What is the most American thing ever made?

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 09/11/2015 at 15:44 • Filed to: Apollo 11

4

97

The American spirit is something that is unique and enduring. We are pioneers, trailblazers, poets, entrepreneurs, scholars, fighters, and inventors. What object best defines the American spirit?

If I may present to you my suggestion. Apollo 11. Not only a great moment for Americans but a great moment for mankind. Not only does Apollo 11 define the American spirit it defines the human spirit. Too me this is the greatest thing ever made in America.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:46

1

Tesla Model S

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:48

5

Too bad our rocket tech came from German defectors

$kaycog > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:48

4

Apple pie.

TheHondaBro > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 09/11/2015 at 15:49

1

Except for the fact that Elon Musk is a South African.

Jcarr > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:49

6

The Wright Flyer. We may have not been the first nation to toy with the idea of manned flight, but we were the first to really make it work.

crowmolly > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua 09/11/2015 at 15:50

1

Operation Paperclip, anyone?

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:50

2

How about the M1 Garand? Arguments:

1. Simple but effective, even against arguably technologically superior items.

2. Widely produced.

3. Still in use after 75 or so years.

4. It’s a gun. ‘Murica.

ceanderson920 > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:51

9

Abraham Lincoln may have freed the slaves but Samuel Colt made everyone equal.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > crowmolly 09/11/2015 at 15:51

6

HammerheadFistpunch > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 09/11/2015 at 15:53

3

Or the BAR

That’s pretty damn American

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > TheHondaBro 09/11/2015 at 15:53

0

Telsa is American, good enough

duurtlang > $kaycog 09/11/2015 at 15:53

2

I don’t think I’ve ever visited a country where apple pie wasn’t readily available, usually in some kind of many generations old traditional form or shape. I’ve never set foot in the US.

JR1 > ceanderson920 09/11/2015 at 15:53

0

I love that saying

JR1 > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 09/11/2015 at 15:54

1

I have always wanted an M1 Garand

HammerheadFistpunch > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua 09/11/2015 at 15:54

9

I see you’re trying to start a rocket program, can I help?

HammerheadFistpunch > TheHondaBro 09/11/2015 at 15:54

9

Nothing is more American than Immigration.

JR1 > TheHondaBro 09/11/2015 at 15:55

0

Yeah because I forgot he was the only guy working on that car

JR1 > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua 09/11/2015 at 15:55

3

German defectors that came to the United States, gained citizenship, and were helped by American engineers to land on the moon.

ThreePumpTrump > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:56

4

The Shelby Cobra. America was mostly birthed from Europe, so it’s actually rather fitting that one of the most legendary American cars started off as a European car.

Runner Up: Ford GT40

Big Bubba Ray > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 09/11/2015 at 15:56

1

YES. I have an M1 Carbine and would do bad things for a chance to shoot a Garand.

JR1 > ThreePumpTrump 09/11/2015 at 15:56

0

That is a logical argument. Good point

BigBlock440 > TheHondaBro 09/11/2015 at 15:57

0

What’s more American than someone moving to America and making it big?

HammerheadFistpunch > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:58

1

I knew this “but the germans” thing would be one of the first things on this comment role. Its just bound to happen.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:58

3

$kaycog > duurtlang 09/11/2015 at 15:59

0

Yep, apple pie didn’t originate in America.

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013…

HammerheadFistpunch > ThreePumpTrump 09/11/2015 at 15:59

5

America - “We can make that go faster”

crowmolly > JR1 09/11/2015 at 15:59

2

ARPANET and its use of TCP/IP.

Changed the way we live our lives.

jariten1781 > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:03

0

Worldwide culture influence...not really an object, but definitely a thing. From the high-minded things like the Constitution to trite stuff like Coca Cola, KFC, movies, and music...No other country has ever been close in recorded history.

EL_ULY > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:03

7

JR1 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 09/11/2015 at 16:05

1

Fuck yeah! Hellcat!

