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10 Animals More American Than the Bald Eagle

They're cool birds, but even Benjamin Franklin thought bald eagles were lazy. Could there be other contestants in the (non-existant) race to embody freedom? Here are 10 animals more American than the bald eagle! 

1. White Tailed Deer

1. White Tailed Deer

They're everywhere, and hunting season is one of the biggest "seasons" in America! Not to mention, about 22% of states use this deer as their state mammal. Clearly, this is an American beauty.

(Image via Bigstock)

2. North American Beaver

2. North American Beaver

Beavers are amazing! They can build homes out of anything, and nothing screams America like being able to contend with the elements. 

(Image via Bigstock)

3. Black Bear

3. Black Bear

The black bear is the state mammal in Alabama, Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia. They're fuzzy and are known for defending their territory and young against all odds. They’re the epitome of “mess with us and we’ll take you down.” This makes black bears the perfect national symbol!

(Image via Bigstock)

4. North American Quarter Horse

4. North American Quarter Horse

Horses aren't originally from America, but we took them and made them better. We trained them to be faster and stronger, groomed them to be more attractive, and put them in races that we love to watch. Why can't they be a symbol of the United States?

(Image via Wikipedia)

5. Turkey

5. Turkey

Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey was a much better option than the bald eagle. This was because he thought the eagle was a scavenger, but we eat turkeys for Thanksgiving... I guess the least we could do is show them a little respect. Gobble, gobble!

(Image via Bigstock)

6. American Bison

6. American Bison

These glorious animals roamed the land and sustained populations long before the European invasion. They're strong, super fuzzy, and have no time to deal with nonsense—just like Americans.

(Image via Bigstock)

7. Ospery

7. Ospery

What the heck is an osprey? Known as a fishing hawk, Franklin also thought this animal was better than the eagle. They can catch fish in water, whereas the eagle is too lazy to fish for himself. He just steals this bird’s fish. Such injustice!

(Image via Bigstock)

8. Racoon

8. Racoon

Raccoons are absolutely adorable! Plus, they're incredibly smart and can survive against all odds. No matter what, America has prevailed, so why don't we give these trash cats a chance to prevail too?

(Image via Bigstock)

9. Squirrel

9. Squirrel

These little suckers are all over the place, but they’re incredibly intelligent. They can run little obstacle courses without any issue. Squirrels are our American Ninja Warriors!

(Image via Bigstock)

10. Rat

10. Rat

I know most people see rats as gross, but we all loved Pizza Rat! What is more American than that little dude? We love pizza, he loves pizza. We like New York, he likes New York. Plus, you have to admit that the Pizza Rat is your spirit animal. If he isn't, you're lying.

(Image via Bigstock)