Fourth of July Essays

The Essay Prompt:
Imagine a world without the founding of the United States of America. Tell a story about life in that world or describe how this would affect the course of history.
Describe the world this would be. Due to the number of submissions, we decided to eliminate age divisions and three winners were chosen to each receive a $50 award.
WE THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR WONDERFUL SUBMISSIONS!

What will life be like without the USA?

By ADRIANA VALDES, Age 10

My mom is from El Salvador and moved to Florida. She went to a school in Florida where she met my dad. She met my dad in high school, mommy was 15 and daddy was 14 when they first met. They fell in love and had Adri/me, Banjoe/ oldest, and Alphina/ youngest. If the USA was never found my mom would never met my dad and would never have my sisters.
NASA will never be born without the USA. The Apollo 11 that landed on the moon will never have landed on the moon. The first woman in space Sally Ride will never be the first woman in space. Someone across the world, will be the first woman in space or they will never be the first woman in space. NASA wouldn’t be here without the founding of NASA.
Secretariat the fastest horse that won the triple crown in 25 years. Secretariat is the world’s fastest horse that broke track records in all three races of the Kentucky Derby. At a record of 1:59 2/5 seconds the fastest a horse ever ran. Secretariat will ever hold the fastest racehorse as an American.

Imagining a World Without the U.S.A.

By ELI SVENNINGSEN, Age 9

If there was no U.S.A., everything would be so much money because of the taxes from the British. Everyone would not have a lot of money or food since the taxes are so high. The British would make us pay taxes for things that we need. Our clothes would be really dirty, full of dust, and not that colorful.
Russia or China would take over Canada. Hitler would take over France. There would not be a country big enough to defeat them because there would not be enough men and tools to defend themselves.
The British wouldn’t push people to invent things, tools would cost a lot of money, and there would be less competition. We would not have stuff like video games, ipads, computers, legos, games, toys, and a lot of clothes. We would not know as much about space like we do now.
There would be a lot of taxes. There would be a lot of wars and places would be attacked and taken over by bigger countries. Many things would not have been invented. Life would not be fun because of the British.

The Dream – First Place Winner

By NORA HOLLOWAY
Age 12

Bristol, England 1732

It was 5:00 AM in Bristol, England, when Sarah Woodland’s dad shouted up the stairs. As she opened her eyes she thought about her dream. She knew that there had to be a reason she had it. Once she got up Sarah put her dark hair into two braids (like she did every day), and then ran downstairs for breakfast. As Sarah entered the kitchen she found her mother making bread. She decided to tell her mom about her dream because her mom would always listen.
She told her mom that in her dream there was country. No one had been there before except the Indians that already lived there. Sarah went on to explain that there were many people who came from the UK to live in this beautiful land they called “Liberty”. After that, her mother was very interested and urged Sarah to go on. So Sarah finished her story by saying that after many wars and trials the people of Liberty became a free country. Instead of having kings and queens the Liberty citizens got to vote for their leader who they called their “president.”
Sarah’s mom told her to get ready for school and ignore her dream for the day. Although her mom told her not to Sarah thought about her dream the whole way to school. She thought about how the people of this strange land called Liberty had much more freedom than anyone who lived in England. She also thought about all of the awesome inventions she saw in her dream. Though Sarah didn’t exactly know what all of them were, she came up with a name for every single one. Like “assembly lines” the assembly lines helped factories build many things faster and more efficiently.
As Sarah walked up to the building she spotted her friend James. James’s mom always walked with him to school because it was on her way to work. Anyways, Sarah told James about all the extraordinary things the Libertarians thought of. When Sarah finished James started naming all the terrible reasons to live in England. “I wish I could live in this Liberty place that you are dreaming about.”
“Why do you think that no one has thought of that before?” asked Sarah.
“I don’t know. I guess you could make a place like that”.
As James finished talking Sarah thought of yet another question. “Where do I start?” Sarah said. James took a minute to register the thought and then responded “Right here.”

New Bristol, Liberty 1803

As 83 year old Sarah sat in her wooden rocking chair reflecting on all that had happened in the past seventy years she started writing on a clean sheet of paper. She dipped her quill into the ink and began telling her story of adventure.
“It was 1746 when me and my beloved husband, James Alotin, got married and said goodbye to our home. We had no idea if our plan would pan out correctly, but we could always try. James and I had a wish to be free since we were twelve years old. We wanted to have our own rights and not be bossed around. Of course I was always the adventurous one, but James was willing to do anything as long as we could be together.
James and I never really planned for such a chaotic life, but if our sacrifice meant others gain we would try our best. When we first came to Liberty and made a house it was very difficult to convince people to move here. No one believed that they could ever be free, but we had to keep trying. Even our own families didn’t believe in us at first!
Really, the whole idea felt impossible, but after we got more people to help us start a new system we were going strong. And now thanks to millions of people who pitched in and helped, Liberty is the land of the free because of the brave.”