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:06

0

We helped, but von Braun was the driving force behind it. We’re also dicks because we made him live in Alabama

JR1 > crowmolly 09/11/2015 at 16:06

0

That is a very practical object and a good choice

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:07

1

In all seriousness though, I'd choose the American flag as the most American thing made, because it's so symbolic.

JR1 > jariten1781 09/11/2015 at 16:07

1

Some say it was cultural influence, not Reagan that destroyed the USSR

crowmolly > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:08

0

The V2 program was basically picked up and moved across the water. Not saying the USA didn’t fund a lot of this, but, you know... ze Germans had a lot to do with it.

Sn210 > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:08

2

JR1 > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua 09/11/2015 at 16:10

0

Von Braun. An American who wanted to go to the moon but was forced to build rocket boosters for a mad men.

deekster_caddy > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:10

0

I would love to submit my ‘73 Buick but it was technically built in Canada... so I’m submitting instead cities built on swamps that were filled in where they have no business being. For example, Boston, New Orleans, Washington DC... And after those cities have major flooding issues, do we move them to dry land? NO! HELL NO! We can rebuild until the next major power outage takes out all the pumps! This is MURICA! We have UNLIMITED TAX PAYER DOLLARS to spend on these things because we have no real money and we can make as much as we feel like!

whoops, that turned into a rant! Here’s my american Buick instead!

JR1 > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 09/11/2015 at 16:10

1

That is honestly a really good pick

HammerheadFistpunch > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 09/11/2015 at 16:12

3

American, with a hint of maple syrup.

JR1 > crowmolly 09/11/2015 at 16:12

0

A rocket doesn’t define Apollo. What defines Apollo was landing on the moon and having a perfect mission. However the rocket was also quite a long ways developed by the time it got to Apollo.

JR1 > deekster_caddy 09/11/2015 at 16:13

0

Um? Go us I guess?

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:15

1

Best $600 I ever spent.

JR1 > Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) 09/11/2015 at 16:19

0

I had no idea it was so cheap

Ash78, voting early and often > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua 09/11/2015 at 16:20

0

Huntsville is nicer than most of the US. Definitely better than Houston or the desert, IMHO. Or under a stadium in Chicago :D

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 16:20

0

dat recoil

deekster_caddy > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:21

0

Sorry I seem a bit cynical on it. Otherwise I’d have to go with some cool military jet or something but I don’t know my planes well enough to pick out the coolest stuff. If the warthog was american designed and built that would be it.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 09/11/2015 at 16:21

1

dat recoil

dat knockdown

dat vapor trail out to 650m

dat penetration

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > crowmolly 09/11/2015 at 16:22

0

lol

all those zeros and ones

JR1 > deekster_caddy 09/11/2015 at 16:23

0

I mean you poke fun at a good point. We build cities in some stupid locations. Just ask Las Vegas or Phoenix. “Let’s build a city where there is no water and suck the Colorado River dry!”

scoob > Sn210 09/11/2015 at 16:30

1

I’m in love with the Olympic White.

RallyWrench > deekster_caddy 09/11/2015 at 16:30

1

I was going to suggest the F35 for similar reasons. America: FUCK IT, LET’S KEEP GOING AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS!

T5Killer > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:30

2

M2 .50 Cal MG. It is your grandfathers Machine gun. Whats more american than a Machine that is middle of the road in performance but will never be retired. Seriously I know units to went to Iraq with M2s built in WWII.

Justin Hughes > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:32

1

RallyWrench > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:34

2

America: You know what the moon needs? A car.

deekster_caddy > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:34

2

Yeah, Vegas - that was “Let’s build a city where the officials won’t want to bother coming here to close down our gambling and booze!”

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:34

2

Depends how good of shape you want it in. Mine was beat up cosmetically, mix’n’match’d serial number parts, but still perfectly functional. An OK condition all original parts rifle will go for at least $1,200. Excellent condition, all original rifles go for over $2,000. Sniper variants are even more expensive.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Van Man, rocks the Man Van 09/11/2015 at 16:37

1

The most American thing ever isn’t even built in America, but in Canada.

