What makes an American hero? Are heroes important to society?

There have been many heroes in the history of the United States of America.  I believe that an American hero is somebody who did something to change America in a good way.  Some examples of American heroes are people serving in the military and people who helped to fight racial injustice.  I believe that heroes are very important to American society because they make America a better place to live.  Many people have helped to make America a better place to live and are therefore American heroes, such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., and many more.  There are also American heroes today and there will be more in the future who will continue to make America a better place.