– Sarah Woodland Alotin

A World Without United States – First Place Winner

By AURORA BANJOE VALDES, Age 12

Have you ever stopped and wondered what it would be like without the United States? Founded in 1776, the United States has made a huge impact on the world. If the United States had never been founded, many things would be different today.
To begin with, my name is Aurora Banjoelle Valdes. I’m 13 years old and in 7th grade. I’m also homeschooled. Without America, my mom wouldn’t have been able to move to the United States from El Salvador. She would have had a completely different lifestyle. Without the United States, I would never have experienced the cool space launches that my dad used to take me to early in the morning. We would watch them launch into space. I wouldn’t have a favorite actress or my favorite TV shows and movies. Also, without America, there wouldn’t be American football, and I would never have gone to my cousin’s football games where it was extremely hot, and everyone went crazy over American football. In fact, without American football, I would have never won 50 bucks on one of the games because my family played bets and games during the Super Bowl. Now let’s dive into it!
Moving on, Without the United States, space exploration would look very different. Since its establishment in 1958, NASA has been at the forefront of space missions, including the iconic moon landing in 1969. Without NASA, our advancements in space technology would be much slower. Other countries might not have been motivated to invest heavily in their own space programs, which would have slowed global progress in space exploration. Additionally, without NASA, our understanding of our planet and the universe would be limited. We wouldn’t know the size or shape of the universe, how galaxies were formed, or if there is life elsewhere. NASA’s missions and research have been crucial in expanding our knowledge about our planet and the cosmos. Furthermore, without the United States, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to visit Disney World so many times with my family and experience its magic. Walt Disney, who grew up in the U.S., had a dream of creating a place where families could enjoy themselves together. He started The Walt Disney Company in America and made many beloved animated films. Disneyland, his first major theme park, opened in California in 1955 and was a huge hit. This success led him to build an even bigger park on the East Coast, which became Walt Disney World in Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and quickly became one of the most popular tourist spots in the world. So without the U.S., its resources and
Walt Disney’s American background, Disney theme parks probably wouldn’t exist as we know it today.
Last but not least without the United States we wouldn’t have iconic TV shows and movies like “The Simpsons,” “Stranger Things,” and “Friends.” The U.S. has had a huge impact on global culture through its music, movies, and fashion. Hollywood movies and stars like Marilyn Monroe and Leonardo DiCaprio are famous worldwide. American music genres like jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and hip-hop, with artists like Elvis Presley and Beyoncé, have shaped global music trends. In fashion, designers like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein are known everywhere. Without these influences, the global entertainment and fashion scenes would be very different.
In conclusion, without the United States, many aspects of our lives and the world would be very different. From personal experiences like space launches and football games to big contributions in space exploration, the U.S. has played a huge role. The advancements in technology, culture, and science from the U.S. have shaped the world we know today. Imagining a world without these contributions.

Imagining a World Without the U.S.A.

By VERONICA VACA CORREA, Age 14

My name is Veronica Vaca Correa. I believe that the founding of our nation is what keeps the people of the United States of America with jobs and homes. Jobs such as doctors and astronauts. The NASA program wouldn’t exist without the founding of our nation. Some hospitals are owned by the state and some are owned by churches but without the founding of the states there would be no churches or hospitals.
The NASA program is a very big deal and without it we wouldn’t know anything about the space or modern life. NASA wouldn’t have the technology they need without the funding from the from the state. In July 1958, Eisenhower. Had signed the National Aeronautics and space Act, The agency was opened Oct. 1, 1958, NASA is a U.S. government agency that is responsible for science and technology related to air and space.
Most of the hospitals you would see today in local city and country are owned by governments. State governments own many mental hospitals and nearly all hospitals in the United States receive some government funding, much of if from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Most hospitals are facilities that are run by the U.S. federal, state or local government and many hospitals need support so they can update their facilities and remain an access point to care in their communities.
In conclusion, without the United States, we wouldn’t have had great astronauts and space discoveries. Nor would we have had healthcare breakthroughs that keep its citizens healthy.

A Dog Named Freedom

By JILLIAN HOLLOWAY, Age 6

One day the owner of Freedom the dog accidentally left the door open. Then one day Freedom had an idea to find a new home. Somewhere else where he could be free! He is going to find a place and name it New York. Then the dog made it to uncharted territory, and named it New York. Then he went back to the city where he used to live.
He walked in his new neighborhood and went into Florida. Then he found a deer. After that the deer attacked him. But the dog and deer were both still alive.