Kinda poetic.

wiffleballtony > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:38

1

Snuze: Needs another Swede > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:42

1

Funny this comes up... I just got an e-mail from the CMP about getting one. I’ve been saving up for a while and decided to get myself one as a birthday present this year. I want to go hand select one at their Ohio site and e-mailed them to get some information in order - it would be a real pisser to drive all the way out there and realize I forgot a document I needed or something.

Few people realize this, but after WWII, but maybe WWI, I can’t remember, the Gov’t created the CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program) as a way to sell off surplus military rifles to civilians and recoup a little money.

They are still around today and have a dwindling supply of M1 Garands available. You can mail in an order, or go visit their stores in Camp Perry, OH or Anniston, AL. They start at $630 for field grade (a friend just bought one of these and it looked quite nice) all the way up to $3,035 for an M1C sniper rifle.

To get one, you need to have 4 things:

Proof you are 18 or older

Proof you are a US citizen

Be in a CMP affiliated organization (there are many that you can join for free or cheap with no commitment to meet this)

Document your involvement in some “shooting activity” (prior or active military or LEO, current competitive shooter, CCW carrier, NRA certified instructor/coach/marksman, etc.)

If you’re interested there’s more information available at their website: http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/

You can certainly just go to a gun show and buy an M1 but unless you really know about guns, you could get duped into paying a lot more for something that’s not worth a whole lot. If you buy from the CMP it’s going to have been gone over by their armorers. It won’t be “100% original WWII USGI just plucked off the beaches of Normandy” or whatever people try to sell you at a show, but you’re going to get a nice, serviceable gun that’s safe to shoot for a fair price. Get one before they’re gone.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Big Bubba Ray 09/11/2015 at 16:45

0

That’s awesome. I’m going to CMP in Ohio soon to pick up my M1 Garand. Carbine is next on my list. Who makes yours?

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > $kaycog 09/11/2015 at 16:50

1

Ever heard of strudels? Just about the same thing, but German.

Baeromez > JR1 09/11/2015 at 16:55

1

All cheese stock car.

$kaycog > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. 09/11/2015 at 17:00

0

Yeah. And then there’s Dutch apple pie.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > JR1 09/11/2015 at 17:03

0

Tesla Model S. Designed and built in the USA!

Jcarr > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 17:05

0

That John Browning was a genius.

HammerheadFistpunch > Jcarr 09/11/2015 at 17:08

0

I wish I could say it rubbed off to me. nope.

Jcarr > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 17:09

0

Dumb question: Are you related to him?

HammerheadFistpunch > Jcarr 09/11/2015 at 17:10

1

I’m a direct decedent of his brother Matt.

Urambo Tauro > $kaycog 09/11/2015 at 17:18

2

Apple pie.

And baseball. And hot dogs, and Chevrolet.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Chariotoflove > $kaycog 09/11/2015 at 17:19

2

Dammit!, now I’m hungry, and work isn’t over yet.

$kaycog > Urambo Tauro 09/11/2015 at 17:21

0

Of course.

$kaycog > Chariotoflove 09/11/2015 at 17:21

0

Yeah, me too.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Ash78, voting early and often 09/11/2015 at 17:22

1

I lived there for two years then moved to Detroit. It’s an OK place to be a white middle class person who’s given up on their dreams and wants to settle

Chariotoflove > JR1 09/11/2015 at 17:22

0

Hard to top that, but how about this:

Ash78, voting early and often > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua 09/11/2015 at 17:28

0

Hehehehe, I won’t totally disagree there. There’s something odd about Huntsville’s “oh well” attitude, especially given how many people have to move there for work (defense, aerospace).

But I find the same kind of attitude among most cities where most people live for work, not for personal choice. There’s a certain loss of culture in places like that.

