as a privilege. We began to believe that freedom is a right that should be afforded to us if we live in America. Yet we still used slaves for many years after gaining our independence. If we had taken into consideration what the slaves thought about us (whites) getting freedom and blacks not getting the same freedoms, I feel like we would have changed our minds about how how we treat them. Liberty, or perhaps freedom, is considered an inalienable right, meaning it is a God-given right. Freedom has shaped our country into what it is today. We have the freedom to do what we want, when we want, how we want, etc. This is what sets America apart from many other countries. Patrick Henry said: “Is life so dear or peace so sweet that it can be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I don't know what side the others might take, but as for me, give him freedom or give me death! Patrick Henry was an 18th-century orator who strongly supported the independence movement. Freedom is a major aspect of our country,