The End

Our World Without America(ns)

By TITUS HOLLOWAY, Age 15

The United States of America has brought the world endless innovative ideas and inventions. For example, the internet, one of the greatest inventions ever, was brought to the world through the teamwork of two incredible Americans. Hundreds of Americans have helped preserve the freedom of the United States through innovations to modern warfare. Another notable American invention, the GPS, was brought to the world through the hard work and determination of a resolute American woman. Americans have sculpted our world with our incredible innovations in technology.
American inventors Vinton Cerf and Robert Khan brought us the internet we use to share ideas, grow small businesses, and even to see a relative from thousands of miles away. As cultures blend and communities grow, the internet helps a community thrive and bring unity through communication and the extensive well of knowledge that the internet has to offer. Our world has millions of creative ideas that could not be published or used without the internet.
The United States has also introduced quite a few innovations to the world’s militaries. Nuclear Submarines, Amphibious Vehicles, and Armored Vessels have all been invented by extraordinary Americans. However, these first class inventions would never have come to be without the freedoms America has to offer. The inventor of the Nuclear Submarine, Hyman Rickover, was educated in a free country that brought him the inspiration he needed to protect his country and his liberty. Without American freedoms and ideas, I can not even imagine what our world would look like.
Even though it is unclear who invented the GPS, Gladys West brought innovation beyond belief to the GPS. She was an African-American woman who grew up on a tobacco processing plant in rural Virginia. After earning a master’s degree at Virginia State University, Gladys was refused jobs that were instead given to white men, but Gladys refused to give up. After finally being hired as the fourth Black employee to the United States Naval Proving Ground, Gladys worked tirelessly on a project called GEOSAT. Gladys and her team eventually became the first people to make a geographically accurate map of any place on earth. Relentless Americans like Gladys West have made our world a better place with their remarkable ideas that have been put to action.
So, is the question we should ask ourselves, “Where would we be without America?” No. Even though this is a thought provoking question, we should instead be asking ourselves, “Where would we be without Americans?” Bold and diligent Americans like Vinton Cerf, Robert Khan, Hyman Rickover, and Gladys West have shown us what is possible when we are free to step out of our comfort zone and show the world what Americans can do. In conclusion, extraordinary Americans have shaped the world we live in today and its history through their innovations that have inspired millions to follow in their footsteps.

“The Book”

By ELLIE HOLLOWAY, Age 10

Violet was stuck in a book. A book about a new place they called ‘Freeland.’ She thought it sounded amazing but it was hard to read some of the words because they were in this weird language. However, she really did not care because she really wanted to read the rest of the book so she went to the library to look up what this language this was. It turns out it was in this language called English.
She lived in Peru. The book said that it was very close, just North of Peru. She lived in South America so she wanted to know if there was a place for her to go to explore that she had never gone to. She decided what if we went on a journey to see if it was really there.
No one thought that that would be a place there, they thought it was just going to be empty water with nothing there but air so she decided to go on by herself but it was hard for her because she didn’t know which way to go. But she just went North because that’s the way that the book said the land was. It said North America so she went North. She started in this town called Cusco.
On her journey she walked through her forest with wolves, scary mountain lions, goats, and bunnies. The grass was greener than she had ever seen. The trees were taller than she had ever imagined. But they were so beautiful and they gave lots of shade so that she could walk for days and days but of course the forest had to end somewhere.
Three days later the forest ended and there was just a place with water. She arrived at a place called Brazil she knew that because it said it on a sign it said welcome to Brazil. So she kept walking North. This time there were lots of mountains she had to climb. So she started to climb. It was a long way up but finally she made it to the top. She set up her camp and then she fell asleep.
But then she woke up to a rustling in the bush.When she woke up it was still dark. She heard a rough sound like a bark so she got up and moved the bush that was rustling. All of a sudden a dog limped out of the bush. The dog ran towards her. It had a few scratches and a bite out of its leg and ear. She got up and started to pet it. The dog looked at her with kind eyes and whimpered. She saw a stream nearby but she would have to climb down quite a bit of the mountain. She didn’t care. She needed this dog to be alright.
She went down with her handkerchief and came back up with it wet. She put it all over the dog and then put it around his leg. She put the dog in her backpack that she brought along and started to walk up and down the hills again in the morning and she got to a new place.
The sign said welcome to Venezuela. She only walked down for about 3 days then she finally got to the ocean but she couldn’t do anything about it. She didn’t have a boat or anything so she went to the nearest shop. She asked where they sold boats. They said we have some right here so she bought them for a fair amount of money. Then she got into the boat and went across to what she thought was Freeland. She was so happy that she could barely speak but then she remembered that she was far away from her family and she might not ever see them again. But there were people there that adopted her as their own family. They were called Freelanders. She wasn’t happy all the time but most of the time she was very happy.

The End