Jcarr > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 17:59

0

Awesome

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > JR1 09/11/2015 at 18:15

1

The covered wagon.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Ash78, voting early and often 09/11/2015 at 18:54

0

It was farmland before the arsenal came. It never had any culture to begin with. It’s also a terrible place to be single

Hot Takes Salesman > JR1 09/11/2015 at 19:40

1

The thing is called Eagle, for god’s sake

Hot Takes Salesman > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 19:42

0

Like a pancake. A delicious, triple stack, 707 horsepower pancake

Hot Takes Salesman > Sn210 09/11/2015 at 19:43

0

I like Clapton-spec black and white

Jayhawk Jake > JR1 09/11/2015 at 20:18

0

Do you mean the Saturn V? It's the Saturn V.

Jayhawk Jake > crowmolly 09/11/2015 at 20:21

1

Importing talent is pretty damned American though. We're a nation of immigrants.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 21:19

0

That is really cool. I’m huge Browning fan - I have a 1911 and a Hi-Power, and shoot trap, skeet, and sporting clays with a 1980’s A-5 magnum. I’ve shot quite a few different semi-autos but I still love, love, love that A-5. In fact I just got done cleaning it in preperation for a charity sporting clays tournament this weekend.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > T5Killer 09/11/2015 at 21:20

0

Ma Deuce!

HammerheadFistpunch > Snuze: Needs another Swede 09/11/2015 at 21:55

1

The 1911 has to be just the nicest handgun for general use. My dad had one I loved.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > HammerheadFistpunch 09/11/2015 at 22:50

0

The 1911 is fantastic, and has really stood the test of time. In fact of all the things listed here, it might be the most American. The .45 ACP is a haus of a round.

I hate to say it, as much as I love my 1911, I’m more of a Hi-Power man. The 9mm is much easier to shoot, loaded with hollow points it has about as much stopping power as the .45, and I can carry twice as much ammo in the same package.

Actually, the thing that I always liked was that the 1911 was so good, several european countries wanted it, but chambered in the more common (in europe) 9mm round. When Colt wouldn’t sell the rights to anyone to produce it in 9mm, FNH approached John Browning to design them a new gun. So he went back and engineered a completely new gun around all of his old patents. I love the common heritage.

JR1 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 09/12/2015 at 09:17

0

I didn't know you had to join an organization to get one. I wouldn't want a gun at Normandy though I just want something functional that works.

JR1 > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 09/12/2015 at 09:17

0

That car is a big piece of American pride

JR1 > Chariotoflove 09/12/2015 at 09:18

1

Ok that is probably more American

JR1 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 09/12/2015 at 09:19

1

I didn't know we invented that. Neat

JR1 > Jayhawk Jake 09/12/2015 at 09:20

0

Saturn V could refer to any of the rockets. I wanted to refer specifically to Apollo 11

Jayhawk Jake > JR1 09/12/2015 at 10:10

1

But Apollo 11 wasn’t really a thing, it was a mission. The Saturn V rocket is a thing. There was the Columbia CSM and Eagle lander.

Unless we’re playing wheel of fortune, then anything is a thing

Chariotoflove > JR1 09/12/2015 at 11:52

0

I loved your post though. Watching that majestic rocket rise from the pad in Apollo 13 made made my breath catch the same as hearing Captain Kirk recite the Preamble.

Nedroj > JR1 09/13/2015 at 06:16

0

war

Snuze: Needs another Swede > JR1 09/13/2015 at 10:00

0

Yeah, if you browse the website it lists all the requirements. I think there’s even a link to a list of clubs/ranges sortred by state. There’s always GCA (Garamd Collectors Association). Its $25/year and fulfills the requirement and no futher obligations really. But if your Google Fu is good sometimes you can find even better options. There was a guy in Maryland who had a club he ran that was a CMP affiliate and was only $5 to join. Its a bit of a PITA requirement but it shouldn’t be too hard to fulfill.